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For other people with the same name, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation)

Michael Joseph Jackson (born August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana), is an American singer, dancer, songwriter, and record producer. Jackson began his career as the lead singer of Motown act The Jackson 5 in the 1960s and 1970s. After beginning a full-fledged solo career in 1979, Jackson went on to become the most successful African-American solo artist in music history, and one of the most successful popular music singers of all time. He is known as The King of Pop, the King of the Music Video, and Wacko Jacko. Jackson's successful career has gained him legions of fans, both devoted and obsessive. He has, however, been dogged by media fascination with his changing physical appearance and what some perceive as an eccentric lifestyle.

Jackson is fond of children, and, apart from having his own, he has had friendships with a number of other children, ranging from disadvantaged children to child celebrities. He has invited many groups of children to his ranch and has sponsored a variety of charitable activities. However, he has also repeatedly been accused of child molestation and is, as of June 2005, on trial for alleged child molestation and other offenses. He denies the charges. The trial is being held in Santa Maria, California.

Jackson has received numerous music industry awards including 18 Grammys. He has sold estimated 300 million records worldwide. His Thriller video is considered the greatest music video of all time and a large step forward in artistic quality for music videos. MTV and Rolling Stone magazine recently named four of his songs ("Billie Jean" #5, The Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" #9, "Beat It" #23, and "Rock with You" #82) among the 100 greatest pop songs of all time.

His hit album Thriller is the biggest-selling album of all time worldwide with over 63 million copies sold. The album is also the best-selling album containing all-original material in terms of domestic US sales--27 million copies sold. It is second to The Eagles' greatest hits collection Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975), which has sold 28 million copies.

Personal Background

Jackson was born the seventh of nine children in Gary, Indiana to Joseph Jackson and Katherine Jackson. The entire family--including older siblings Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, LaToya, and Marlon, and younger siblings Randy and Janet--lived in a tiny two-bedroom house, and Jackson's father Joseph Jackson earned a meager living working in a steel mill. Jackson and his sister LaToya both claimed that their father was cruel and physically abusive to his children. Jackson broke down and wept during a television interview when asked about this, and said that even as an adult just meeting his father often made him physically ill.

At the behest of their mother Katherine but against Joseph's wishes, the Jackson children were raised as Jehovah's Witnesses and practiced door-to-door evangelization. Jackson continued to do so after becoming famous, but then in disguise. His career and flamboyant style led to friction with congregation elders. At one point, his sister LaToya was shunned by Jehovah's Witnesses, and in 1987, he formally left the religion.

Due to Joseph Jackson's strict religious beliefs, the Jackson kids were kept locked in their house while he worked the night shift. However, the children would sneak out of the house to their neighbors where they practiced singing and playing music. Eventually, Joseph found out about their musical abilities and decided to capitalize upon it in order to leave Gary for sunny Los Angeles.

Jackson has been living at his 11 km² (2600 acres) Neverland Ranch in Santa Ynez, California, named after the magical kingdom Neverland featured in the children's story Peter Pan. In December 2003, he said that after it had been searched by police (see below), it no longer felt like a home, and is now a house he just visits. He lived for some time in Beverly Hills in a $70,000-a-month rented home, but as of 2005 seems to live at Neverland again.

Jackson feels a strong connection to both children and animals. He says that they do not give the complications that adult people often do, like negatively judging him, and betraying him.

He says that, like Peter Pan, he does not want to grow up. He says he compensates for his "lost childhood", during which he always had to practice and perform. Neverland contains a small zoo and amusement park. About once a week he has been inviting a bus full of (especially sick and poor) children there to have a day of fun.

His favorite pastimes include playing with children, e.g. having water balloon and water gun fights, and having rides with them in his golf carts (which children are often allowed to drive themselves), small steam train, and the other rides of the amusement park, and having long telephone conversations with young friends. He has had sleepovers in the past with children (who have reportedly been primarily boys), but stated in 2005 that he now feels that it violates a social norm in the eyes of many people, and places him in a vulnerable position with regard to suspicions and allegations of sexual abuse. He has publicly stated he will no longer have them with children not related to him.

Jackson kept a chimpanzee, Bubbles, in Neverland, which he valued highly, treating him more like a friend than a pet. Bubbles was moved from the ranch after reaching maturity because adult chimpanzees are very strong and can be dangerous.

He likes climbing trees; he has written several songs sitting in his favorite tree at Neverland, which he calls Giving Tree, because, he says, it is so inspiring.