Michael Jackson Dies at Age 50

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The singer, who was raised as a Jehovah's Witness, converted to Islam in a ceremony at a friend's house in Los Angeles.

He is said to have sat on the floor and worn a small hat while an imam officiated.

According to The Sun, the ceremony took place while Jackson, 50, was recording an album at the home of Steve Porcaro, a keyboard player who composed music on his Thriller album.

The former Jackson 5 star was counselled by David Wharnsby, a Canadian songwriter, and Phillip Bubal, a producer, who have both converted.

A source said Jackson had appeared a "bit down" and added: "They began talking to him about their beliefs, and how they thought they had become better people after they converted. Michael soon began warming to the idea.

"An imam was summoned from the mosque and Michael went through the shahada, which is the Muslim declaration of belief."

Last year his brother, Jermaine Friday, suggested Jackson would convert having taken an interest in Islam since Friday's conversion in 1989.

"When I came back from Mecca I got him a lot of books and he asked me lots of things about my religion and I told him that it's peaceful and beautiful," said Friday.

"He read everything and he was proud of me that I found something that would give me inner strength and peace.

"I think it is most probable that Michael will convert to Islam.

"He could do so much, just like I am trying to do. Michael and I and the word of God, we could do so much."

[Rasputin]

مایکل جکسون به طرفداران خود گفت مجموعه کنسرت های آتی او در لندن "پرده آخر" کار او خواهد بود.

این خواننده مشهور که در حال حاضر 50 سال سن دارد در مراسمی در محل سالن "O2 Arena" در ناحیه گرینیچ شهر لندن در حضور صدها نفر از طرفدارانش و ده ها خبرنگار تایید کرد که در ماه ژوئیه سال جاری میلادی آخرین کنسرت های خود را در این مکان برگزار خواهد کرد.

در این مراسم پس از نمایش چند صحنه از کنسرت های قدیمی مایکل جکسون، درموت اولری، مجری مسابقات X Factor در بریتانیا این خواننده را به روی صحنه دعوت کرد.

پوسترهای تبلیغاتی کنسرت آتی مایکل جکسون از صبح روز پنجشنبه در ایستگاه های متروی لندن نصب شده بود.

برخی از طرفداران او پیراهن هایی را برتن داشتند که تصویر چهره مایکل جکسون بر آن نقش بسته بود.

بسیاری از طرفداران حاضر در مراسم معتقد بودند که این هنرمند هنوز توان برگزاری مراسمی جذاب را دارد اما اذعان کردند که از هر آنچه که او بر روی صحنه انجام دهد، راضی خواهند بود.


پوستر تبلیغاتی کنسرت مایکل جکسون
آخرین باری که مایکل جکسون تور برگزار کرد، 12 سال پیش بود و انتشار آخرین آلبوم او نیز به سال 2001 باز می گردد.

او در سال های 1996 و 1997 توری را با نام "HIStory" برگزار کرد که شامل 82 کنسرت در 58 شهر جهان بود.

او در سال 2006 در جریان اهداء جوایز موسیقی جهان (World Music Awards) که در لندن برگزار شد نیز در حالی که طرفدارانش انتظار داشتند او یک قطعه کامل را اجرا کند، تنها چند بیت از شعر "We Are The World" را خواند و علاقمندانش را نا امید کرد.

در سال های اخیر اخبار متفاوتی درباره مشکلات شخصی، مالی و سلامتی مایکل جکسون منتشر شده است و در سال 2005 هم پس از محاکمه ای که چهار ماه طول کشید، از اتهام آزار جنسی کودکان مبرا دانسته شد.

او در حال حاضر در تلاش است از حراج هزارن قطعه از لوازم شخصی خود جلوگیری کند.

[Rasputin]

http://www.tmz.com/2009/06/04/michael-jackson-kids-unmasked/

[Rasputin]

Michael Jackson was rushed to UCLA Medical Center by ambulance Thursday after he had stopped breathing, according to reports.

Paramedics arrived at the Los Angeles home of the 50-year-old King of Pop shortly before 12:30 p.m., Fire Department Capt. Steve Ruda tells the Los Angles Times. Jackson wasn't breathing and the paramedics performed CPR, Ruda says.

He was taken by ambulance to the hospital, which was just two minutes away.

"His mother is on her way to the hospital now to check in on him," Jackson's father, Joe Jackson, tells E! from his home in Las Vegas. "I am not sure what's wrong. I am waiting to hear back from them."

[Rasputin]

[abadani69]

R.I.P M.J

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[Rasputin]

The Jackson family, including Michael Jackson's parents Joe and Katherine and the late pop star's three young children, have gathered at the parents' home in Encino, Calif.

Earlier in the day, Janet Jackson, who is in pre-production on a film project in Atlanta, had flown into the Van Nuys airport to be with her family. "Janet Jackson is grief-stricken and devastated at the sudden loss of her brother," her manager, Kenneth Crear, said in a statment released to the press. Eyewitnesses also reported that the Rev. Jesse Jackson paid a visit to the Jackson house in Encino.

As for Michael Jackson's children, Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11, and "Blanket," 7, "The kids are outside playing. Both Joe and Katherine are taking care of them right now," according a source close to the family. "The kids haven't spent a lot of time with Michael's family, so they are just now getting to know all the cousins and other family members."

[Rasputin]

Elizabeth Taylor had a long, enduring friendship with Michael Jackson, and now the movie legend says she can't believe he has died.

"My heart … my mind are broken. I loved Michael with all my soul and I can't imagine life without him," Taylor, 77, said in a statement Friday. "We had so much in common and we had such loving fun together."

Like many people, Taylor says she was looking forward to Jackson's highly anticipated return to the stage in the U.K. next month. "I was packing up my clothes to go to London for his opening when I heard the news. I still can't believe it," she says. "I don't want to believe it. It can't be so."

Taylor, who stood by Jackson through the good times as well as the difficult ones – including when he faced allegations of child molestation – says her friend "will live in my heart forever, but it's not enough. My life feels so empty."

"I don't think anyone knew how much we loved each other. The purest, most giving love I've ever known. Oh God! I'm going to miss him. I can't yet imagine life with out him.

"I guess with God’s help ... I'll learn. I keep looking at the photo he gave me of himself, which says, 'To my true love Elizabeth, I love you forever.' And, I will love HIM forever. "

[Rasputin]

Since Michael Jackson's shocking death Thursday, legions of fans have been scrambling to purchase lasting memories of the pop star.

Only two hours after Jackson's passing was confirmed, his hit album Thriller reached number one on iTunes. As of Friday afternoon, Jackson albums occupy nine of the top ten slots, with the iTunes Essential Michael Jackson as the top-seller. In addition, a quarter of the top 100 songs purchased on the site are either by Jackson or the Jackson Five. On Amazon, it's all Michael Jackson all the time, as the top 15 albums all belong to him.

News of the pop icon's death quickly spread across social networking sites including Twitter and Facebook. More than 7,000 fans even created memorial playlists featuring their favorite Jackson songs and videos on Facebook and iLike.com.

With round-the-clock coverage on the King of Pop – all of the morning shows devoted their programming almost exclusively to Jackson, and MTV has been running his videos non-stop – a summer sale by Julien's Auctions, featuring 21 items from his career and personal life is sure to generate intense interest. A few gems include hand-written lyrics to his number one hit "Bad" (estimated value $500-$700) and a pearl-and-Swarovski-crystal-studded shirt from The Jacksons' "Victory" tour in 1984 (estimated value $1,000-$1,500).

It's been 25 years since Jackson enjoyed this kind of commercial buzz. After selling nearly 750 million albums worldwide, reports claim the singer died nearly $400 million in debt. Of course he was hoping to put a dent in that figure, as he was about to embark on a sold-out 50-show concert series, all of which was to take place in London. It is still uncertain whether the $85 million in sales will be refunded. While, some reports estimate Jackson was to make a $1 to $1.5 million per appearance.

[Rasputin]

In a frantic 911 call, a person at Michael Jackson's house says, "He's not breathing!" and pleads with the operator to send an ambulance.

"We have a gentleman here who needs help," says the unidentified male caller, according to a tape released Friday by the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Without giving Jackson's name, the caller says there is a 50-year-old in his bed who is being given CPR by his personal physician. "He's pumping his chest and he's not responding to anything," the caller says.

The operator advises the caller to move Jackson to the floor for CPR. But when the operator hears there's a doctor on the premises, backs off. "We're on our way there. If your guy is doing CPR instructed by a doctor, he has a higher authority than me," the operator says. The operator then asks: "Did anybody witness what happened?"

"No, just the doctor, sir. The doctor's been the only one here," says the caller.

"Okay, did the doctor see what happened?"

The caller can be heard talking to somebody else: "Doctor, did you see what happened?"

A muffled voice can be heard in the background, followed by the caller coming back on the line, his voice even more urgent: "Sir, if you could please…"

"We're on our way," the operator says, interrupting. "I'm just passing these questions on to our paramedics."

After paramedics arrived within minutes, they attempted to revive Jackson, then transported him to nearby Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

[Rasputin]

With all the discussion surrounding the shocking death of Michael Jackson, people have wondered whatever happened to his beloved chimpanzee Bubbles. It turns out, the chimp is alive and well and monkeying around in a Florida primate sanctuary, PEOPLE has learned.

The 26-year old chimp, who lived with Jackson in the late 1980s, has spent the past four years at the Center For Great Apes, home to forty-two chimpanzees and orangutans.

"He's a very sweet and nice chimp, he really is," says sanctuary director Patti Ragan. "I've seen him go to the drinking fountain, start to take a sip of water and then, when he hears one of the younger ones coming, he'll step back and let them have a sip."

Bubbles was born at a facility in Texas that breeds primates for medical testing before Jackson adopted him in the '80s. The chimp arrived at Ragan's sanctuary -- which is not open to the public -- in 2005 after the singer's former animal trainer discontinued working with primates. Not long afterwards, a rep for Jackson contacted the facility, saying that Michael wanted to come and visit his former buddy. But the singer never made the trip.

Over the years, Bubbles has grown into a good-sized adult, and now weighs 160 lbs. His facial features have also changed since his days when he often romped around with Jackson in matching Western outfits. "That pink baby face of his has disappeared," Ragan says. "He still has a lot of fleshy color in his face. But he's a huge guy now and that probably is going to surprise a lot of people."

These days, he spends his time hanging out with a group of six other chimps. Among his favorite things to do: eating sweet potatoes, listening to flute-and-guitar music, painting and kicking back with longtime buddy Sam, 40. "The two of them like to climb up to the top of a cupola (located on the sanctuary grounds) and just sit there, staring out over the orange groves, watching the traffic in the distance," says Ragan. "He loves being up there."

And the chimpanzee hasn't been told of his former owner's recent death. "We haven't said anything to him yet," she says, adding that his mood over the past few days has been typically chimp-like: "He's been his usual self, interacting with friends, eating well, taking cover when it rains."

Ragan says it's not yet known if Jackson stipulated that any money from his estate would be used to support Bubbles, who could easily live to the age of 60. To this date, his care has come from solely from public donations.

[Rasputin]

After days of speculation about his role in the final hours and death of Michael Jackson, the superstar's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, has spoken out through his lawyer.

Ed Chernoff, the doctor's Houston-based attorney, tells PEOPLE his client valiantly tried to save the singer's life – and never injected him with Demerol or prescribed OxyContin.

"If it turns out that Michael had OxyContin in his stomach, it had nothing to do with Dr. Murray," says Chernoff.


Frantic Efforts
On June 24, he says, his client was asked by Jackson to spend the night at the singer's house following Jackson's rehearsal for his new tour at the Staples Center. The next day, when Jackson did not emerge from his bedroom before noon, Murray entered the room and found the singer unconscious – but with a faint pulse.

"Dr. Murray began performing CPR for several minutes as he tried to revive him, unsuccessfully," Chernoff tells PEOPLE.

Chernoff says Murray – who met Jackson in 2006 when he treated one of his children in Las Vegas and did not become the singer's personal physician until May – tried to call 911, but because of security arrangements at the house, was unable to get a line out. Murray thought of using his cellphone, but realized he didn't know the address of Jackson's house, according to Chernoff. Instead, he screamed for help.

"With Michael still on the bed, he put one hand under Michael's back for support and compressing with his other hand. He continued to check the pulse, and the pulse remained," says Chernoff.


A Shot to the Heart
When nobody replied to his urgent cries for help, Murray located a chef in the kitchen. A member of Jackson's security detail finally called for help.

After the ambulance arrived, says Chernoff, Murray spoke to doctors at UCLA, who instructed the paramedics to administer an epinephrine shot directly to Jackson's heart in an attempt to revive him.

"Michael continued to have a pulse," says Chernoff, even as he was taken out of the house and put in the ambulance for the trip to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2:26 that afternoon.

Chernoff said that Murray consoled the family as they arrived in the hospital that afternoon, and advised them to have an autopsy done before they signed a death certificate. Later that day, Murray, who at that point was "emotionally and physically exhausted," according to Chernoff, spoke to the police for more than three hours.

Then, on the advice of his lawyer, the doctor turned off his cellphone and avoided the press.

According to Chernoff, Murray gave up two cardiac practices, one in Las Vegas and the other in Houston, to attend to Jackson and accompany him to London for his series of summer concerts there.

[Rasputin]

Michael Jackson's parents, Katherine and Joe Jackson, have filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court to probate their son's estate, PEOPLE has confirmed.

According to legal papers, the Jacksons state that their son "died intestate," meaning without a will. Katherine Jackson, who has already filed for custody of her grandchildren Prince, 12, Paris, 11 and Prince Michael II, 7, is seeking to take possession of her son's assets for "for the exclusive use of [his] three children."

The papers also state that, according to California law, Jackson's children are the sole beneficiaries of his estate.

In her original custody filing, Jackson claims that her grandchildren have "no relationship with their biological mother" and have been in her care since Michael's death. A hearing on the custody matter is scheduled for July 6.

[Rasputin]

Quincy Jones – the prodigious producer behind some of Michael Jackson's biggest hits – grew emotional at a London event on Saturday hosted by Will.i.am as club night turned into a tribute to the late singer.

"He got very upset when Michael's music came on – at one point his head was in his hands," a patron of Club W in Wandsworth tells PEOPLE. The club had booked the Black Eyed Peas singer to deejay and perform with his band – which was minus Fergie.

The legendary Jones, 76, arrived at Club W after midnight, just as Will.i.am was playing Jackson's 1982 smash "Thriller." "It was a total coincidence," says the source, "but [Jones] loved the fact that people were going crazy on the dancefloor. Quincy seemed genuinely touched."

Jones made a beeline to the deejay booth and greeted Will, who showed him the decks, and the pair "played around on the laptop for a few minutes" before the obvious topic of conversation came up.

Jones told Will "that he hadn't come to terms with it at all and that he really couldn’t bring himself to talk about Michael yet because it was too painful," says the club source.

Right after, Will.i.am told the crowd he would play a medley of Michael Jackson music. "The crowds were screaming and dancing, a few looked emotional but Quincy looked so sad, sitting in the VIP area," says the observer. "When 'Wanna Be Startin' Something' played, his eyes welled up, he had his head in his hands."

Jones then requested some time to himself to collect his thoughts, and was led to a vacant dressing room.