MICHAEL JACKSON: Master Entertainer By Mumia Abu-Jamal, Prisonradio, June 26, 2009    The shocking passing of megastar Michael Jackson has brought his music back to the minds of millions. Although his style of both dance and song may've been superseded by a whole new genre, there were few singers or dancers who didn't borrow something from the artist known as the 'king of pop.' Among many of today's prominent artists are bits and pieces of Michael, just as he borrowed from the irrepressible James Brown. In Usher, Omarion, NeYo, Ciara, Genuwine (just to name a few), are glimpses of Michael Jackson's frenetic, almost robotic dancing style. As a commercial artist, he had no peer. His 1983 "Thriller" not only earned a Grammy award, but spawned a dozen hits. The album would go on to sell more than any single artist's: 27 million copies. Years ago, I told my wife I didn't care for the artist; she told me to ignore all the criticism, the press -- all of it, and look at him as an entertainer, say, like Sinatra. I did. She was right. He was a master entertainer, who moved millions not only with his distinctive vocals, but his dancing changed the art like Muhammad Ali changed the sport of boxing. I never failed to marvel at his sheer brilliance and artistry. Recently, the prison station showed a video of Jackson's concert in Bucharest, Romania. An outdoor concert, with more people than any of us would care to count, Jackson was in rare form, transfixing the immense throng with a show that was unlike anything they'd ever seen. For those who feel his music was mere bubblegum pop, and thus devoid of serious social commentary, check out one of his post 'Thriller' songs; "They Don't Care About Us." Filmed in what appears to be a Brazilian favela, surrounded by thousands of dark skinned boys and girls, many drumming to the beat, the song is an anthem of how the rich world treats the poor of the world. Michael Jackson was a master of his art. He may be gone; he certainly won't be forgotten. Michael Jackson Master Entertainer(Audio)

Michael  Jackson: Un artista magistral Mumía Abú-Jamal, 26 de junio de 2009      La sorpresiva muerte del súper estrella Michael Jackson ha traído otra vez su música a la memoria de millones.  Aún cuando su estilo tanto en la danza como en la canción ha sido reemplazado por un nuevo género, fueron pocos los cantantes y bailarines no influenciados de alguna forma por el artista conocido como "el rey del pop."      En muchos de los artistas hoy prominentes hay pedacitos e imágenes de Michael, así como él aprendió del irrefrenable James Brown. En Usher, Omarion, NeYo, Ciara, Genuwine (sólo por nombrar unos cuantos), hay reflejos del estilo frenético, casi robótico, de danza de Michael Jackson.   Como artista empresario, no se comparaba a nadie. Su álbum de 1983, "Thriller", no sólo ganó un premio Grammy, si no que produjo una docena de éxitos.  Ese álbum vendió más que lo que ningún otro artista había vendido antes con un solo disco: 27 millones de copias.     Hace años, le dije a mi esposa que a mí ese artista no me interesaba; ella me dijo que ignore todas las críticas, lo que dicen los medios -- que ignore todo éso, y que lo vea como cantante, como el artista que es, digamos, como se ve a Sinatra.     Lo hice. Y ella tenía razón.       El era un artista  magistral, que conmovía a millones no sólo con su distintiva voz, pero también su baile cambió el arte, del mismo modo que Muhammad Alí cambió el deporte del boxeo.     Jamás dejé de maravillarme por el completo brillo de su talento artístico.     La estación de la prisión pasó recientemente un video de un concierto que Jackson hizo en Bucarest, Rumania. Era un concierto al aire libre, con más gente que ninguno de nosotros hubiera podido contar. Jackson estuvo en rara forma, deslumbrando a la inmensa multitud con un espectáculo como el que jamás nadie de ellos había visto en su vida.     Para aquellos que crean que su música era sólo como chicle de mascar, y en consecuencia sin ningún contenido social, sugiero que vean, "A Ellos no les Importamos Nosotros," (They Don't Care About Us), una de las canciones que hizo después de "Thriller". Filmada en lo que parece ser una favela brasileña, rodeado de miles niños y niñas de piel oscura, muchos de ellos llevando el ritmo con sus tambores, la canción es un himno a como el mundo de los ricos trata a los pobres del mundo.     Michael Jackson fue un maestro en su arte.     El se habrá ido; pero ciertamente jamás será olvidado. Traducción libre hecha en REFUGIO DEL RIO GRANDE, Texas, EE.UU.

Invincible

We Had Him

Maya Angelou*

Beloveds, now we know that we know nothing, now that our bright and shining star can slip away from our fingertips like a puff of summer wind.

Without notice, our dear love can escape our doting embrace. Sing our songs among the stars and walk our dances across the face of the moon.

In the instant that Michael is gone, we know nothing. No clocks can tell time. No oceans can rush our tides with the abrupt absence of our treasure.

Though we are many, each of us is achingly alone, piercingly alone.

Only when we confess our confusion can we remember that he was a gift to us and we did have him.

He came to us from the creator, trailing creativity in abundance.

Despite the anguish, his life was sheathed in mother love, family love, and survived and did more than that.

He thrived with passion and compassion, humor and style. We had him whether we know who he was or did not know, he was ours and we were his.

We had him, beautiful, delighting our eyes.

His hat, aslant over his brow, and took a pose on his toes for all of us.

And we laughed and stomped our feet for him.

We were enchanted with his passion because he held nothing. He gave us all he had been given.

Today in Tokyo, beneath the Eiffel Tower, in Ghana's Black Star Square.

In Johannesburg and Pittsburgh, in Birmingham, Alabama, and Birmingham, England

We are missing Michael.

But we do know we had him, and we are the world.



* Dr. Maya Angelou is an American poet born in 1928. She is known as one of the great voices of contemporary literature. As a poet, educator, historian, best-selling author, actress, playwright, civil-rights activist, producer and director, she continues to travel the world, spreading her wisdom. Within the rhythm of her poetry and elegance of her prose lies Angelou's power to help readers of every orientation span the lines of race.

The above poem was written by Maya Angelou for Michael Jackson's public memorial at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. It was read by Queen Latifah, one of the many celebrities that paid tribute to the King of Pop.

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The poem appeared on www.mtv.com 

Heal The World

Michael Jackson

There's A Place In
Your Heart
And I Know That It Is Love
And This Place Could Be Much
Brighter Than Tomorrow
And If You Really Try
You'll Find There's No Need
To Cry
In This Place You'll Feel
That There's No Hurt Or Sorrow

There Are Ways
To Get There
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Little Space
Make A Better Place...

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

If You Want To Know Why
There's A Love That
Cannot Lie
Love Is Strong
It Only Cares For
Joyful Giving
If We Try
We Shall See
In This Bliss
We Cannot Feel
Fear Or Dread
We Stop Existing And
Start Living

Then It Feels That Always
Love's Enough For
Us Growing
Make A Better World
Make A Better World...

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

And The Dream We Were
Conceived In
Will Reveal A Joyful Face
And The World We
Once Believed In
Will Shine Again In Grace
Then Why Do We Keep
Strangling Life
Wound This Earth
Crucify Its Soul
Though It's Plain To See
This World Is Heavenly
Be God's Glow

We Could Fly So High
Let Our Spirits Never Die
In My Heart
I Feel You Are All
My Brothers
Create A World With
No Fear
Together We'll Cry
Happy Tears
See The Nations Turn
Their Swords
Into Plowshares

We Could Really Get There
If You Cared Enough
For The Living
Make A Little Space
To Make A Better Place...

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

You And For Me
Make it a better place
You And For Me
Make it a better place
You And For Me
Make it a better place
You And For Me
Heal the world we live in
You And For Me
Save it for our children
You And For Me
Heal the world we live in
You And For Me
Save it for our children
You And For Me
Heal the world we live in
You And For Me
Save it for our children
You And For Me
Heal the world we live in
You And For Me
Save it for our children

Images by/de/por Ben Heine, Tlaxcala

URL: http://www.tlaxcala.es/detail_artistes.asp?lg=es&reference=343