Michael Jackson Tribute : Video clips from the Memorial Service

Today was the day Michael Jackson was laid to rest with a funeral and memorial service. Family, friends and 17,000 fans lucky enough to win tickets to the event gathered at the Staples Centre, Los Angeles to watch the tribute to the King of Pop



Tearful farewll from Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson


Lionel Ritchie sings at the service



Montage of Michael Jackson played at the Memorial Service




Stevie Wonder at the Memorial Service

Michael Jackson Tribute : BBC2, SKY to show memorial service Tuesday

Michael Jackson fans in the UK who missed out on invitation for his memorial service tomorrow will be able to follow it live on TV tomorrow as BBC (BBC2), Sky (Sky Arts HD) and Channel 5 have all confirmed that that they will be showing it.

Programmes are expected to start at 6 pm.

Michael Jackson Tribute : Get Tickets for the Memorial Service

Tickets for the memorial service for Michael Jackson are now available and the good news is they are on offer to fans across the world. Half a billion are expected to apply, with only 17,500 tickets to be made available to the public through a lottery.

To apply go to www.staplescenter.com. According to the website the Michael Jackson Public Memorial Service will take place on Tuesday, July 7, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. (US Pacific time) at STAPLES Center in downtown Los Angeles, California and simulcast inside to Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE across the street.

So if you don't live in the USA and you are applying, you really need to think how you would get across to Los Angeles by Tuesday.

Michael Jackson Tribute : Thriller co-star is "devastated"

Tributes continue to pour in for Michael Jackson, and even from of the most unlikely places. Thriller co-star Ola Ray who now lives in Sacramento has spoken of her devastation over the death of Michael Jackson.

"I'm very devastated right now. I'm in shock. I'd like to say that Michael Jackson was my hero as well as my mentor,"

Her effusive praise went on "I am freaking out. I can't believe that he's gone. I really respected him as an entertainer. We made history together. He was the best and he will always be the best. May he rest in peace. God has him now. He may be gone but he's not forgotten. He's a legend. That's all I have to say. God bless you Michael. I love you man."

Ola co-stared with Michael Jackson in the video of Thriller 25 years ago when she was a budding actress and model. The single and accompanying video went on to become one of the biggest selling singles of all time.




Things however did not go so well for Ola Ray as her career failed to take off from there and she has been involved in legal battles with Michael Jackson to get what she claims are her fair share of royalties, with the latest suit filed last month. Makes you wonder what she is really devastated about.

Michael Jackson Tribute : BET Awards pay homage to the King of Pop.

It was a night the great, the good and the not so good of Black Entertainment gathered at the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles to honour the memory of Michael Jackson and despite have only a few days, what a show it turned out to be. There were moving performances at the BET Awards from a host of performers as they sang the classic which over the years have made Michael Jackson a legend




New Edition pay homage with a medley of Jackson hits





Ciara & Ne-Yo (Heal The World & Lady in my Life)




Janet Jackson thanks BET on behalf of the Jackson family. Ne-Yo and Jamie Foxx (I'll be there)

Michael Jackson Tribute : BET awards ceremony honours the King of Pop

As I suspected in my last post, tonight's Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards night 2009 has been substantially re-written to honour the legacy of Michael Jackson who passed away last week.

A host of celebrities have been drawn in to star in a three and half hour show of which large parts will be dedicated to the memory of Michael.

Bobby Brown will reunite with New Edition to perform a Jackson 5 medley at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles tonight, other performers scheduled to honor Jackson with performances of his songs include Beyonce, Jamie Foxx, Ne-Yo and Maxwell.

These are all in addition to previously confirmed appearances by Jay-Z, Kanye West, Queen Latifah, Soulja Boy, Keri Hilson, Mary Mary, Fabolous, T-Pain, Keyshia Cole, Monica, Young Jeezy, Trey Songz and Tyrese. Also schedule to appear are the O'Jays, Alicia Keys, Wyclef Jean, Tyra Banks, Taraji P. Henderson, Idris Elba, Sherri Shepherd, Anthony Anderson, Paula Patton, Estelle, LeToya Luckett, Nichelle Nichols, Keke Palmer, Ray J, Snoop Dogg, Ving Rhames, Zoe Saldana and Marlon Wayans.

BET Awards 2009 Nominees : Beyonce, Lil' Wayne lead the pack

The nominees for the BET 2009 awards to be held this Sunday night are out. Topping the nominees list are Lil’ Wayne and Beyonce lead with 5 nominations. Keri Hilson, T.I and T-Pain, each with four nominations, Rihanna, Jamie Foxx, Kanye West and Jazmine Sullivan all got 3 nominations.

If it has not been taped already I would expect there to be a huge tribute to Michael Jackson as well.

Nominees

Video of the Year
Beyoncé – “If I Were a Boy”
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Beyoncé – “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)”
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Jamie Foxx featuring T-Pain “Blame It”
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T.I. featuring Rihanna – “Live Your Life”
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Kanye West – “Heartless”
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Best Male R&B Artist
The-Dream
Jamie Foxx
Ryan Leslie
Ne-Yo
T-Pain

Best Female R&B Artist
Beyoncé
Keyshia Cole
Keri Hilson
Jennifer Hudson
Jazmine Sullivan

Best Male Hip-Hop Artist
Lil Wayne
Rick Ross
T.I.
Kanye West
Young Jeezy

Best Female Hip-Hop Artist
Lil Mama
M.I.A.
Trina

Best Group
Day26
GS Boyz
N.E.R.D.
The Roots
Three 6 Mafia

Best New Artist
Keri Hilson
Kid Cudi
Ryan Leslie
M.I.A.
Jazmine Sullivan

Viewer’s Choice
Beyoncé – “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)”
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Keri Hilson featuring Lil Wayne – “Turnin’ Me On”
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Lil Wayne – “A Milli”
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Soulja Boy Tell’em featuring Sammie – “Kiss Me Thru the Phone”
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T.I. featuring Rihanna – “Live Your Life”
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T-Pain featuring Lil Wayne – “Can’t Believe It”
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Kanye West – “Love Lockdown”
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Best Collaboration

Jamie Foxx featuring T-Pain “Blame It”
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Keri Hilson featuring Lil Wayne – “Turnin’ Me On”
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Jim Jones featuring Ron Browz and Juelz Santana – “Pop Champagne”
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T.I. featuring Rihanna – “Live Your Life”
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Yung L.A. featuring Young Dro and T.I. – “Ain’t I”
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Video Director of the Year
Benny Boom
Rik Cordero
Gil Green
Chris Robinson
Hype Williams

BET J Award
Musiq Soulchild
Raphael Saadiq
Seal
Solange
Jazmine Sullivan

Best Gospel Artist
Regina Belle
Shirley Caesar
Mary Mary
Smokie Norfu
Trin-I-Tee 5:7

Best Actor
Common
Idris Elba
Samuel L jackson
Will Smith
Samal Woolard

Best Actress
Beyonce
Taraji Henson
Rosario Dawnson
Jennifer Judson
Angela Bassett

Best Female Athlete
Tamika Catchings
Serena Williams
Venus Williams
Lisa Leslie
Candace Parker

Best Male Athlete
Dwyane Wade
Tiger Woods
Kobe Bryant
James Lebron
Reggie Bush


Performers
Beyonce
Drake
Keri Hilson
Soulja Boy
Ne-Yo
Jay Z
Mary Mary
Maxwell
Fabolous
Keyshia Cole
Monica

Michael Jackson Tribute : Lisa Marie Presley

Theirs was a marriage so unusual yet in some way so expected. The daughter of "The King", Elvis Presley, and the King of Pop, it was a fusion of America's musical royalty.

Lisa Marie Presley and Michael Jackson got married in 1994 just twenty days after Lisa Marie had divorced her first husband. Their marriage came at the height of the controversy surrounding Michael Jackson and in many ways Lisa Marie served as the crutch he needed through those trying times. The strain of the accusations eventually took their toll on the marriage and January 1996 they divorced.

Many people had claimed it was a sham, but lisa marie ahd come out time and again to stress it was a real marriage between tow people forced to live unreal lives. During the marraige the memorably appeared in Jackson video "You are not alone".

Michael Jackson You Are Not Alone

On Friday she gave a statement on her love for Michael and her regret she could not have done more.

"He Knew.

Years ago Michael and I were having a deep conversation about life in general.

I can't recall the exact subject matter but he may have been questioning me about the circumstances of my Fathers Death.

At some point he paused, he stared at me very intensely and he stated with an almost calm certainty, "I am afraid that I am going to end up like him, the way he did."

I promptly tried to deter him from the idea, at which point he just shrugged his shoulders and nodded almost matter of fact as if to let me know, he knew what he knew and that was kind of that.

14 years later I am sitting here watching on the news an ambulance leaves the driveway of his home, the big gates, the crowds outside the gates, the coverage, the crowds outside the hospital, the Cause of death and what may have led up to it and the memory of this conversation hit me, as did the unstoppable tears.

A predicted ending by him, by loved ones and by me, but what I didn't predict was how much it was going to hurt when it finally happened.

The person I failed to help is being transferred right now to the LA County Coroners office for his Autopsy.

All of my indifference and detachment that I worked so hard to achieve over the years has just gone into the bowels of hell and right now I am gutted.

I am going to say now what I have never said before because I want the truth out there for once.

Our relationship was not "a sham" as is being reported in the press. It was an unusual relationship yes, where two unusual people who did not live or know a "Normal life" found a connection, perhaps with some suspect timing on his part. Nonetheless, I do believe he loved me as much as he could love anyone and I loved him very much.

I wanted to "save him" I wanted to save him from the inevitable which is what has just happened.

His family and his loved ones also wanted to save him from this as well but didn't know how and this was 14 years ago. We all worried that this would be the outcome then.

At that time, In trying to save him, I almost lost myself.

He was an incredibly dynamic force and power that was not to be underestimated.

When he used it for something good, It was the best and when he used it for something bad, It was really, REALLY bad.

Mediocrity was not a concept that would even for a second enter Michael Jackson's being or actions.

I became very ill and emotionally/ spiritually exhausted in my quest to save him from certain self-destructive behavior and from the awful vampires and leeches he would always manage to magnetize around him.

I was in over my head while trying.

I had my children to care for, I had to make a decision.

The hardest decision I have ever had to make, which was to walk away and let his fate have him, even though I desperately loved him and tried to stop or reverse it somehow.

After the Divorce, I spent a few years obsessing about him and what I could have done different, in regret.

Then I spent some angry years at the whole situation.

At some point, I truly became Indifferent, until now.

As I sit here overwhelmed with sadness, reflection and confusion at what was my biggest failure to date, watching on the news almost play by play The exact Scenario I saw happen on August 16th, 1977 happening again right now with Michael (A sight I never wanted to see again) just as he predicted, I am truly, truly gutted.

Any ill experience or words I have felt towards him in the past has just died inside of me along with him.

He was an amazing person and I am lucky to have gotten as close to him as I did and to have had the many experiences and years that we had together.

I desperately hope that he can be relieved from his pain, pressure and turmoil now.

He deserves to be free from all of that and I hope he is in a better place or will be.

I also hope that anyone else who feels they have failed to help him can be set free because he hopefully finally is.

The World is in shock but somehow he knew exactly how his fate would be played out some day more than anyone else knew, and he was right.





I really needed to say this right now, thanks for listening."


~LMP

Michael Jackson Tribute : Berry Gordy father of Motown pays tribute

Berry Gordy was the man who turned five kids from Gary Indiana and turned them in to stars - the Jackson 5, and this lay the foundation for the emergence of Michael Jackson. Like many across the world he feels a sense of loss over the death of Michael Jackson, however unlike many he knew the man not just the legend personally and shares his sorrow on this video.

Michael Jackson Tribute : Fans memories send Jackson back to No1

As fans around the world struggle to come to terms with the loss of one of the world's greatest musical icons they are latching on to mementos and keepsakes as a way of preserving the memories.

One side effect of this is that Michael Jackson's music is seeing a huge resurgence in sales with his singles and albums taking top spots on iTunes, Amazon.

On Amazon the current top ten best sellers are

1. Michael Jackson 25th Anniversary of Thriller
   
   
2. Off the Wall - Michael Jackson
   
   
3. Bad - Michael Jackson
   
   
4. Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection
   
   
5. Number Ones - Michael Jackson
   
   
6. Dangerous - Michael Jackson
   
   
7. The Ultimate Collection - Jackson 5
   
   
8. The Essential Michael Jackson
   
   
9. Michael Jackson - Vol. 1-Greatest Hits History
   
   
10. Invincible - Michael Jackson
    

and things are no different on Amazon (UK) as memories of Michael Jackson also dominate.

1. Off the Wall: Special Edition


2. Bad - Michael Jackson
   
   
3. Thriller - Michael Jackson
   
   
4. Thriller [25th Anniversary Edition CD + DVD ] (Original Cover)
   
   
5. Dangerous - Michael Jackson
   
   
6. The Essential - Michael Jackson
   
   
7. King of Pop, Best Of Michael Jackson
   
   
8. Invincible - Michael Jackson
   
   
9. The Best Of Michael Jackson, The Jackson 5ive
   
   
10. HIStory - Past, Present and Future Book 1
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

Fans pay tribute to Michael Jackson outside the Apollo Theatre, Harlem

The Apollo Theatre Harlem, New York is the spiritual home of African American music and today thousands of fans gather to pay homage to Michael Jackson King of Pop.

RIP : Michael Jackson 1958 -2009

...you've gone too soon.

Quincy Jones pays tribute to Michael Jackson

Quincy Jones the legendary producer who together with Michael Jackson created three of the world's most phenomenal music albums - Bad, Thriller and Off the Wall has released a statement

"I am absolutely devastated at this tragic and unexpected news. For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don't have the words.

Divinity brought our souls together on The Wiz and allowed us to do what we were able to throughout the 80's.

To this day, the music we created together on "Off The Wall," "Thriller" and "Bad" is played in every corner of the world and the reason for that is because he had it all...talent, grace, professionalism and dedication.

He was the consummate entertainer and his contributions and legacy will be felt upon the world forever.

I've lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him."

Reports: TMZ says Micheal Jackson is dead

Breaking news just coming in suggests that Michael Jackson has had a cardiac arrest and has died.

Reports are coming in from the entertainment website TMZ

I am in total shock !

Update 23:11 GMT

There is a lot of confusion. Most major news outlets are holding back from confirming or denying the story but they are all quoting TMZ extensively.

Update 23:27 GMT

The LA Times is reporting

Pop star Michael Jackson is in a coma and his family is arriving at his bedside, a law enforcement source told The Times.

Jackson was rushed to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center this afternoon by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics.

Fire Capt. Steve Ruda said paramedics responded to a call at Jackson's home at 12:26 p.m. He was not breathing when they arrived. The paramedics performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation and took him to the hospital, Ruda told The Times.

Update 23:24 GMT

It looks like our worst fears are confirmed the LA Times has joined TMZ in reporting that Michael Jackson is now dead.

Pop star Michael Jackson was pronounced dead by doctors this afternoon after arriving at a hospital in a deep coma, city and law enforcement sources told The Times.]

May his soul rest in perfect peace.

Update 23:36 GMT
Confirmation now coming in from several news sources including AP, CBS and the BBC.

Update 00:44 GMT
The Los Angeles Coroner has confirmed his death.


.

Britain's Got Talent : Why did Shaheen get a second chance?

Yes we're back on the the BGT trip. I made my feelings known about the whole Susan Boyle phenomenon. Apparently, despite my concerns, she is heading on to be one of the most viewed clips on YouTube ever having so far notched up 34 million views, go figure.

Enough about Susan, today we turn cast our beady eyes on a enough BGT phenomenon, the youthful prodigy that is Shaheen Jafargholi. Just to clarify Shaheen is clearly very, very talented which is all the more why I am bemused by the nonsense that surrounded his audition.

It started off with Shaheen coming on stage and proceeding to sing 'Valerie" the Zutons song made famous by Amy Winehouse. Now I am no music Svengali but I thought it was a decent performance and the crowd thought so as well as they were cheering along.

Suddenly though Simon Cowell has his hand up calling proceedings to a halt, cue confused looks all around (or should that be supposedly confused looks) and Simon announces enigmatically to Shaheen"you've got this wrong". Now call me pedantic, but at this point isn't he supposed to press his red button to signify his disapproval, aren't Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan supposed to wade in saying how much they loved the act, which they appeared to be doing, wouldn't any normal 12 year old be reduced to a quivering wreck.

No none of this happened instead Simon asked young Shaheen what else he could sing to which the reply came "Who's loving you" by Michael Jackson. Off you go, says Simon and as it happens the backing track to the song is available (thank God for small miracles eh!) and Shaheen launches into an absolutely pitch perfect rendition of the song.

You might be thinking, OK it is not like this hasn't happened before, and you might be right Cowell has given others a second chance at an audition.

What if you learn that young Shaheen beat a bunch of other equally talented kid to nab the lead role in 'Thriller Live', a musical featuring the songs of Michael Jackson, that he has gone on tour to Germany, Holland and Ireland and that he is a veteran of stage school and has appeared several times on TV in shows like Casualty and Dr Who.

Not so blasé are we now. Nothing wrong with a bit of scripting but please make it realistic, this was just appalling. Anyway the bookies have Susan Boyle followed closely by Shaheen as the top favourites to win the whole lot...:-)

Michael Jackson upset after being compared to the IRA.

Michael Jackson apparently was upset and has demanded an apology after a pair of radio comedians compared the pop star to the Irish Republican Army (IRA).

The comedian Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis had in the BBC 4 Weekly comedy show, The Now Show, made light of the troubles in Northern Ireland by referring to the pop star and terrorist group as "80s celebrities".

They said: "I can't believe which 80s celebrities I want back less, Michael Jackson or the IRA."

In addition to Jackson's complaint several listeners to the show were also said to have lodged complaints. Coming on the back of the problems the BBC have had with Jonathan Ross, Russell Brand and Carole Thatcher I can imagine they will be quick to smooth this over

Michael Jackson is currently set to start his "This is it" tour with a residency at the 02 centre in London.

Michael Jacksons' London concerts sell out in minutes

Who would have thought, he may well have been in King of Pop in the Eighties, but this is 2009, he is half a century old and over the last few years has been dogged by lurid allegations in his personal life.

Could he really sell tickets for 50 (yes 50!) live shows at London's huge concert venue, the 02 centre? Yes he can. Over the space of a few hours this morning a million tickets for Michael Jackson's 'This is it' concerts to be held between now and February 2010 were completely sold out.

Organisers of the concert claim they ticket sale set a new world record (they would, wouldn't they) selling 11 tickets every second.

This being the Internet age it comes as no suprise though that many of these tickets have found their on to online auctions website like EBay on offer for between £170 and an eye-watering £10,000 compared to their cover price of £75.