I’m still trying to deal

MIIIIIIIICCCCHHHHHHAAAAAAAEEEEEEELLLL!!!!!

I know I commented last night but I have spent most of my day watching this MTV tribute to MJ and I'm just like DAYUM he is dead!

Okay it's a common fact that people die. We know this. But this is one of those situations where a dumb comment like "he can't die" or "I just never imagined Michael Jackson dying" can be said.

I'm a MJ fan. I was born in the mid-80s so I don't remember the Beat It, Thriller, Billie Jean days as vividly as like my sister. I don't remember seeing folks in their leather jackets with the sleeves rolled, studded gloves, and Jheri curls but they were showing his videos even when I was coming up like they had just come out the night before. My grandma would let me watch BET and VH-1 secretly (the TV would quickly go to Nickelodeon when it came time for my mom to pick me up). I remember seeing the "Leave Me Alone" video almost every day and it was my SH*T! I went through a phase where I wanted to play my mom's old records and the Jackson 5's ABC went hard! He spanned generations. And PLEASE don't get me started on The Wiz. I checked that movie out from the library faithfully. I felt so bad for the scarecrow when the crows were talkin smack. He just captured me.

Watching all of his videos, seeing his performances, and hearing his songs on the radio today made me realize that everything these little pop stars and even rappers are doing and saying and dancing today came from Michael. I heard some songs from him that I had heard in a remake by somebody else and I had no idea he had influenced certain songs. He is an American cultural icon. When people from other countries think of American music, Michael is one of the first people they think of.

Despite his questionable behavior and skin color Michael is a Black man who made EVERYONE love the music. It was just about the music and it had Blacks, Whites, Asians, Arabs, fat people, skinny people, sick people, everyone was grooving to his music. He was a performer and even the haters had to admit the man could dance, he could sing, he could entertain it was just undeniable.

The scope of the impact his death has had on people amazes me, not sure why. Almost every Facebook status was a RIP and pledge of prayers for the Jackson family. MTV completely stopped broadcasting for a few hours and just started playing his videos. E! was broadcasting live talking to celebs getting their reactions. This was as big as the night Barack Obama was elected President. International stories, impacting everyone.

I can't end this post without mentioning those people disrespecting the dead and the accomplishments of a music legend. Bringing up his financial woes, the molestation allegations, his personal issues is all unnecessary. Despite the things that may have gone down later in his life, those things cannot overshadow his career or his accomplishments. Haters, can we refrain from disrespecting the dead?

Rest in peace to the King of Pop…prayers for the Jackson family. I'm gonna go watch The Wiz now!