“dreads” can attest to this.
Black people - sisters and brothers - do take their hair seriously. That is part of our African culture and history. What we need to take more seriously is reclaiming the market. I can think of a lot of things we can do with a billion- plus dollars in our communities.
Michael, Rest in Peace:
The Human Being Beyond the Tabloids
June, 2009
Some of us knew it was coming - we just didn’t know when. Given Michael Jackson’s complicated life, there was a sense that he would never reach his sunset years. The King of Pop is another victim of what I call “vampirism”; we just suck the spiritual blood out of our public heroes and sheroes until they are emaciated human shells.
Concert promoters, AEG Live, originally contracted with MJ for 10 performances billed as the “This Is It” tour. Their greed was the air that ballooned the number to 50, which Michael reluctantly agreed to do - not wanting to disappoint the demanding fans and needing the cash. The rigors of getting in shape for that kind of exhausting tour, coupled with Michael’s alleged prescription drug abuse, may have been the wind that pushed him over the cliff. Don’t feel sorry for these vultures losing money on the concert; they will be releasing a DVD from Michael’s last rehearsal and stand to make a ton of money.
While the media and other detractors will focus on Michael’s self-mutilation, self-medication and bizarre behavior, I fear that his unparallel vision and accomplishments will be overshadowed. If we are true fans (and I am), we must sum up his painful life lessons and carry on his true mission.
“He belongs to us and we shared him with everybody else.” Those were the proprietary words of Jamie Foxx, as the BET Awards program paid tribute to the musical icon. Black folks understood that Jackson would transcend the racial boundaries imposed upon all of us by a racist society. One white fan disclosed that Michael Jackson was the only black artist to which, while growing up, her mother would allow her to listen.
Michael was a precocious child whose charm, wit, generosity and genius manifested quickly. At twelve years old, he was asked what he would do if he had $1 million dollars and his quick answer was “invest”. His talents included singer, songwriter, record producer, musical arranger, dancer, choreographer, actor, author, businessman, philanthropist, inventor (did you know he patented the anti- gravity lean seen in the video “Smooth Criminal”?) He inspired hordes of up and coming artists around the world.
While most of us were satisfied with being entertained by him, Michael was busy staking out his place in history as a cultural icon. Self-dubbed as the King of Pop, it seemed like a move by Michael to ensure that the title went to a black person, since the other King titles went to white men. Who would have had the insight to make such a move and actually be deserving of the title? His negotiations to receive the highest royalty per album and the Beatles’ collection are examples of his brilliant business savvy. Nonetheless, his earnings were eclipsed by his extravagant spending habits.
Michael’s musical contributions have made him the undisputed greatest entertainer of all times. With 13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles in his solo career, the sale of over 750 million albums worldwide, and on and on make him the world’s best selling pop male solo. His Thriller album still holds the coveted title of top selling album of all time. Jackson is a double honoree at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is a phenomenon extraordinaire.
MJ often pushed the traditional boundaries because he stepped to a different drummer. He completely changed the genre of record videos, developing creative story lines, amazing special effects and unbelievable dance routines. He was an innovator that always left his mark, just so people knew he had been there. His performances were out-of-this world experiences for any age group.
Frequently buried were Michael’s contributions to over thirty charities, most devoted to children. His sensitivity to suffering, inequities and injustices were real and heartfelt. He traveled the world and gave his voice and his money to causes such as AIDS, hunger and the environment, to name a few. When Pepsi settled the lawsuit that arose out of filming the infamous commercial where Michael was burned, MJ donated the entire $1.5 million to the burn unit where he was treated. The Brotman Medical Center made a decision to rename the unit in Jackson’s honor.
I have often said that Michael seemed trapped in the body of an adolescent, white boy. The more tortured he became on the inside, the more perverted his outward appearance and behavior became. But a young, idealistic fan I talked to over the weekend had a different take: Michael was trying to embody (literally) his own concept about humanity, a world that should blur the lines between race, gender, abilities, etc. so that they are seen as one. Interesting.
So when these media hounds and exploiters are diggin’, trashin’, and dissin’ the King of Pop, let us be reminded of what Michael was really all about. Go back and look at videos like The Earth Song. Let us recommit ourselves to a vision of peace and justice, humming to the music of We are the World. His legacy is more than just nose jobs and moonwalks.
Gem of St. Louis: At Home with Othello
February, 2008
Ms. Terrell was more than an English teacher. In her other life, she also performed in a small African American theater company. I went to a few of their productions. The first time I saw my teacher cry as part of her role, I can remember my mouth dropping and thinking “Wow, she’s a real actress!”
When our class was scheduled to study the works of William Shakespeare, it must have made perfect sense to this black thespian that she had to bring the stage to her inner city students. Macbeth was brought to life through student drama. I was one of the three witches (hold the comments!) and can still vividly recall my toil and trouble lines.
I went on to college where I majored in English and faced a whole semester of Master Shakespeare. Thanks to Ms. Terrell for the prep and for the beginning of a special love affair with the theater.
Fast forward to the St. Louis Black Rep. The Black Rep has given us their all for thirty seasons. The superb acting, innovative sets, amazing music, creative lighting and other theatrical elements that make for great performances are equal to any Broadway show.
To truly revel in your theater experience, you must let yourself be totally drawn in. I love being taken through all the emotional high and lows with the characters and the story line. I can get totally immersed in singing my favorite songs in “Tell Me Something Good” or being pulled onto a slave ship with a melancholic song in Crossin’ Over. The young actor/singer Kelvin Roston, Jr. sang the hinges off that song!
I look forward to each season, where I can check out veteran faves like Linda Kennedy, J. Samuel Davis, A.C. Smith, Lawrence Drummond, Denise Thimes, Erik Kilpatrick, Lisa Harris, Dennis and Fannie Lebby and others. Founder, Ron Himes, sometimes gives up his director’s chair for a stage role. All of these folks are professional but they aren’t snooty. If you hang in the lobby, you can meet the cast members after any given show.
Following the Othello performance, I couldn’t help myself. I waited to plunge an imaginary dagger into the side of Darryl Alan Reed. He accepted it with good humor knowing it meant that he had successfully projected the loathsome nature of his character
