Michael Jackson

Michael Joseph Jackson (born August 29, 1958), often referred to as MJ[1] and The King of Pop,[2] is an American musician and entertainer. The seventh child of the Jackson family, Michael Jackson debuted on the professional music scene at the age of ten as a member of the Jackson 5,[3] and went on to become a pop icon as a solo artist. His successful career and controversial, enigmatic personal life have been a part of pop culture for almost four decades.[4] Jackson has dominated pop music since the late 1970s,[5] becoming the first black entertainer to amass a strong cross-over following on MTV with his revolutionary transformation of the music video as an art form and as a promotional tool.[6] The popularity of videos aired on MTV such as "Beat It" and "Billie Jean" created a tremendous synergy[7] that helped to put the relatively young channel "on the map"[8] and Jackson continued to be a dominant figure on MTV with videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream". Jackson also popularized physically-complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk, that have redefined mainstream dance and entertainment.[9] His distinctive style, dance moves, and vocals have influenced a whole generation of hip hop, pop, and R&B artists. He has been cited as the "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time" by Guinness World Records,[10] and holds the record for the best-selling album ever, Thriller.

Michael Jackson has received thirteen Grammy Awards[11] (eight on a single night in 1984) and two of his solo albums have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.[12] Jackson has charted thirteen #1 singles in the United States, more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era.[13] In November 2006, the World Music Awards announced that Jackson had sold over 750 million units worldwide[14] and given $300 million to charity,[15][16] making Jackson one of the best-selling music artists and one of the most philanthropic performers of the 20th and 21st century.[17] However, Jackson's controversial appearance and actions have damaged his reputation in the eyes of some of the public and album sales have been in decline since the mid 1990s.[18]

From 1988 to 2005, Jackson lived on his Neverland Ranch property, where he built an amusement park and private zoo that was frequently attended by disadvantaged and terminally ill children. Rumors of sleepover parties received