When I Was Young

Posted: 29 June 2009 1257 hrs

New Edition performs a tribute to Michael Jackson at the start of the 9th Annual BET Awards in Los Angeles.

LOS ANGELES: An annual awards show for black entertainers became a star-studded memorial to Michael Jackson here on Sunday as the African-American A-list turned out in force to salute the King of Pop.

Singers, actors, sports stars and television personalities crowded into Los Angeles's famous Shrine Auditorium for the Black Entertainment Awards, which had been hastily retooled as a night to celebrate Jackson.

Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx set the tone for proceedings by appearing in a variety of Jackson's signature costumes and even moonwalking across the stage at one point. "Is there any question who was the best?" Foxx asked the crowd.

Basketball star Lebron James, who won the award for best male athlete, paid tribute to the Jackson family as he collected his award.

"I want to say to all of the Jackson family. This night is unbelievable because of you guys. What you did for us and the whole world is unbelievable," James said.

Meanwhile, rapper Lil Wayne told the audience: "We all know none of us in this room would be here without Michael Jackson."

Earlier, stars arriving on the red carpet told reporters personal stories about Jackson, saying his music had been instrumental in breaking down racial barriers.

"We miss him and we love him and we just feel devastated," said singer Alicia Keys, urging people to remember Jackson in a "respectful, positive way".

Asked how Jackson had influenced her, Keys replied: "In every way. How could he not influence us to break the barrier and to think bigger, and to try new things and to break the rules?

"Tonight, I think, is a true memorial for him. It's really about honouring him this evening."

BET announced shortly after Jackson's death that the annual awards ceremony would be tweaked to serve as an unofficial memorial for the singer and a celebration of his life.

"Michael Jackson's the biggest thing that's happened to music in our lifetime. When we heard he had passed away, we knew we had to revamp this whole show and make it special just for him," said BET Chairwoman and CEO Debra Lee.

"It's going to be a celebration tonight, it's going to be a little sad, but it's going to be a celebration," Lee said.

Attendees said they remained in shock over Jackson's sudden and unexpected death last week at the age of 50.

Singer Chaka Khan held back tears as she spoke to reporters.

"I haven't gotten to the point where I can break down yet because I just don't believe it," she said. "I have to believe that energy lives on and he's still with us in some amazing way."

Several stars hailed Jackson's role in breaking down racial barriers and giving African-Americans a hero to idolise.

"He's one of the reasons why Barack Obama's president," said hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs. "He started the change in the world about how African-Americans are perceived."

Actress Taraji P. Henson, the Oscar-nominated star of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", echoed Combs's words.

"That's exactly what we're doing – celebrating his life and that's what this night is about," Henson said.

"He's the biggest star in America – in the world. I feel like he parted a gap so that Obama could be the president. His rise to fame was the beginning of 'Oh, black people are okay.'"

- AFP/so

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.

Posted: 26 June 2009 0829 hrs

Michael Jackson stands with Quincy Jones at the Grammy Awards in 1984. (file pic)

LOS ANGELES: Celebrities and stars around the globe were overwhelmed by sorrow and shock on Thursday as they sought to absorb the news of the sudden death of pop icon Michael Jackson.

"I'm absolutely devastated at this news," bestselling record producer and musician Quincy Jones told NBC, after Jackson died suddenly aged 50, apparently from a cardiac arrest, at his Beverly Hills home.

"I just don't have the words. Divinity brought our souls together and allowed us to do what we could do through the '80s," Jones said.

"To this day that music is played in every corner of the world, and the reason is because he had it all – talent, grace, and professionalism. I've lost my little brother today and part of my soul has gone with him."

As crowds of people began to gather at the hospital where Jackson had been rushed for treatment, the biggest and greatest of the entertainment world were struggling to take in news of his death.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a statement lamenting the loss of "one of the most influential and iconic figures in the music industry".

Schwarzenegger noted that there were "serious questions" about Jackson's personal life, but the governor said he and his wife Maria Shriver joined "all Californians in expressing our shock and sadness over his death."

"Our hearts go out the Jackson family, Michael's children and to his fans worldwide," the statement said.

"I'm just devastated, very, very sad. I pray that his soul is up there now," close friend Uri Geller told the BBC, after multiple US news outlets confirmed Jackson's death.

Jackson was best man when the television physic Geller renewed his wedding vows in 2001.

"I'm still trying to hold on to the glimmer that it is not true. It is too surreal for me to absorb that Michael is no longer with us."

Geller told the BBC that he was "absolutely shocked" as Jackson had been in good shape training for his comeback tour due to launch on July 13 in London.

"Michael was in good shape because he was practising, he was training, he was rehearsing for the shows," he said.

"Michael was careful with what he ate, he was just fine. Last time I know and heard of what he was doing he was in great shape. And this is why I'm so absolutely shocked by this news and I'm praying and hoping it's not true."

US actor Jamie Foxx was in the middle of an interview with "Extra" TV when the news broke, and said that he hoped Jackson would be remembered as a "brilliant musician" and not for "the circus sideshow" that his life turned into.

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband also posted his thoughts on Jackson's death on Twitter. "Never has one soared so high and yet dived so low. RIP Michael," Miliband wrote.

Many paid tribute to Jackson's influence on the world of music and dance. His album "Thriller" remains the bestselling album of all time with more than 41 million sales.

And his iconic moonwalk has passed into dance legend, endlessly copied by millions of dancers around the world.

"From a dancer's perspective, he was the epitome of the natural mover and popularised the 'moonwalk' from his Billy Jean video. Of course, the dance that he did for 'Thriller' is still performed, used and emulated constantly," said Ashley Roland, co-artistic director of the Oregon-based dance company BodyVox.

"He was an inspiration to so many, and I am one of them."

British child actor Mark Lester, the godfather to Jackson's children, said he was in shock at the news, and praised Jackson's attributes as a father.

"They're the most fabulous kids – whatever they need, they've got me," Lester told MSNBC.

- AFP/so

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.