The death of Michael Jackson, three years later

By The Voice
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

One of the godfathers of hip hop was Michael Jackson. Though he never was an emcee, without Jackson hip hop may have never gotten the recognition it currently does. The first urban artist to receive play on MTV was Michael Jackson. Following Jackson’s run, MTV dedicated much of their schedule to hip hop from the late 1980s until the mid-1990s.

The doors Michael Jackson opened for hip hop have not gone overlooked, as most emcees will admit they admire him. On his later albums, Michael Jackson began having more of an influence on the hip hop world. Among his collaborators were The Notorious B.I.G. and a host of other rappers.

When Michael Jackson died, the world immediately focused on the situation. Media outlets from all over the world picked up the story. For those close to Jackson, the death was not a story, just a harsh reality of life. Over the past three years, the world has gotten to know his three children, namely Paris, who has become the most outspoken of his three children.

The world has moved on since the death of Michael Jackson, but the renowned artist is far from forgotten. In many ways, Jackson lives on through numerous R&B artists who have seemingly perfected the “New Jack Swing,” which he helped to found.