king of pop

Michael Jackson Biopic First Look Image of Jaafar Jackson as King of Pop

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It’s safe to say casting Jaafar Jackson as his uncle Michael Jackson in the Antoine Fuqua’s upcoming biopic, Michael, was a smart choice thus far from a resemblance standpoint.

Jaafar Jackson is playing the king of pop, during his iconic 1992-1993 Dangerous Tour. The first look image was taken by photographer Kevin Mazur and he captured quite the shot. Alongside Jaafar, Michael stars Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Juliano Krue Valdi in his debut in film as the younger Michael Jackson.

As reported by Shadow and Act, in a statement from Universal Pictures International, the studio said “[t]he choice to have Mazur capture the first-look photograph of Jaafar Jackson is as intentional as so many of the artistic choices the producers have made.” 

“As one of the photographers who documented Michael over many years, Mazur captured rehearsals as he prepared to entertain the world with his ‘This Is It’ concerts. He is now also the first to photograph Jaafar Jackson in character as Michael,” furthermore from the studio.

Mazur added, “When I arrived for my first day on the set of this movie, I was so excited–it was like the first time I went on tour to shoot Michael Jackson. When I walked onto the set, I felt like I’d gone back in time and I was walking into the stadium to shoot the tour. Seeing Jaafar perform, I thought, ‘Wow, it is Michael.’ The way he looks and acts, his mannerisms, everything–he’s Michael Jackson. For anyone who didn’t have the chance to see Michael perform live during his lifetime–this is how it was.” Producer Graham King said, “With Jaafar, every look, every note, every dance move is Michael. He embodies Michael in a way that no other actor could.”

Director Antoine Fuqua stated “assembled an incredible team of artists for this project–hair & makeup, costumes, cinematography, choreography, lighting, everything–and some who knew and worked with Michael are reuniting for this film.”

“But most importantly, it’s Jaafar who embodies Michael,” Fuqua said. “It goes beyond the physical resemblance. It’s Michael’s spirit that comes through in a magical way. You have to experience it to believe it.”

In addition to Universal Pictures International, Michael is also produced by Lionsgate, and the co-executors of the Michael Jackson estate John Branca and John McClain. The film will hit theaters on April 18, 2025.

The post Michael Jackson Biopic First Look Image of Jaafar Jackson as King of Pop first appeared on The Source.

The post Michael Jackson Biopic First Look Image of Jaafar Jackson as King of Pop appeared first on The Source.

Michael Jackson’s Legendary “Pepsi Generation” Jacket Up For Auction

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Undisputed King of Pop Michael Jackson continues to captivate fans and collectors alike even beyond his untimely passing in 2009. Iconic memorabilia associated with the legendary entertainer often are sold for high prices at auctions. And a new addition to this growing list is the black and white leather jacket Jackson wore during one of his 1984 “Pepsi Generation” ads. While this jacket may not be as instantly recognizable as some of his other iconic outfits, it undoubtedly holds immense historical and sentimental value.

The jacket’s significance is rooted in its connection to Michael Jackson’s involvement with the Pepsi brand in the mid-1980s. Many remember the infamous Pepsi ad that went terribly wrong when a pyrotechnics mishap resulted in Jackson suffering burns. However, the jacket in question hails from a different Pepsi Generation commercial. In the other commercial, Jackson is seen dancing in the streets alongside a group of enthusiastic kids and other participants. This particular ad campaign marked a significant chapter in Jackson’s career. The ad illustrated his wide-reaching appeal, which extended beyond music and into the world of commercial endorsements. The black and white leather jacket, emblematic of his distinctive style, became a symbol of his pop culture prominence.

Read More: Drake Is One Song Away From Tying Michael Jackson For Most No. 1s By A Male Soloist

The Jacket’s Value Could Be Up To $460K

MN – 1988: Pop singer Michael Jackson performs onstage during his ‘Bad World Tour’ in 1988. (Photo by Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

This custom-made leather jacket is now set to be auctioned off through Propstore, with bidding opening on November 10. The estimated value of this piece of music history is substantial, with projections ranging from $230,000 to a staggering $460,000. Given its remarkable provenance and the fact that it once adorned the King of Pop’s shoulders, it’s very likely to reach the upper end of that estimate.

The remarkable journey of the jacket adds another layer of intrigue and value. In a twist of fate, the jacket was initially gifted to Wendell Thompson by Michael Jackson himself in 1983, a year prior to the ad’s release. Wendell, whose father worked as a cosmetologist with MJ, was fortunate enough to cross paths with the legendary singer in Orlando. The jacket was a a personal gift from the King of Pop and holds a unique place in Jackson’s history and personal connection to his fans.

Read More: Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” Forever Changed Halloween

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Michael Jackson’s Son Says Harry Styles Doesn’t Deserve “King Of Pop” Title

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Michael Jackson’s son, Prince, says that Harry Styles hasn’t worked hard enough to deserve the title, “King of Pop.” Appearing on Mike Tyson’s Hotboxin‘ podcast, Prince explained his issue with the credit being given to Styles.

“When he was getting ready during the rehearsals for This Is It, he would come home real late at night,” Prince explained of his father. “He would come home [and] he’d be physically [looking] exhausted. He’d have a shake or eat a meal and go to working on music, go to his room, start writing or harmonizing, and melodizing to try and figure out another song.” From there, he noted a generational gap: “There are people that came before my technology generation, and they had to work their whole life, their a**es off to get where they got to.” Prince added that Jackson also considered himself to be the “greatest of all time” while he was still alive. He specifically noted his famous rivalry with fellow legendary musician, Prince.

Read More: Michael Jackson’s Three Kids Enjoy Snow Day

Michael Jackson During His Super Bowl Halftime Set

PASADENA, CA – JANUARY 31: Michael Jackson performs at the Super. Bowl XXVII Halftime show at the Rose Bowl on January 31, 1993 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage)

Elsewhere in the interview, Prince confirmed that there is still unreleased music from Jackson in the vault; however, it’s mostly unfinished. “When it comes to unreleased music there, what we have in our vault — as I’ve been kind of told — is a lot of really rough works in progress,” he said. He explained that it’s primarily “little snippets” of songs due to Jackson’s unusual recording habits. “I don’t think my father ever learned how to read sheet music,” he added. “So as a trained musician, it was really self-taught.”

Prince Jackson Discusses His Father’s Legacy

It’s not the first time Prince has discussed Styles achieving the “King of Pop” title. After Rolling Stone crowned Styles with the honor in 2022, Prince responded during an interview with Good Morning Britain.

Read More: Michael Jackson’s Son Responds To Harry Styles Being Called The “King Of Pop”

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Chris Rock’s Michael Jackson Pedophile Joke Slammed By King Of Pop’s Nephew

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After enduring the embarrassment that came with last year’s “Slapgate,” Chris Rock had an undeniably huge opportunity to tell his side of the story this month. The comedian teamed up with Netflix for his latest comedy special, which spanned two and a half hours, and has already earned the Rush Hour actor significant backlash. Most of the criticism is coming from those accusing him of “punching down on Black women” for making disparaging comments about Meghan Markle and calling Jada Pinkett Smith a “bitch” on more than one occasion.

Elsewhere in the standup set, Rock made comments about the late Michael Jackson that aren’t sitting well with many viewers. “I’m all for social justice, I’m all for marginalized people getting they rights,” he says in the circulating clip. “The thing I have a problem with is… the selective outrage. Selective outrage! You know what I’m talking about! One person does something and gets cancelled, and somebody else does the exact same thing… Nothing!”

Chris Rock’s Controversial Comments

The 57-year-old continues, “You know what I’m talking about. You know, like the kind of people that play Michael Jackson songs, but won’t play R. Kelly.” At this point, a rumble of laughter is heard moving through the crowd, causing Rock to smile wide. “Same crime! One of ’em just got better songs. I play ‘Startin’ Something’ and it’s a party, but I play ‘Bump and Grind’ and you an activist,” he adds as the audience laughs on.

While Rock obviously got the laugh he was looking for on stage, online the response has been far less kind. In fact, the King of Pop’s nephew, Taj Jackson, loudly called the comedian out on Monday (March 6) before thanking the Gemini Man actor for slapping him. “Chris Rock has used my family as punching bags for his entire career,” the 49-year-old alleged in a tweet.

Taj Jackson Claps Back

“Yet I am supposed to feel bad for him getting slapped and humiliated [at] the Oscars. After seeing a new clip of him attacking my dead uncle in the first minutes of his ‘retaliation – I’m still relevant’ special, I have three things to say,” Jackson’s rant went on. “1. What did my family ever do to you to warrant these decades of harassment and your constant bullying [disguised] as jokes?”

For his second point, the former 3T member reminded Rock that, just because he experienced bullying as a child doesn’t give him the right to tear down others now. Jackson ended with, “3. Thank you, Will Smith,” seemingly praising the embattled actor for slapping the comedian nearly a year ago. Do you think that Chris’ comments about MJ were out of line? Let us know in the comments, and check back later for more pop culture news.

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Michael Jackson Biopic Gets Green Light, Antoine Fuqua As Director

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Production company Lionsgate just greenlit a biopic on Michael Jackson’s life and artistry and found its director. Moreover, Antoine Fuqua will direct, who previously helmed Emanciption and Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers. As Deadline reports, the tentative title for the upcoming film is Michael.

VARIOUS, VARIOUS – JUNE 25: Michael Jackson performs in concert circa 1986. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

Additionally, the report shared some other details about the movie’s production and crew. John Logan (They/Them, Skyfall) will write the script, with production handled by Graham King of Bohemian Rhapsody for GK Films. Also, producers include co-executors of the King of Pop’s estate, John Branca and John McClain.

Furthermore, sources told Deadline that the upcoming film will cover the highs and lows of Jackson’s musical legacy. However, it also plans to address the accusations of pedophilia, grooming, and misconduct that have defined public discourse around him for years now.

Meanwhile, Fuqua will dive into Michael after production wraps up for his next film, The Equalizer 3 with Denzel Washington. Moreover, GK Films’ previous music biopic Bohemian Rhapsody raked in a whopping $900 million in worldwide gross sales. Still, that film was pretty polarizing, so Michael has big shoes to fill, but bigger ones to prove wrong.

“The first films of my career were music videos, and I still feel that combining film and music are a deep part of who I am,” said Fuqua. Before his breakout film Training Day in 2001, he started directing videos for Prince, Lil Wayne, Stevie Wonder, and more.

“For me, there is no artist with the power, the charisma, and the sheer musical genius of Michael Jackson,” he continued. “I was influenced to make music videos by watching his work – the first Black artist to play in heavy rotation on MTV. His music and those images are part of my worldview, and the chance to tell his story on the screen alongside his music was irresistible.”

What do you think of the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic and its new director? Whatever the case, let us know in the comments down below. Also, as always, come back to HNHH for the latest news on music history in pop culture.

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