Although there's another version of this video, this is the version I grew up seeing. I love how it shows his best moves from the "Thriller" years through the "Dangerous" era. It was popular in the 90s to have artists come out with a music video that was a mash-up of all their previous ones. However, this one is definitely the best one.

Enjoy!

With all the misfortune going on in Haiti, this song has been replaying in my mind. Although the tragedies seen in the video aren't exactly what happened in Haiti, the words in the song share the same sentiment as to what the people over there may be feeling. And to think, this was released 15 years ago.


Make donations to UNICEF; every little bit helps, and this is a tragedy that could happen to any part of the world. At the end of the day we are all human and we are all on the same earth.

In Janet Jackson's first interview since Michael's passing, she talks about her strength, the term "Princess of Pop", and her brother's love of all things shiny.

Today I was blessed to finally find the UK Q magazine at Barnes & Noble. It was the LAST magazine MJ posed for before he passed on. The mag printed the article in the present tense and then followed up with some tribute pages. This will be a bittersweet read because it's safe to assume this was done to promote his comeback tour in London.

After a long stint at B&N listening to the "Off the Wall" album being played in the Starbucks section then catching a classical instrumental rendition of "Smooth Criminal" as I perused for books, I came home and found an Amazon.com box waiting for me. I knew I recently ordered ONE item and it was a pre-sale item due to be released in August. To my delight it was the biography of MJ's life, "The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story". The 700+ page bio is written by an author/journalist who's known Michael since he was 18 and interviewed him and his family numerous times. I can't wait to start reading this and hopefully it will put to rest my MJ obsession.

First off, I'd like to go on the record and say that in no way am I trying to gossip or trash talk. All I'm doing is giving my opinion and I hope that I don't offend anyone who happens to read this.

So, in the new issue of OK! magazine, their cover story is saying that Michael Jackson's three children want to stay/live with their Aunt Janet. The mag reports that Prince, Paris and Blanket “...just melt into [Janet's] arms when she walks into the house.” Honestly, I think that Janet taking them on would be a wise choice. She's the youngest of the Jackson siblings and she doesn't have any other children to care for, therefore she would be able to give them the attention that they need.

Although MJ's wishes involved his mother Katherine and Diana Ross, my opinion is that he looked at those women as maternal figures because that's what they were to him [at one point he said he and his brothers stayed with Diana for a while] ]and they made him feel comfortable. So, it was a natural choice on his part to nominate them as the guardians for his children.

I don't have any doubt that Katherine could handle those kids. Except for Blanket, the older two are at an age where they can help. Not for nothing, but Prince will be able to legally drive in about 3 years. My point is, they aren't infants and I'm not saying that their age and being able to help outweighs their emotional state.

But as I said before, I honestly do think Janet would be the best fit for them if anything at least after Katherine feels as though she could not handle it anymore.

Now, on a lighter note , after going back and listening to some MJ songs on his album "HIStory" and watching his interviews where he's bashing the "tabloid" media I won't be purchasing this magazine. The "Be Our Mommy" caption makes me cringe because I know this is a far cry from the truth of the matter. But I do believe that where this is smoke there is fire, and most of the time these rags are the smoke and fire. So I guess we will have to see how this all plays out.

MJ's fans just want what is best for the kids, and I think that would be for them to remain with the Jackson family-sans Joe...I'm just saying.

But if Michael Jackson was livin', he wouldn't let this be....

I haven't commented on Michael Jackson's passing sooner because it finally hit me today how much of a reality it is. Earlier on the day of his death, I had made a comment on twitter along the lines of "First Ed now Farrah, only one more to go." Never did it cross my mind that only an hour or so later it would be MJ. The second the news broke my whole body had a chill. I'm not going to say that I was his #1 fan; to be honest I had put him on the back of the shelf for the past few years.  But the moment the radio said his death was official, all of the memories of him and his music crossed my mind.

Born in 1982 I was lucky to experience Thriller the first time around. And for the four decades that he has made music, I feel as though 90s Michael was "my" Michael. At that time I bought "my" MJ cassette and CDs, put up "my" MJ poster, and recorded "my" MJ music videos off of the TV.

But after watching his memorial today I saw more than just the man on stage that everyone loved-I saw the person. His humanitarian efforts were tremendous and the outpouring of love people had for him was large as well. Tonight I expressed on my facebook status that I "never knew I could feel so much for a man who didn't even know I existed...". How could one man make so many people feel the same way at the same time in the world?

When I was younger I would hear the song "Man In the Mirror" a lot in my house. Growing up it was never one of my favorite songs and as I child I always wondered, "What man is in a mirror?" Such an innocent question at that age, but now as an adult I know that "man" is me.

Thank you Michael for being the only artist in the world that my father, mother and myself could listen to. Thank you for making me want to make any effort that I can to make this world a better place. And I will continue to listen to your music and share it with others.

When history and music teachers are discussing his legacy in classes around the world, we can be blessed to say that we lived and experienced it in this life.

Meet you in paradise MJ.







"Man In The Mirror"

I'm Gonna Make A Change,
For Once In My Life
It's Gonna Feel Real Good,
Gonna Make A Difference
Gonna Make It Right . . .

As I, Turn Up The Collar On My
Favourite Winter Coat
This Wind Is Blowin' My Mind
I See The Kids In The Street,
With Not Enough To Eat
Who Am I, To Be Blind?
Pretending Not To See
Their Needs
A Summer's Disregard,
A Broken Bottle Top
And A One Man's Soul
They Follow Each Other On
The Wind Ya' Know
'Cause They Got Nowhere
To Go
That's Why I Want You To
Know

I'm Starting With The Man In
The Mirror
I'm Asking Him To Change
His Ways
And No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
(If You Wanna Make The
World A Better Place)
Take A Look At Yourself, And
Then Make A Change
(Take A Look At Yourself, And
Then Make A Change)
(Na Na Na, Na Na Na, Na Na,
Na Nah)

I've Been A Victim Of A Selfish
Kind Of Love
It's Time That I Realize
That There Are Some With No
Home, Not A Nickel To Loan
Could It Be Really Me,
Pretending That They're Not
Alone?

A Willow Deeply Scarred,
Somebody's Broken Heart
And A Washed-Out Dream
(Washed-Out Dream)
They Follow The Pattern Of
The Wind, Ya' See
Cause They Got No Place
To Be
That's Why I'm Starting With
Me
(Starting With Me!)

I'm Starting With The Man In
The Mirror
(Ooh!)
I'm Asking Him To Change
His Ways
(Ooh!)
And No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
(If You Wanna Make The
World A Better Place)
Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make A Change
(Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make A Change)

I'm Starting With The Man In
The Mirror
(Ooh!)
I'm Asking Him To Change His
Ways
(Change His Ways-Ooh!)
And No Message Could've
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
(If You Wanna Make The
World A Better Place)
Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make That . . .
(Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make That . . .)
Change!

I'm Starting With The Man In
The Mirror,
(Man In The Mirror-Oh
Yeah!)
I'm Asking Him To Change
His Ways
(Better Change!)
No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
(If You Wanna Make The
World A Better Place)
(Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make The Change)
(You Gotta Get It Right, While
You Got The Time)
('Cause When You Close Your
Heart)
You Can't Close Your . . .Your
Mind!
(Then You Close Your . . .
Mind!)
That Man, That Man, That
Man, That Man
With That Man In The Mirror
(Man In The Mirror, Oh Yeah!)
That Man, That Man, That Man
I'm Asking Him To Change
His Ways
(Better Change!)
You Know . . .That Man
No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
(If You Wanna Make The
World A Better Place)
Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make A Change
(Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make A Change)
Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!
Na Na Na, Na Na Na, Na Na,
Na Nah
(Oh Yeah!)
Gonna Feel Real Good Now!
Yeah Yeah! Yeah Yeah!
Yeah Yeah!
Na Na Na, Na Na Na, Na Na,
Na Nah
(Ooooh . . .)
Oh No, No No . . .
I'm Gonna Make A Change
It's Gonna Feel Real Good!
Come On!
(Change . . .)
Just Lift Yourself
You Know
You've Got To Stop It.
Yourself!
(Yeah!-Make That Change!)
I've Got To Make That Change,
Today!
Hoo!
(Man In The Mirror)
You Got To
You Got To Not Let Yourself . . .
Brother . . .
Hoo!
(Yeah!-Make That Change!)
You Know-I've Got To Get
That Man, That Man . . .
(Man In The Mirror)
You've Got To
You've Got To Move! Come
On! Come On!
You Got To . . .
Stand Up! Stand Up!
Stand Up!
(Yeah-Make That Change)
Stand Up And Lift
Yourself, Now!
(Man In The Mirror)
Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!
Aaow!
(Yeah-Make That Change)
Gonna Make That Change . . .
Come On!
(Man In The Mirror)
You Know It!
You Know It!
You Know It!
You Know . . .
(Change . . .)
Make That Change.

iTunes is giving a great deal this week. you can download Michael Jackson's best selling album "Thriller" for just $4.99. this purchase also includes the scary a** video with the same name. any MJ fan would and should take advantage of this.

ps.
i know the title of this post is wack... but i tried ok. lol.

50 never looked so, so, soooooo ummmm yeah.

before Chris Brown... Usher... Justin Timberlake... even Michael Jackson... there was Mr. Fred Astaire

so last month the marchMADNESS playlist was put out and i think those of you who listened to it really enjoyed it. so to continue the musical loving path this playlist is a concoction of freshness. it's all about being down in order to get on up. you can read more to find out why i picked each song for the aprilREIGN playlist below:

1. Gnarls Barkley "Run"
nothing will ever top "Crazy" and it will go down as one of my favorite songs ever, but this song is just so fast and impulsive that you just can't help but to move to it.

2. Destiny's Child "Happy"
"i'm living// i'm able// i'm breathing// i'm grateful// to put on my happy face" need i say more?

3. KT Tunstall "Hold On"
i'm a big fan of hers and feel that her first two singles really put her in a funny place because they are the only two songs of hers that i don't listen to. but this song is all about holding on and being aware of what you have and prepping for change because the world will keep moving with or without you.

4. Maxi Priest "Wild World"
this reminds me of my ex... we met when i was taking a "break" from school some years ago and he's somewhat older than me. lately whenever we speak he always tries to lure me back into his world-- but it's not going to happen lol. anyway , this song just reminds me of things he would say.

5. Amy Winehouse "Round Midnight"
ANYTHING Amy comes out with i love. i happened to come across this song and of course... I LOVED IT!

6. Alicia Keys "I Need You"
this is my FAVORITE song on her album. it's soulful and just makes me do a screwface whenever i hear/sing it. it just makes being needy seem so beautiful.

7. Mickey Factz and N.E.R.D. "Locked Away"
i really wanted to put this on the marchMADNESS playlist, but i didn't find it to be a great fit. but it suits this playlist much better... and i just love hearing Pharrell sing.

8. Michael Jackson "PYT 2008 Remix"
i'm not going to lie, i'm not a big fan of the re-release of this album. however Will.i.am's mix of this always gets me feeling upbeat and pretty lol.

9. Yelle "Trop Bonne Pour Toi"
like a lot of people, i found out about her when she was featured as Mtv's artist of the week late in march. her music is just bright and happy and enjoyable.

10. Nouvelle Vague "Manner of Speaking"
ok so on my plane ride back home from London i watched 'A Mighty Heart' and this song came on during the last part of the film and into the closing credits. i remember just resting my head against my chair, closing my eyes, and letting the song take over. it's such a simple yet lovely song that says "nothing" yet "everything" at the same time.

11. Leona Lewis "Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word"
she's big in the UK and has began to make waves in the US. her rendition of this 70's song is gorgeous and i find myself repeating it a lot.

12. Chrisette Michelle "Best of Me"
if you're not familiar with the name, you may be familiar with her vocals on Nas' "Can't Forget About You". this song just reminds me of a situation which we could pretty much hear when listening to the lyrics and in the end realizing that what's meant for you will be.

13. The Pixies "Where is My Mind"
it's a question i ask myself everyday lol. it's been ripped by M.I.A., was in the movie 'Fight Club', and is just one of those classics.

14. The Kills "Cheap and Cheerful"
from february on, every magazine i read had a piece about this duo. recently iTunes featured them and had a free download, so i said "Why not?" they're from London, the song is upbeat, i thoroughly enjoy the beginning when it sounds like she's choking (sounds gangsta lol) and it brings out my inner rock chick.

15. Madonna and Justin Timberlake "4 Minutes"
do i really need to explain?

16. Kraze "UK Grime Riddim"
i'm really feeling UK Grime music. i love the beats and the fast pace and i hope it really catches on over in the States.

17. Mavado and Jay-Z "I'm On the Rock"
as much as people may not think i am, i do love reggae music. i heard this for the first time when i was away as well and it's a great one to bump while in the whip.

18. Lupe Fiasco "Streets on Fire"
i love how Lupe can make me move AND listen to his lyrics as well. most songs you know the words from hearing it repeatedly and they become printed in your mind. but for him, i stop and open my ears.*this playlist is dedicated to Mr. M. Fernandez

i love going on to your blog page ever so often... but i've noticed a few things.  sometimes you post things that are prettyyyy late.  example one, the M.I.A. for Marc Jacobs ad which was out for two months already.  i even had one of the ads as my MySpace default.  and recently you posted up Rhymefest's "Man in the Mirror" link and was talking about the MR vs. MJ skit (Mark Ronson vs. Michael Jackson).  i've been listening to that since December of 2007.