Michael Joseph Jackson

Michael Joseph Jackson is known as the "King of Pop" and "Wacko Jacko", is anAmerican musician whose successful music career and controversial personal life have been at the forefront of pop culture for the last quarter-century.

Michael Joseph Jackson was born on the 29th of August 1958 in Gary, Indiana. Michael began his musical career at the age of 5 as the lead singer of the Jackson 5 who formed in 1964. He began a full-fledged solo career in 1979 and formally parted with his siblings in 1984.

Michael Jackson has been awarded numerous honors, including the World Music's "Best-selling pop male artist of the Millennium" and he is a double-inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1997 and in 2001 as a solo artist. In September, 2001 Michael celebrated his 30th anniversary as a solo artist with two concerts to be held in New York, USA.

He has been married twice and has three children: Prince and Paris with Deborah Jeanne Rowe, and Prince Michael II through surrogacy.

In 1977 Michael made his first film debut when he starred in the musical 'The Wiz' playing Scarecrow with Diana Ross in the lead role of Dorothy. In 1982 Michael Jackson released the world's largest selling album of all time, 'Thriller'.

In 2006, allegations of sexual assault were leveled against Jackson by a man who claims Michael Jackson molested him, intoxicated him with drugs and alcohol, and forced him to undergo unnecessary cosmetic surgery. Michael Jackson's lawyer Thomas Mesereau, who successfully defended him against allegations of child molestation in 2005, said "the charges are ridiculous on their face. They will be vigorously defended."Since this news came to light in early 2006, nothing further has happened regarding the supposed charges.