Michael Jackson's Memorial Concert...

Good morning World! I just wanted to speak on the Michael Jackson Memorial "Concert" Service for a minute. First of all AEG did the damn thing with the stage layout , and then proceeded to really stick it to "the man", with their ONE FEED. I understand that they wanted some sort of media integrity, not have a gang of cameras and reporters from around the world "golf talkin'" through the service. I watched it on an ABC affiliate here in Atlanta and shoulda watched it on CNN, I just knew that they would have better announcers and "analyst", but I got stuck with Charlie Gibson and his wavering vocals and seemingly limited Michael knowledge. At anyrate the line up was phenominal. J-Hud to Usher to Jermaine Jackson and even the lil kid from England.

The Good , the Bad, and the Ridiculous:

The GOOD
Rev. Al Sharpton (anyone that knows me, knows I really can't stand Al, IMO he's one of them leach kinda cats that waits for a photo op and a soapbox so he can scream and holler about whatever it is and then try to spin said subject to fit the ":Black Plight"). Even though I knew he would talk about how Mike did this, that and the other to further African Americans, he was very articulate about Mike, being the "man in the mirror", a trendsetter, a man that made everyone stop and pause and show respect

Martin Luther King III and Bernice King: They gave comfort to the fact that Jackson was the best at what he did and that his number one spot in the hearts, minds, and souls of everyone that was touched by his greatness. Quoting their father on several occasions, especially the "street sweeper" (which is now my personal favorite. When MLK3 reminissed about Mike calling Coretta when she was sick really touched me, because you dont hear things like that from a MEGASTAR. It showed that he was really compassionate. I was really glad that they got a chance to let eryone know that he was truly not a weirdo, but a human with a caring heart.

Motown founder Berry Gordy spoke directly from the heart and at times seems like he was quoting scenes from The Jackson's: An American Dream movie. I did think that the line about Michael being a son to him was a lil uneasy especially to Joe Jackson. If you saw the movie, you know what I'm talkin about.

Queen Latifah, Magic Johnson,(sometimes I really wish he wouldnt speak in public) and Smokey Robinson also brought a laugh or two to the celebration of his life... especially Magic..."Michael, you eat Kentucky Fried Chicken?? (shameless plug from a compensated spokesperson)

Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Jermaine, and John Mayer were all awesome, but what else would you expect.
J-Hud's rendition of "Will You Be There" was outstanding. Even though she was big pregnant she was classy and her vocals were on point. When the intro to the song started playing my homie Chris was like "Alright, who is gonna sing this and do it right?" we all were happy to see Jen and knew that it was gonna be right. Michael's dancers performed a routine that we figured was part of his show cause it was also on point.

Stevie Wonder sang "Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer" a very fitting song. Stevie did allude to never wanting to be in that position, where he was funeralizing Michael. He said "This is a moment I wish I never had to see come". Now even though we knew what he meant, seemed a tad bit awkward, if you ask me

Lionel Richie, fresh off a Commodore reunion at the Essence Music Festival sang Jesus is Love and erybody was deeply moved (except maybe Charlie Gibson who again was the most clueless person on television at the time. He could only reference that Richie and Jackson co-wrote We Are the World and then said it was written in 1995...are you serious Charlie - Reading is fundamental.)

Usher was emotional, while singing, "Gone Too Soon". It was evident that Jackson was an inspiration to Usher, who's dance moves have been described as "Michaelesque". He held it together for the most part and afterwards had a word with Katherine and her grandkids. Definetly a class act on Usher's part. For some strange reason, I was expecting him to do something that was a little more upbeat since it was a tribute. Nonetheless I wasnt disappointed.

John Mayer, who didnt sing, but played a stirring rendition of "Human Nature", and went OFF! I love that dude's music and his skill with the guitar. He was very passionate with it and felt to me like he actually played on the original record. (Once again, Gibson, went dumb saying this was actually the soundtrack to "Human Nature". Damn, how much prep time did he actually have to get it together? Now mind you it was late in the telecast when seemingly all media got hold of the program...)

THE BAD
You know I wasnt gonna let Mariah Carey off the hook easy...She butchered Jackson 5 classic, "I'll Be There"...yeah she remade the song and I thought that was an insult to begin with. From the gate she was crackin and missing notes. Some may attribute that to the emotion of the event, but I aint givin her a pass on that one. Even with Trey "whats his face" Lorenz it was not good, I'da rather heard Lorenz Tate singing the song O-Dog dookie plats and all. There was just something about this performance that said to me..."WHY IS SHE OPENING THE SHOW???" I would have peferred Whitney Houston or Beyonce, but I guess AEG is doin her tour also and wanted to give her some face time. I know the family didnt reach out to Carey and asked her to piss people off.

Brooke Shields spoke. Started out alright, but then seemed to just ramble on and on....and on. This is the one woman that I could actually see dating Mike, but for that same reason, I really think it was some bull. She started reminissing about the time when she and Michael stole away to see Elizabeth Taylor's wedding dress and to find out she was sleeping in the room with it. Then saying that she and Jackson were the "Parents of the Bride" (WOW how corny). Then joking about how he was a slacker because he started in "the business" far later than she, "I was 11 months old"...SO WHAT! All this foolishness from the same woman that said Michael was "asexual"...GTFOH!

The attention paid to the processional from the cemetary to the Staples Center, was totally unneccesary. There was mention that the Jackson's called a Range Rover dealership and asked for the use of 10 Rovers...then calling a Rolls Royce dealership and requested a couple of their vehicles. Then in the same conversation...what would the resale value of these cars be, especially since they were now used. What kind of selling points are the dealers gonna make? "Did you know that this particular Range Rover was used to carry Michael Jackson's family to his memorial?" (another I cant believe you said that moment...I really shoulda watched this on CNN) The attention to the casket was just as bad... We joked in the house about soundin like old Baptist church women, "That casket is just BREWTEEFUR!" and the like, but these cats talked about everything from the bronze, to the solid gold handles, to the velvet he was laying on....Jesus H Christ could you just stick to the script and stop tryin to adlib during the lulls...to the $25,000 price tag, you know someone is still screaming about they gonna put that thing in the ground...shit the man inside the box probably had more than $25,000 on him (im talkin clothes and what nots...hell Leroy Crump got buried with a brand new pair of Mori gators on, so why Michael Jackson couldnt be decked out to the nines) Chris and I were jokingly saying they prolly aint gonna bury it anyhow, they might set it off into orbit somewhere...LOL

THE RIDICULOUS.
NO SHOWS...where was Oprah, Elizabeth Taylor, Liza Manelli, Emmanual Lewis, the kid from Home Alone, Bubbles? And where in the hell was Diana Ross? ....It was her fault that Mike went through all that damn surgery in the first place tryin to look like her ass....[/mini rant] TMZ was on some bull too cause they followed Whitney Houston all over LAX askin her if she was gonna be at the service and yet she was a no show. What about Quincy Jones and Paul McCartney? Two very obvious omissions. Chris Brown was supposedly there but was not asked to perform....Where they do that at? This whole "beat Rihanna" thing has gone too far, he is gonna have to do some Thriller type thing to get back in the good graces of the masses. How you get shut out of two big media events in about a weeks time? BET and Mike's Service? Wow...just wow! LaToya Jackson and that damn hat...what the hell was she thinkin about???? Please tell me.

All and all it was without a doubt the most watched "funeral" in the history of funerals, the best put together memorial (performancewise with few mistakes). The brothers, Jermaine with a great performance of "Smile" from a Charlie Chaplin movie, which was his brother's favorite song. The cameraman catching Blanket holding the Michael Jackson doll and kissing the program during "Uncle Jermaine's" song were classic and Im surprised it isnt on every website home page, but I guess aint nobody really pay attention to that. I guess thats just the artist in me talkin. Marlon spoke from the heart especially when he recounted the time he saw Mike in a record store in disguise...and even gave instructions like a big brother should, clearly emotional, you can see where he is gonna miss Michael. Finally Paris Michael Katherine Jackson professing her love for her daddy. I thought it was cute how she started off with, "Ever since I was born..." the family and the organizers of the tribute have both said that her farewell to the King was totally unrehearsed, unscheduled, and unplanned. I thought Blanket was gonna be the "heir to the throne", but Paris is puttin her bid in early. I'm just glad they aint do Mike, the way James Brown's daughter did and take him on a tour around the country before they lay him to rest. Well there's always NASA...5,4,3,2,1
We will miss you Michael!
All Hail the King
HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS FROM THE MEMORIAL: