Michael Jackson Dies of Cardiac Arrest at 50

Posted June 25, 2009, 7:25 pm in Music


The King of Pop is dead.

Multiple news agencies are reporting that Michael Jackson died Thursday of cardiac arrest at the age of 50.

Los Angeles Fire Capt. Steve Ruda told the LA Times that Jackson was not breathing when paramedics arrived at 12:26 p.m. at the home he was renting. Ruda said paramedics performed CPR and took Jackson to the UCLA Medical Center. Other officials told the Times that Jackson was in a deep coma when he arrived at the hospital.

"I am absolutely devastated at this tragic and unexpected news," said Quincy Jones, a longtime friend of Jackson's and producer of his "Thriller" album, in a statement. "For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don't have the words. I've lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him."

The embattled pop star was reportedly in training in preparation for a series of "comeback" concerts scheduled to kick off in London on July 13 and run through March 2010. His 50 London concerts sold out within minutes of going on sale a few months ago.

With lifetime record sales believed to be around 750 million and 13 Grammy Awards, he was one of the most successful entertainers of all time but his musical genius was often overshadowed by his personal problems and rumors.

In 2005, he was acquitted on charges of child molestation and his constantly changing physical appearance was the source of frequent tabloid stories.

When Michael was just 6 years old, he and his four brothers performed together in a talent show. The rest is musical history. The Jackson Five became instant stars with the adorable youngest brother Michael singing lead in a band that included brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon.

But Michael really made his impact on the history of music with the 1982 release of "Thriller," which produced seven Top-10 singles and sold 21 million copies in the U.S. and at least 27 million worldwide.

Jackson married twice, including a brief union in the mid-90s to Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis Presley's only child, and a three-year marriage to Debbie Rowe that resulted in three children -- Prince Michael I, Paris Michael and Prince Michael II, who was famously dangled over the railing of a hotel balcony by his father.

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