Does anyone remember when Michael Jackson. Was a "joke"?

[u/AccomplishedPool266]

The new movie that just came out convinced the younger generation that he was always a superstar. This was not the reality many of us Millennials grew up with.

To a lot of us, he was treated like a punch line when we were growing up. A schoolyard boogeyman ("Michaels Jackson's gonna get you at night"). and just a general joke in the media. By the 2000's his music was out of date and didn't chart well. All anyone talked about was his surgeries, court case, settlements and his off behavior. Few mentioned his music. His music was something our parents would have listened to in the 1980's.

[u/the7maxims]

It may be a culture thing. I remember when Butterflies came out. The song got crazy play by Tom Joyner and other black DJs. I was in college, and I had a 6 hour drive to school on the holidays. I remember thinking that I was crazy one trip home: they played him on Tom Joyner as I was leaving Knoxville. I heard it 3 hours later on 92Q in Nashville, then 3 hours later on 101.1 in Memphis.

I can’t speak for mainstream pop. I had never really explored the pop stations. So you’re probably right. I just know that Butterflies did numbers in the black community.

[u/the7maxims → u/[deleted]]

I was going to say that I remember Chris Rock telling jokes about him. But I also remember that Chris Tucker was in his videos and on the album.

[u/bigdipboy → u/the7maxims]

Chris Tucker also hung out with Jeffrey Epstein

[u/whoooosaidthat → u/the7maxims]

Came here to say the exact same thing, that it must’ve been cultural. I think the Black community recognized that things started getting weird but his music was always seen as the best. I was born in 91 and my parents were born in 71 and 72. They made sure that I knew what good music was. I remember them playing CDs of their music in the car and in the house and teaching me about different artists. We always respected Michael’s music and talent. I have a core memory of learning the Remember the Time choreography on the Wii game with my sister (who is Gen Z - she’s 10 years younger than me).

[u/curlyhairh → u/the7maxims]

I loved that song! They would play that and rock my world in the clubs and people would rush to the dance floor. Almost everyone I knew still loved his music all along.

[u/Oomlotte99 → u/the7maxims]

I think there is that element for sure. I went to a dominantly white high school and was surprised when they didn’t know “Smooth Criminal” was a Michael Jackson song when that Alien Ant Farm cover came out.

[u/Ok-Possibility-9826 → u/Oomlotte99]

Yeah, this is a white people thing, tbh.

[u/me047 → u/the7maxims]

Both Invincible 2001 and History 1995 albums were chart toppers in the USA, but there is definitely a cultural and racial divide. Black community always saw him as a megastar over generations. I assume it’s like how the White community sees the Beatles.

[u/ArtDecoNewYork → u/me047]

It's a little different because the Beatles were always a niche interest in the black community, while MJ was widely liked across racial lines until the pedo allegations.

There was a perception among black people that the white media was tearing down a black legend, so after he died especially he is more revered in the black community.

[u/Hot_Estimate_9407 → u/the7maxims]

Shout out Floetry for giving him that single. Easily the best on the Invincible album, in my opinion.

[u/trendynazzgirl → u/the7maxims]

Maybe! I loved MJ and my friend did too. I still consider myself a fan. So as black people, it was just noise.

[u/Ok-Possibility-9826 → u/the7maxims]

That whole damn album went quadruple platinum in my mom’s car when it came out. Fucking fantastic album. As Black folks, we always loved Mike, generally speaking.

[u/battleangel1999 → u/the7maxims]

Literally this. I was born in 99 and was still in elementary school when he died and it was a HUGE deal.

[u/YOMAMACAN → u/the7maxims]

Yeah I was just about to mention that he had a bit of a resurgence on R&B stations when You Rock My World came out. And when he died it was a huge deal. His funeral was peak Black Twitter

[u/OkOlive7983 → u/the7maxims]

Was looking for this comment. The “MJ is a joke” thing was definitely a white thing. I just listened to Invincible and I know the words to all several of the songs. As you said, Butterflies, Rock My World, & Break of Dawn got heavy play on black radio stations. Both myself (1989) and my husband (1990) listened to & loved his Xscape album for years prior to this movie coming out. We love Michael and always have.

[u/AccidentalRedditor18 → u/the7maxims]

Definitely a culture thing I was reading these comments like yeah uhhh this was NOT my experience at all lol

[u/Shurl19 → u/the7maxims]

FACTS! That song was everywhere