Adil Najam
Like so much of Michael Jackson’s life, Michael Jackson’s death has come as a shock to so many. Including many Pakistanis who grew up to the shadows of his soundtracks.
Do you have ‘Pakistani’ memories of Michael Jackson? Do share.
I must say I have been surprised by how many ATP readers have written to me saying that we should do a post on Michael Jackson’s death. I was not, at first, sure what the ‘Pakistan connection’ was. But one was made to reconsider as one heard of the MJ memorial set up in Karachi (photos below)and it was apparent how so many were so influenced by the personage of the ‘King of Pop.’
Indeed, there was a time when – irrespective of your economic and social class – the was to be ‘tich’ was to be like Michael Jackson. From Saab ji’s son to Saab Ji’s driver’s son, if you were ‘in’ you had to be MJ: the hair, the walk, the white socks, the tight pants, the persona at large. And no stage show from Peshawar to Karachi would ever be complete without the ‘performance’ of a Michael Jackson clone.
To me, the immediate memory of the Michael Jackson influence on Pakistan is embodied in the famous Fifty-Fifty skit above. Elsewhere on this blog, I have argued that this may be the funniest comedy skit ever in the best Pakistani comedy program ever. But the point I wish to make today is different. It is a point about Michael Jackson and the deep and varied impacts he has left all over the world in so many different ways!
I must confess, I was never a Michael Jackson fan, never owned a single track of his. But there is no one who has lived in the times I have lived in who could be unaware of or uninterested in the phenomenon that was Michael Jackson. I think he led a sad life, but a life that is worth celebrating becuase it gave the joy of music to so many.
May he rest in in peace.
I agree with those saying that other topics deserve a spot at ATP more than MJ, but there’s no harm in discussing a topic of interest to most, if not all, Pakistanis, like everyone else in the world. Since Pakistanis are already discussing it elsewhere, they might as well on their own blogs. Also I agree that Maulana Tufail deserved much more mention on ATP, even though I can’t stand Jama’at Islamia. I’m saddened that Sind assembly would observe a moment of silence for a child molester. They might as well cut a cake on Bin Laden’s birthday or something.
What I haven’t been able to figure out was what MJ had that attracted so many, especially Pakistani youngsters, and especially girls, toward himself. He didn’t have extraordinarily good looks – at least he didn’t think so – look at all the monstrous nose jobs. I was never impressed by any aspect of MJ’s performances – a lot of people can sing in a high-pitched voice, or can pretend to have seizures and vibrate or shake like a grass hopper. His typical move that brought a lot of response from youngsters was the thrusting of his crouch in a seksually provocative manner, which I can’t believe gets tolerated in a society like Pakistan while a woman gets punished for slight violations of “Islamic” dress code.
I remember hearing about this guy whose kids were out of control saying he wished Michael would die, ‘coz that would probably be the only way to take him off their minds. I have to admit that the thought crossed my mind, too.
I’m sorry, not to take away from your hero, but when I see praise being showered with such disproportionate excess than what is deserved, it’s a total turnoff for me, even if the person may possess some talent. And no matter how talented, if someone lives as lavishly as Michael did, I can’t be a fan of such a person. Wanted to bring these things up to point out that there’s at least one Pakistani who’s not a fan of MJ. But I’m always surprised at how many more people in the world are stoopid than one can imagine.
Micheal jackson….!!!!!
yeah…..thats the name!!
….a man who has seen millions of die hard fans ….
..a man who was not the king of pop only but a magician who could just lock the mind of people in whatever he did and whatever he sung….
….highest fan following that a pop star could ever ever see…around the world ….
micheal has been the trend setter thats y he’s loved so much….
My god….jux cant 4get his songs ….and the spirit of his voice
he is not only the 1 who has faced ups….but also the 1 who lived in deep darkness …..
can 1 imagine????….the king of music has spent ending years of his life away from his homeland ….
this guy has earned billions and lost thrillions…..
still……
he’ll not die becoz his music is still alive …..and it’ll stay alive
hey jackson
we all love u buddy
may ur soul live in peace
u r the best …..
Adil,
Thank you for doing this post. Michael Jackson inspired millions of people and made them happy. He put his gift to use, and through him, millions of humans experienced the awe of witnessing great art.
This is joy — this is common to all humanity. We don’t have to beat our hearts up if the heart is allowing itself a moment of remembrance and…. joy.
Today, tens of millions of people around the world are celebrating the life of an artist whose reach was phenomenal and who put his heart into his art.
This is inspiring to the human soul. We are, no matter our “identities,” part of the world, and part of the collective soul. If that soul wants to remember an artist that touched it, so be it.
Cheers to Michael Jackson’s fans all over the world. Cheers to Pakistaniat for putting up this post and acknowledging the many fans of MJ in Pakistan — there are many, many of us.
So, too, I am glad that the Sind Assembly, upon the request of a minority member, assumed silence to remember a global artist. This is a sign of being alive, of being human. I am touched by it, to be honest.
_Ramla
I am a little surprised to see some people commenting against this post… I would have been svery disappointed if pakistaniat hadn’t published any article on MJ’s death. He was a phenomenon and an international one. Accepting this doesn’t make us getting influenced by an alien culture. Our own cultural roots should be strong enough to keep us rooted. Come on! he is the only “angrizi singer” I remeber from my childhood.. and someone mentioned his “kartoot”.. what ever his personal life was, we shouldn’t be interested in that rather we should be interested in how he influenced us….
If someone have seen guys from Liyari Celiberating any event…He will has seen them dancing in a mix way of Sheedi Dance and a touch of copying MJ…Even I have seen many of them with the copying Mj unique dressing…gloves shirts or many things…
In their weddings they have dance functions known as ‘Lewaa’,They dance like we have seen in the movies of Junglemen….Many of the young guys not familiar with that traditional dance style follow the gr8 MJ…