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MJ: The Genius of Michael Jackson
The definitive biography of Michael Jackson, a “vivid…gripping...authoritative account of a world-changing force of nature” ( Rolling Stone ), celebrating the King of Pop’s legendary contributions to music, dance, and popular culture.
From the moment in 1965 when he first stepped on stage—at age seven—in Gary, Indiana, Michael Jackson was destined to become the undisputed King of Pop. In a career spanning four decades, Jackson became a global icon, selling over four hundred million albums, earning thirteen Grammy awards, and spinning dance moves that captivated the world. Songs like “Billie Jean” and “Black and White” altered our national discussion of race and equality, and Jackson’s signature aesthetic, from the single white glove to the moonwalk, defined a generation. Despite publicized scandals and controversy, Jackson’s ultimate legacy will always be his music.
In an account that “reminds us why Michael Jackson was, indeed, a ‘genius’ entertainer” (New York Newsday ), Rolling Stone contributing editor Steve Knopper delves deeply into Jackson’s music and talent. From the artist’s early days with the Jackson 5, to his stratospheric success as a solo artist, to “Beat It” and “Thriller,” “Bad” and “The Man in the Mirror,” to his volatile final years, his attempted comeback, and untimely death, Knopper draws on his “critical and reportorial savvy in assessing Jackson’s creative peaks and valleys,” (USA TODAY) exploring the beguiling and often contradictory forces that fueled Michael Jackson’s genius. Drawing on an amazing four hundred interviews—ranging from Jackson’s relatives, friends, and key record executives to celebrities like will.i.am and Weird Al Yankovic—this critical biography puts his career into perspective and celebrates his triumph in art and music. This is “a thoughtful look at an artist who grew up in a segregated mill town and who, for the rest of his life, made music to bring down walls” ( Chicago Tribune ).
From the moment in 1965 when he first stepped on stage—at age seven—in Gary, Indiana, Michael Jackson was destined to become the undisputed King of Pop. In a career spanning four decades, Jackson became a global icon, selling over four hundred million albums, earning thirteen Grammy awards, and spinning dance moves that captivated the world. Songs like “Billie Jean” and “Black and White” altered our national discussion of race and equality, and Jackson’s signature aesthetic, from the single white glove to the moonwalk, defined a generation. Despite publicized scandals and controversy, Jackson’s ultimate legacy will always be his music.
In an account that “reminds us why Michael Jackson was, indeed, a ‘genius’ entertainer” (New York Newsday ), Rolling Stone contributing editor Steve Knopper delves deeply into Jackson’s music and talent. From the artist’s early days with the Jackson 5, to his stratospheric success as a solo artist, to “Beat It” and “Thriller,” “Bad” and “The Man in the Mirror,” to his volatile final years, his attempted comeback, and untimely death, Knopper draws on his “critical and reportorial savvy in assessing Jackson’s creative peaks and valleys,” (USA TODAY) exploring the beguiling and often contradictory forces that fueled Michael Jackson’s genius. Drawing on an amazing four hundred interviews—ranging from Jackson’s relatives, friends, and key record executives to celebrities like will.i.am and Weird Al Yankovic—this critical biography puts his career into perspective and celebrates his triumph in art and music. This is “a thoughtful look at an artist who grew up in a segregated mill town and who, for the rest of his life, made music to bring down walls” ( Chicago Tribune ).
462 pages, Paperback
First published October 6, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
May 29, 2016
I should have known better, but, having seen a copy of Steve Knopper’s “The Genius of Michael Jackson” on the shelf at the mall bookshop today, I felt I ought to show my support for the person it was about (i.e. Michael) and buy it. However, when I got it home and dipped into it (at the recording of HIStory) I found the version of events there somewhat at odds with what I’d heard first hand from people who were involved with the recording process and more. Where were the main voices in all these quotes? Where were members of Michael’s regular recording team? Even though I’ve never met Brian Vibberts who was one of the Assistant Engineers on HIStory, I’ve certainly read his tweets about Michael and Janet in the recording studio together for ‘Scream’. Yet Knopper’s book states they recorded separately. Both may be true to various degrees (i.e. some vocals recorded separately, some together) but the book version is stated as the sole fact of the matter, and it would seem not to be true. Also Michael’s demeanour at the sessions is reported as quite different from what I have heard from some who were there. Reading on a little further, my opinion of the book was not improved by the author’s dismissive attitude to some of the ballads on the album – in particular ‘Smile’ which, I agree with the assessment I heard (in person) at one of Brad Sundberg’s In the Studio with Michael Jackson seminars, is Michael’s finest vocal performance. Flipping further back into the volume I found plenty more to get upset about… so much for spending $40 on a book that has little new to tell me, never mind misinterpreting some situations and getting others completely wrong. If I wanted to spend money to show loyalty to Michael, I would have done better to go to JB Hifi and buy copies of HIStory, Dangerous and Invincible etc. and give them away to people who had never heard the full albums – just the radio-played hits. After the Cascio book I thought I’d learned my lesson about MJ biographies… but there you go; we expect someone to finally produce a consistently good MJ book, without falling into the trap of Taraborrelli-style tabloidism or exploitation or just a lack of comprehensive factual information (or just bad writing!) Certainly I don't expect errors and assumptions made by other authors to be repeated. My feeling now (again), given the access to information we have via the internet coming directly from people who worked closely with Michael over many years and a number of albums, special events and tours, who needs it?
November 19, 2015
Jackson was a musical prodigy whose talent was almost limitless. His brilliant career was derailed by scandal, and his final 50 city tour was aborted by his death the night before it was to commence. Knopper does the best job of objectively recounting Jackson’s life and death that I have seen so far. His portrait is intimate without being prurient. Thanks go to Net Galley and Scribner for the DRC, which I received in exchange for this honest review.
Jackson was born in the 1950’s, a time when the race barrier kept Black performers from being seen by a general audience, with only the rarest exceptions. Black folks could play music for Black folks, and nobody else. The family was terribly poor, with eight or nine people crowded into a house better suited to three or four. They lived in Gary, a steel town in which Black poverty was more the rule than the exception. His father was a struggling musician until it became obvious that his sons had inherited his talent plus some. By the time Michael was five years old, he was the charismatic center of the Jackson Five, who soon were contracted to Motown, the center of African-American music in the USA.
Knopper explains how the family’s progression from a Motown act, where they were not allowed to actually play their own instruments on stage and could not use music they wrote themselves; to an independent family act, apart from one son who chose to remain with Motown; to the final day when Michael got himself an agent and a lawyer and set out on his own, divorcing his family so that he could have full control over a solo act. Until he achieved independence, iconic creations such as Thriller and Smooth Criminal could probably never be launched. And he recounts the family drama that ensued, with bodyguards pulling guns to discourage Michael’s angry brothers when they tried to force their way past the gates of his estate, shouting that he owed them money.
As a fan of excellent music and performance, I was sucked into the maelstrom produced by the press both during his life and afterward. It’s embarrassing to admit how completely I was played. For years I would not permit Jackson’s music to be played in my home because I thought he was a sick creep who used his fame to gain private, inappropriate contact with smooth-faced young boys. Somehow it escaped me that he had never been proved guilty in a court of law; on the one hand, it made sense to pay one family off in order to take the heat off his career, and Knopper documents the advice experienced, famous musicians gave Jackson to do whatever he had to do to shut that shit down so he could go back to focusing on music. But the press was merciless, and the payoff, which came too late to do damage control effectively, was portrayed as a tacit admission of guilt. And I bought it.
A few months after Jackson’s death, I was in a hotel room on vacation with my family, and my youngest son, who is Black, turned on the television, and there was the second round that Knopper documents, the round of memorial tributes that brought a lump to one’s throat as we saw Jackson’s miraculous career unspooled. He pioneered music videos in so many ways I had failed to appreciate, and he employed so many Black musicians that might never have had a steady job, while at the same time reaching out to Caucasian performers as well, creating a bridge between Black music and Caucasian sounds, transitioning from disco-like R and B to the “King of Pop”. I was horrified at the way I had misjudged him.
About a year ago, I read Michael Jackson’s memoir, Moonwalk, and while I took parts of it with a grain of salt, I also came to believe that the guy just didn’t know what was socially appropriate at times because he had never had a normal childhood. I was sold. Poor Michael.
Knopper has a more realistic take on all this. He certainly should; he used over 450 sources, and he wasn’t anybody’s mouthpiece. And so the truth turns out to be more complicated.
What left me somewhat stunned, in the end, was not the sex scandal, and it wasn’t the postmortem resurrection of Jackson as some sort of musical saint. Instead, I was absolutely floored at the number of people that worked for the guy, some of them for a lot of years, who he left without paychecks for weeks, then months on end. Jackson had a tremendous load of debt, was on the verge of bankruptcy and was saved only by his investment in song publishing, a piece of advice given him by friend Paul McCartney that he had followed through on. Yet he continued to buy one extreme luxury estate after another, holding residences he would likely never use again, shopping extravagantly (the example of taking a new friend shopping and telling him to do it “like this”, as he swept entire shelves of merchandise into his cart, astounded me) while leaving his employees, regular working folk with bills to pay for the most part, with no paychecks. There was money for shopping, but not for them, and some of them took him to court for it. It made me a bit sick. This man knew what it was like to be poor, and he knew what hunger was like, but as long as he didn’t have to see the people that he had betrayed, he could continue to play out the Peter Pan thread, irresponsibly trashing the lives of those he had told they could count on him, then leaving them with empty wallets and eviction notices.
Maybe you think I have over-shared. I have news; this is only the tip of the iceberg. If you have followed this review all the way to its conclusion, you will like this book. It is available for purchase October 20.
Jackson was born in the 1950’s, a time when the race barrier kept Black performers from being seen by a general audience, with only the rarest exceptions. Black folks could play music for Black folks, and nobody else. The family was terribly poor, with eight or nine people crowded into a house better suited to three or four. They lived in Gary, a steel town in which Black poverty was more the rule than the exception. His father was a struggling musician until it became obvious that his sons had inherited his talent plus some. By the time Michael was five years old, he was the charismatic center of the Jackson Five, who soon were contracted to Motown, the center of African-American music in the USA.
Knopper explains how the family’s progression from a Motown act, where they were not allowed to actually play their own instruments on stage and could not use music they wrote themselves; to an independent family act, apart from one son who chose to remain with Motown; to the final day when Michael got himself an agent and a lawyer and set out on his own, divorcing his family so that he could have full control over a solo act. Until he achieved independence, iconic creations such as Thriller and Smooth Criminal could probably never be launched. And he recounts the family drama that ensued, with bodyguards pulling guns to discourage Michael’s angry brothers when they tried to force their way past the gates of his estate, shouting that he owed them money.
As a fan of excellent music and performance, I was sucked into the maelstrom produced by the press both during his life and afterward. It’s embarrassing to admit how completely I was played. For years I would not permit Jackson’s music to be played in my home because I thought he was a sick creep who used his fame to gain private, inappropriate contact with smooth-faced young boys. Somehow it escaped me that he had never been proved guilty in a court of law; on the one hand, it made sense to pay one family off in order to take the heat off his career, and Knopper documents the advice experienced, famous musicians gave Jackson to do whatever he had to do to shut that shit down so he could go back to focusing on music. But the press was merciless, and the payoff, which came too late to do damage control effectively, was portrayed as a tacit admission of guilt. And I bought it.
A few months after Jackson’s death, I was in a hotel room on vacation with my family, and my youngest son, who is Black, turned on the television, and there was the second round that Knopper documents, the round of memorial tributes that brought a lump to one’s throat as we saw Jackson’s miraculous career unspooled. He pioneered music videos in so many ways I had failed to appreciate, and he employed so many Black musicians that might never have had a steady job, while at the same time reaching out to Caucasian performers as well, creating a bridge between Black music and Caucasian sounds, transitioning from disco-like R and B to the “King of Pop”. I was horrified at the way I had misjudged him.
About a year ago, I read Michael Jackson’s memoir, Moonwalk, and while I took parts of it with a grain of salt, I also came to believe that the guy just didn’t know what was socially appropriate at times because he had never had a normal childhood. I was sold. Poor Michael.
Knopper has a more realistic take on all this. He certainly should; he used over 450 sources, and he wasn’t anybody’s mouthpiece. And so the truth turns out to be more complicated.
What left me somewhat stunned, in the end, was not the sex scandal, and it wasn’t the postmortem resurrection of Jackson as some sort of musical saint. Instead, I was absolutely floored at the number of people that worked for the guy, some of them for a lot of years, who he left without paychecks for weeks, then months on end. Jackson had a tremendous load of debt, was on the verge of bankruptcy and was saved only by his investment in song publishing, a piece of advice given him by friend Paul McCartney that he had followed through on. Yet he continued to buy one extreme luxury estate after another, holding residences he would likely never use again, shopping extravagantly (the example of taking a new friend shopping and telling him to do it “like this”, as he swept entire shelves of merchandise into his cart, astounded me) while leaving his employees, regular working folk with bills to pay for the most part, with no paychecks. There was money for shopping, but not for them, and some of them took him to court for it. It made me a bit sick. This man knew what it was like to be poor, and he knew what hunger was like, but as long as he didn’t have to see the people that he had betrayed, he could continue to play out the Peter Pan thread, irresponsibly trashing the lives of those he had told they could count on him, then leaving them with empty wallets and eviction notices.
Maybe you think I have over-shared. I have news; this is only the tip of the iceberg. If you have followed this review all the way to its conclusion, you will like this book. It is available for purchase October 20.
October 13, 2015
An unbiased biography about Michael Jackson - the title is misleading for there is not a lot of information on the musical aspects of his work.
October 27, 2015
The day MJ died I was 3 hours north of LA visiting my Navy son at NAS Lemoore. I was in shock watching the news reports. Being the same age as MJ, I grew up following his music. I've read several MJ biographies- and this one is one of the best- if not the best. Knopper takes the reader through the early years in Gary, IN, and then later on to Motown. He doesn't shy away from the molestation allegations and the fallout from the court proceedings. This bio delves more into the music business by interviewing those who produced and co-wrote with MJ. Knopper strives to be objective and still maintain a degree of humanity while describing the business workings around a musician that strove to be on his own and then later had to battle against his own success with the mega hit album Thriller
October 4, 2016
I really liked the first 150 pages where most of the focus was on the music. However, when the focus changed to child molestation charges and drug use, I lost interest. This book would appeal to TMZ fans, not fans of Michael Jackson.
December 5, 2017
Steve Knopper writes a biography of Michael Jackson, the King of Pop. Michael's life was sensational enough, Knopper doesn't sensationalize any of the parts. He has a dispassionate tone. I was planning on going through and making a list of videos I wanted to see after I finished; this list is easily found online and you can watch the astonishing MJ in action.
January 3, 2016
I don't read many biographies, instead preferring memoirs, but this book was difficult to put down. Knopper obviously appreciates Michael Jackson's legacy, as is evidenced by the title, and he also guides the reader into seeing Jackson's musical, dancing, film and performance genius. I found myself wanting more elaboration on some things that I remembered such as the release of Thriller, the premiere of the Black and White video, and the dangling Blanket incident. But of course, it would take several volumes to go into details on all these things. Jackson was portrayed as a tragic figure, although not entirely innocent. There were a few sections about his friendships with boys that were difficult to read. Overall, I came away with a new appreciation for Jackson's amazing entertainment abilities and the ways that they changed American culture.
December 25, 2016
Excellent read. But, it left me feeling conflicted about MJ the Genius as an entertainer vs. the MJ with the personal demons.
April 2, 2019
It’s such a strange time to read this book, especially since the documentary “Leaving Neverland” came out. I’m not sure what I believe in Michael Jackson’s case or if I can separate the man from the music. However, this was a really good biography. It took me a few attempts to get into it but once I powered through the first 40 pages or so, I sped through the rest of the book.
I enjoyed it because it was extremely detailed, covering all aspects of Michael Jackson’s life from his childhood, to his music, his struggle with his appearance, his financial problems, his child molestation trial and the squabbling of his family over his estate when he died. With all of this being covered, it would appear that the title is misleading since the book wasn’t just focused on his music. Readers looking for a detailed description of that might be a bit disappointed. The writer presents the facts in an unbiased way and allows you to draw your own conclusions.
A few things that stood out to me were the abuse and beatings MJ suffered as a child and the way the whole family referred to their father as “Joseph” instead of Joe, let alone dad. Joseph Jackson saw his children as a ticket out of poverty and capitalised on their talent in every possible way. That must have been scarring enough but the constant mockery of MJ’s nose led to low self-esteem, explaining the many surgeries he got during the course of his career. He operated his nose and added a cleft to his chin for aesthetic reasons but the skin surgery came as a result of a skin disease called vitilago. Experts see the skin coloration as an extended excuse to escape his roots and to wipe family off his face.
After he embarked on his solo career, he became extremely vain – adorning his house with his own portraits and wanting to set up 400 foot statues of himself. With each album, he wanted to outdo himself and set unrealistic goals. The success that he met with Thriller couldn’t be repeated despite several attempts. MJ would constantly try to match his previous success by writing the amount of money he wanted to make on the bathroom mirror and wanting to create sounds the human ears have never heard before.
The strangest thing or maybe not so strange in light of recent events is that MJ had a weird obsession with children and one of his fans, aged 13 at the time, claimed that MJ was masturbating while they were talking on the phone - MJ was 21 at the time. Regarding the child molestation cases, whether he was guilty or not – I can’t help but wonder whether the parents were complicit or not. Every time, MJ was confronted with the accusations, he would buy his way out and the parents would withdraw their accusations.
It’s true that the genius of Michael Jackson lies in how he transcended musical boundaries. He united the world of music, introduced things like the moonwalk and revolutionised the music industry as it stands today. He claimed he was a citizen of the world and I think I will always be a fan of his music.
I enjoyed it because it was extremely detailed, covering all aspects of Michael Jackson’s life from his childhood, to his music, his struggle with his appearance, his financial problems, his child molestation trial and the squabbling of his family over his estate when he died. With all of this being covered, it would appear that the title is misleading since the book wasn’t just focused on his music. Readers looking for a detailed description of that might be a bit disappointed. The writer presents the facts in an unbiased way and allows you to draw your own conclusions.
A few things that stood out to me were the abuse and beatings MJ suffered as a child and the way the whole family referred to their father as “Joseph” instead of Joe, let alone dad. Joseph Jackson saw his children as a ticket out of poverty and capitalised on their talent in every possible way. That must have been scarring enough but the constant mockery of MJ’s nose led to low self-esteem, explaining the many surgeries he got during the course of his career. He operated his nose and added a cleft to his chin for aesthetic reasons but the skin surgery came as a result of a skin disease called vitilago. Experts see the skin coloration as an extended excuse to escape his roots and to wipe family off his face.
After he embarked on his solo career, he became extremely vain – adorning his house with his own portraits and wanting to set up 400 foot statues of himself. With each album, he wanted to outdo himself and set unrealistic goals. The success that he met with Thriller couldn’t be repeated despite several attempts. MJ would constantly try to match his previous success by writing the amount of money he wanted to make on the bathroom mirror and wanting to create sounds the human ears have never heard before.
The strangest thing or maybe not so strange in light of recent events is that MJ had a weird obsession with children and one of his fans, aged 13 at the time, claimed that MJ was masturbating while they were talking on the phone - MJ was 21 at the time. Regarding the child molestation cases, whether he was guilty or not – I can’t help but wonder whether the parents were complicit or not. Every time, MJ was confronted with the accusations, he would buy his way out and the parents would withdraw their accusations.
It’s true that the genius of Michael Jackson lies in how he transcended musical boundaries. He united the world of music, introduced things like the moonwalk and revolutionised the music industry as it stands today. He claimed he was a citizen of the world and I think I will always be a fan of his music.
November 15, 2022
this book masks itself as a revolutionary michael jackson tell all, but actually contains no facts and is a biased opinion piece with an author who failed at remaining neutral. the whole book actually sounded like a giant passive aggressive pass written by someone who secretly held on to resentment towards someone he never met.
there were so many unprovable, evidence-less claims that at some point it almost seemed satirical. “Michael didn’t want to tour. He claimed to hate performing live,” is false. are you joking? it’s michael jackson. performing for a crowd was his life. he just disliked touring because of the fatigue, jet lag, insomnia, etc.
“michael would forever turn against joseph” is false. he gave a whole public speech on forgiving his father and healing from the past. michael’s phone calls with terry are false. michael would not even comment on adult matters in his interview with oprah and was notorious for being extremely private and shy about relationships.
this author had a strange obsession to michael’s nose which was uncanny. to research this man extensively enough to publish a book on him yet fail to find the FBI documents & mountain of evidence solidifying his unquestionable innocence is just pitiful. the writing is completely one-sided. when mentioning latoya’s claims against michael, the author conveniently leaves out the part where she’s later discovered to be blackmailed and abused into making those false claims. when describing the strip search, he goes into disgusting detail and then decided to omit the part where authorities find that there was not a single match to what the hypnotized boy said and what michael was.
i feel as though the author used a facade title to lure in mj fans to buy the book and presented a completely different story within. of all the books i’ve read on michael jackson, i’ve never found quotes on him that are anything less than heavenly. the people who met mj were literally changed by his aura of goodness. this is the first book i’ve found that seemed to purposefully find passive aggressive quotes that are confusing and downplay his humanitarianism—bringing me back to the belief that the author is either jealous or heavily bitter towards michael. one quote in particular, “how he was embarrassed by the size of his nose and the blotchiness of his acne but not these incomprehensible, disco-era fashion monstrosities remains one of the greatest mysteries of michael jackson’s mysterious life,” should single-handedly show you why this book is a joke.
what was most disappointing with this book is that it‘s just another attempt to make money off michael jackson’s name. if you need a book that’s actually based on michael jackson’s musical genius, read Man in the Music by Joseph Vogel—a book that’s actually dedicated to michael’s children instead of the author’s own.
there were so many unprovable, evidence-less claims that at some point it almost seemed satirical. “Michael didn’t want to tour. He claimed to hate performing live,” is false. are you joking? it’s michael jackson. performing for a crowd was his life. he just disliked touring because of the fatigue, jet lag, insomnia, etc.
“michael would forever turn against joseph” is false. he gave a whole public speech on forgiving his father and healing from the past. michael’s phone calls with terry are false. michael would not even comment on adult matters in his interview with oprah and was notorious for being extremely private and shy about relationships.
this author had a strange obsession to michael’s nose which was uncanny. to research this man extensively enough to publish a book on him yet fail to find the FBI documents & mountain of evidence solidifying his unquestionable innocence is just pitiful. the writing is completely one-sided. when mentioning latoya’s claims against michael, the author conveniently leaves out the part where she’s later discovered to be blackmailed and abused into making those false claims. when describing the strip search, he goes into disgusting detail and then decided to omit the part where authorities find that there was not a single match to what the hypnotized boy said and what michael was.
i feel as though the author used a facade title to lure in mj fans to buy the book and presented a completely different story within. of all the books i’ve read on michael jackson, i’ve never found quotes on him that are anything less than heavenly. the people who met mj were literally changed by his aura of goodness. this is the first book i’ve found that seemed to purposefully find passive aggressive quotes that are confusing and downplay his humanitarianism—bringing me back to the belief that the author is either jealous or heavily bitter towards michael. one quote in particular, “how he was embarrassed by the size of his nose and the blotchiness of his acne but not these incomprehensible, disco-era fashion monstrosities remains one of the greatest mysteries of michael jackson’s mysterious life,” should single-handedly show you why this book is a joke.
what was most disappointing with this book is that it‘s just another attempt to make money off michael jackson’s name. if you need a book that’s actually based on michael jackson’s musical genius, read Man in the Music by Joseph Vogel—a book that’s actually dedicated to michael’s children instead of the author’s own.
August 12, 2018
As a teenager, I was a huge Michael Jackson fan. Not quite on the level of a camping outside his hotel type fan, but I absolutely devoured his music, his dance moves, his music videos and the liner notes and credits of all of his albums and bought numerous editions of his singles because of a different radio edit or remix. I thought he could do no wrong and defended him whenever I had to.
Despite my fandom, this was actually the first biography I'd ever read about him. So while I have nothing to compare it to, it felt even handed to me and thankfully wasn't the tabloidy nonsense I'd always steered clear of. Still, as other reviews have pointed out, with the title it has I expected a more thorough look at the musical side of the man. Even as the author does focus on his private life too, it's a little strange that there is zero mention of 1997's remix album Blood On The Dance Floor, particularly the track 'Morphine' (an autobiographical song about painkiller addiction) There are also some minor (but glaring to a fan) errors. The author confuses Childhood with Little Susie, and the music video for Remember The Time with In The Closet, to name just two. Who's to say there aren't other minor errors elsewhere in some of the other details too?
By the time Unbreakable came out, I'd sadly grown out of the fandom. While I recognized him to be one of the world's greatest ever entertainers, I also realised that he was a highly flawed individual. This book did a good job of reminding me of both. I didn't pay Jackson much attention after 2001, and so it was a little disheartening to read of the painful, drug addled, divaesque and frankly somewhat pathetic existence he led for the last 8 years of his life, and of all the vultures and enablers he surrounded himself with.
Despite my fandom, this was actually the first biography I'd ever read about him. So while I have nothing to compare it to, it felt even handed to me and thankfully wasn't the tabloidy nonsense I'd always steered clear of. Still, as other reviews have pointed out, with the title it has I expected a more thorough look at the musical side of the man. Even as the author does focus on his private life too, it's a little strange that there is zero mention of 1997's remix album Blood On The Dance Floor, particularly the track 'Morphine' (an autobiographical song about painkiller addiction) There are also some minor (but glaring to a fan) errors. The author confuses Childhood with Little Susie, and the music video for Remember The Time with In The Closet, to name just two. Who's to say there aren't other minor errors elsewhere in some of the other details too?
By the time Unbreakable came out, I'd sadly grown out of the fandom. While I recognized him to be one of the world's greatest ever entertainers, I also realised that he was a highly flawed individual. This book did a good job of reminding me of both. I didn't pay Jackson much attention after 2001, and so it was a little disheartening to read of the painful, drug addled, divaesque and frankly somewhat pathetic existence he led for the last 8 years of his life, and of all the vultures and enablers he surrounded himself with.
February 10, 2021
There's no question that Michael Jackson is/was/and forever will be a polarizing figure. In the years since his unexpected death, MJ's brilliance as a musician and a performer has taken center stage over the awful charges of child abuse ... not to mention the other mythologized aspects of his life (the skin changes, nose jobs, Bubbles, hyperbolic chamber and buying the elephant man's bones).
With all that, it's nearly impossible to deconstruct Michael Jackson the man from MJ the ... well ... weirdo.
Steve Knopper's book is a masterstroke of a biography by patiently and steadily unraveling the mess that is entwined within the Michael Jackson myth. Opening with the segregation of Gary, Indiana and rolling straight through to the singer's death in 2009, Knopper deconstructs, debunks or attacks straight on all of the rumors that have swirled around Jackson.
He does shy away from the child abuse allegations either. But best of all, Knopper doesn't get lost in all the juicy gossip. He also analyzes Michael Jackson the dancer, the songwriter and obsessive studio genius.
MJ is an unflinching look at the man and the myth.
With all that, it's nearly impossible to deconstruct Michael Jackson the man from MJ the ... well ... weirdo.
Steve Knopper's book is a masterstroke of a biography by patiently and steadily unraveling the mess that is entwined within the Michael Jackson myth. Opening with the segregation of Gary, Indiana and rolling straight through to the singer's death in 2009, Knopper deconstructs, debunks or attacks straight on all of the rumors that have swirled around Jackson.
He does shy away from the child abuse allegations either. But best of all, Knopper doesn't get lost in all the juicy gossip. He also analyzes Michael Jackson the dancer, the songwriter and obsessive studio genius.
MJ is an unflinching look at the man and the myth.
January 9, 2019
Not the greatest biography that I’ve read & in all honesty, I don’t read a ton of biographies about musicians. (I should read more musical biographies.) Here’s the thing: The book has definitely been researched but there are definite moments where it feels like here-say. It’s got a decent bibliography but the notations are crap. (Like bare minimum foot noted & no end notations.) I think Michael Jackson was a great singer & a brilliant performer. I found the information about his childhood to be interesting because I didn’t know much. It was also interesting to see the transition from child star with the Jackson 5 to adult solo act.
December 2, 2017
Michael Jackson has been my idol for quite sometime and this book captures so much about who he was. It show's many sides of his life a you truly get to know him and who he was. He got caught up in a scandal but he powered through it. The one thing I did not enjoy about this book was that it didn't focus too much on his musical career. But overall I believe this deserves a 5/5 simply because it's so well written and it's almost like you are with the King Of Pop.
November 21, 2018
I thought that this book was a well researched well written portrayal of the life of Michael Jackson. I had no idea what a brilliant singer /dancer he was and I've enjoyed watching clips on YouTube with a deeper understanding and appreciation of his art. I feel a lot of sympathy for MJ as he never was able to enjoy any type of normalcy throughout his life. As many artists see life through colour, MJ saw life through sound and dance.
April 7, 2024
This is the ultimate CRITICAL biography. This had to have been written by a journalist, because the sources are all interviews. It provided no new information about anything, it was as if this was paraphrasing the Wikipedia page of this man. The objectivity was thrown in with bias from the author, and it’s very easy to tell on which side of the aisle Knopper stands. The genius of what exactly? Marketing. I was a bit offended by this book. Upset I wasted 13 hours listening to it.
August 24, 2022
Great book. First you can tell it’s coming from someone who isn’t a die hard fan from the outside looking in on michael’s life. If you’re a die hard fan you’re gonna disagree with some things that he says but you have to respect the authenticity of not trying to sugarcoat. The writing towards the end was really good but i felt it was kinda dragged. Overall i would recommend.
April 29, 2025
An engaging book with lots of stories and details, but focuses less on the genius and more on personal history and tabloids. I expected to learn more about his art, songwriting, music production, tour preparation, etc., but still, a good read. The writer tries to be unbiased, but fails to do so when mentioning the false accusations (which I did not expect to read in a book about his genius).
November 6, 2017
Thoroughly investigated, interesting and well-rounded approach to the enigma known as Michael Jackson. I associate great musical and dance talent with MJ but never really considered him to be a genius. Knopper makes a strong argument in "The King of Pop's" favor.
March 16, 2017
This took a while, intriguing. The man was truly a musical and entertaining genius. Mr. Knopper did his research. Found myself watching old videos of Michael Jackson performing "Billy Jean".
May 21, 2017
Still didn't clear up all the mystery that was Michael Jackson but several things make more sense. A sad life for so talented an individual.
December 27, 2017
Fascinating look at the complicated life and world of Michael Jackson. Definitely recommend!
January 5, 2018
I have read several biographies of Michael Jackson and this was one of my favorites. An incredibly talented but flawed individual, Jackson's complicated life is portrayed in a dispassionate way.
February 15, 2019
Comprehensive and well-rounded biography. Rest in peace MJ.
May 6, 2019
Feels cramped at the beginning and the end and doesn’t know how to fully explore his death. Good summation though, and I found the author to be very fair in his reporting.
October 13, 2022
“A star can never die. It just turns into a smile and melts back into the cosmic music, the dance of life.”
- Michael Jackson
- Michael Jackson
October 22, 2015
A special thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
O U T S T A N D I N G !
Steve Knopper, contributing editor of Rolling Stones Magazine, delivers an insightful, “inside look” at the pop icon’s life journey; well researched (450+ sources), The King of Pop, MJ THE GENUIS OF MICHAEL JACKSON —from childhood, to his untimely death, the bitter end--from years of scandal and controversy—a rare view into the genius, and influence of an incomparable talent.
From Michael’s early years trapped in a constrictive frame of reference, growing up in segregated Gary, Indiana, surrounded by abusive father, an enabling mother, and mocking brothers.
As Steve tells Michael’s story, a star is born, later using these talents to expand his boundaries to an almost impossible degree of freedom and creativity—at times too far, succumbing at times to megalomania, surrounding himself with sycophants, eventually persuading a succession of reputable doctors to push their legal and ethical rules to accommodate his whims. A perfectionist working tirelessly, and expecting nothing less of those around him.
From the highs to the lows, and the decline beginning in 2001, when MJ applied this no-limits philosophy to his lifestyle-- no longer using it to pioneer music, dance steps, or shows. Unfortunately, approaching fifty, he continued pushing himself, with continued demands----after his pain and other health complications.
For nearly three decades the king of pop was supernaturally graceful, the Renaissance man who could sing, dance, and write songs—from his famous white glove, moonwalk, to his millions of albums sold. From Thriller, Billie Jean, Beat It, Man in the Mirror, the early days, to his volatile final years, his health, family, his attempted comeback and his death. Even in the five years after his death, he once again became one of the world’s biggest music stars. From young to old-- he attracted fans of all ages.
The book delves into Michael’s personal and professional life. From early years of abuse, the Jackson 5, to the surgeries, concerts, the Hollywood bidding wars, his illnesses, the spending, the debt, his homes, his lifestyle, the child molestation charges, his children, his marriage, celebrities, business managers, to his death in 2009, and after.
Michael Jackson had written a fictional vision of his death, in prose form, back in 1992: “A star can never die. It just turns into a smile and melts back into the cosmic music, the dance of life.”
Jackson fans will find this an excellent portrait of MJ's life, legacy, and talents celebrated with his influence, music, dance, and popular culture—often misunderstood; defining a generation with his signature-- all his own.
Despite years of scandal and controversy, Jackson’s ultimate legacy will live on, with a career spanning four decades, a global icon, selling over 400 million albums, earning thirteen Grammy awards which captivated the world!
Knopper explores all aspects, from the secrets, talents, pressure, control, to the influences. Well written and researched. So engrossing, you find yourself thinking you are reading a fictional book, versus non-fiction. Highly Recommend!
“Michael, a man who refused to let race, gender, musical styles, family, even his own facial structure constrict him. Every time somebody tried to define him, he shifted his shape, altering his music, clothes, image, and his nose.”
JDCMustReadBooks
O U T S T A N D I N G !
Steve Knopper, contributing editor of Rolling Stones Magazine, delivers an insightful, “inside look” at the pop icon’s life journey; well researched (450+ sources), The King of Pop, MJ THE GENUIS OF MICHAEL JACKSON —from childhood, to his untimely death, the bitter end--from years of scandal and controversy—a rare view into the genius, and influence of an incomparable talent.
From Michael’s early years trapped in a constrictive frame of reference, growing up in segregated Gary, Indiana, surrounded by abusive father, an enabling mother, and mocking brothers.
As Steve tells Michael’s story, a star is born, later using these talents to expand his boundaries to an almost impossible degree of freedom and creativity—at times too far, succumbing at times to megalomania, surrounding himself with sycophants, eventually persuading a succession of reputable doctors to push their legal and ethical rules to accommodate his whims. A perfectionist working tirelessly, and expecting nothing less of those around him.
From the highs to the lows, and the decline beginning in 2001, when MJ applied this no-limits philosophy to his lifestyle-- no longer using it to pioneer music, dance steps, or shows. Unfortunately, approaching fifty, he continued pushing himself, with continued demands----after his pain and other health complications.
For nearly three decades the king of pop was supernaturally graceful, the Renaissance man who could sing, dance, and write songs—from his famous white glove, moonwalk, to his millions of albums sold. From Thriller, Billie Jean, Beat It, Man in the Mirror, the early days, to his volatile final years, his health, family, his attempted comeback and his death. Even in the five years after his death, he once again became one of the world’s biggest music stars. From young to old-- he attracted fans of all ages.
The book delves into Michael’s personal and professional life. From early years of abuse, the Jackson 5, to the surgeries, concerts, the Hollywood bidding wars, his illnesses, the spending, the debt, his homes, his lifestyle, the child molestation charges, his children, his marriage, celebrities, business managers, to his death in 2009, and after.
Michael Jackson had written a fictional vision of his death, in prose form, back in 1992: “A star can never die. It just turns into a smile and melts back into the cosmic music, the dance of life.”
Jackson fans will find this an excellent portrait of MJ's life, legacy, and talents celebrated with his influence, music, dance, and popular culture—often misunderstood; defining a generation with his signature-- all his own.
Despite years of scandal and controversy, Jackson’s ultimate legacy will live on, with a career spanning four decades, a global icon, selling over 400 million albums, earning thirteen Grammy awards which captivated the world!
Knopper explores all aspects, from the secrets, talents, pressure, control, to the influences. Well written and researched. So engrossing, you find yourself thinking you are reading a fictional book, versus non-fiction. Highly Recommend!
“Michael, a man who refused to let race, gender, musical styles, family, even his own facial structure constrict him. Every time somebody tried to define him, he shifted his shape, altering his music, clothes, image, and his nose.”
JDCMustReadBooks
January 22, 2016
I haven't read any of the other MJ bios out there yet. I always assumed they would be really tabloidy and sensationalistic, perhaps because so much of the media coverage of the man while he was still alive was like that. I have no idea how this book compares to other MJ bios--but this one was pretty straightforward, respectful, and unbiased, and I liked it. However, because of the title, I had assumed it would have more about MJ's work in itself, how he accomplished so much and what inspired him, how he influenced music and American culture, and the impact he still has today on music. There was some of that in this book, especially in the parts about the making of Off the Wall and Thriller and regarding some of the MJ's greatest physical/dance performances--for example, at the Motown 25th anniversary celebration, at the Super Bowl halftime and on the Bucharest stop of his tour for "Dangerous" in the early 90s. I appreciated the author's discussion and recap of some of these performances, because a few were unfamiliar to me and it made me look them up on YouTube and reminded me how extraordinary MJ really was. (Seriously, when you look back on some of MJ's work and performances, it seems almost incredible the planet once had a guy that musically gifted walking around and living amongst us, in our own time. He really was that special.) There was also some info in this book about MJ's rivalry with Prince, how they competed with each other yet definitely respected each other (even if from a distance). It's stuff like that, actually, that this book needed more of.
After a point, a lot of the book was about MJ's growing legal and financial problems. I suppose this was the sad reality of his life and career after a point, but he was still creating to the end, and certainly still influencing other musicians, singers, and performers. Apart from Prince, MJ had a huge impact on one of the 80s and 90s other biggest superstars--Madonna. But she barely figured in this book as an MJ competitor or collaborator. A couple paragraphs about her rise and her own use of dance in her videos and performances would've helped to put MJ's cultural influence in better perspective. MJ changed pop music forever, no question--but he also influenced hip hop and rap and even grunge and indie rock, more than many music fans may realize (Kurt Cobain admired MJ and publicly defended him in an interview for MTV and Carrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney wrote one of the most touching eulogies for MJ in the hours after his death was announced). But this is either ignored by the author or inadequately discussed. There was some good stuff earlier on about how he learned some of his dance moves from certain Soul Train dancers--but again, there could be more on MJ's dance education and development. At the end of this book, there's some general discussion about his legacy, but I think it's too little too late.
Overall, it's a good MJ bio--clear prose, factual without being dull. I did learn more about the man and I'm glad I read it. Perhaps it just needs a less misleading title. I will probably seek out some other MJ bios now to see how they compare.
After a point, a lot of the book was about MJ's growing legal and financial problems. I suppose this was the sad reality of his life and career after a point, but he was still creating to the end, and certainly still influencing other musicians, singers, and performers. Apart from Prince, MJ had a huge impact on one of the 80s and 90s other biggest superstars--Madonna. But she barely figured in this book as an MJ competitor or collaborator. A couple paragraphs about her rise and her own use of dance in her videos and performances would've helped to put MJ's cultural influence in better perspective. MJ changed pop music forever, no question--but he also influenced hip hop and rap and even grunge and indie rock, more than many music fans may realize (Kurt Cobain admired MJ and publicly defended him in an interview for MTV and Carrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney wrote one of the most touching eulogies for MJ in the hours after his death was announced). But this is either ignored by the author or inadequately discussed. There was some good stuff earlier on about how he learned some of his dance moves from certain Soul Train dancers--but again, there could be more on MJ's dance education and development. At the end of this book, there's some general discussion about his legacy, but I think it's too little too late.
Overall, it's a good MJ bio--clear prose, factual without being dull. I did learn more about the man and I'm glad I read it. Perhaps it just needs a less misleading title. I will probably seek out some other MJ bios now to see how they compare.
July 31, 2019
From the Jacksons’ origins in segregated Gary, Indiana and their early Motown success to the production of groundbreaking projects like Thriller and Bad to the family drama, financial troubles, crippling insecurities, health issues, public scandals and deconstructive enablement that tremendously affected Michael‘s life and career, MJ: The Genius of Michael Jackson is an objective and well-written account on the life, music, legacy and untimely death of the “King of Pop.”
Knopper not only shows the way MJ used his talent to break racial and musical barriers, but also offers insight into the pivotal influences, hard-earned glory and devastating flaws of a timeless musical genius.
Knopper not only shows the way MJ used his talent to break racial and musical barriers, but also offers insight into the pivotal influences, hard-earned glory and devastating flaws of a timeless musical genius.
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