Just A Thriller?

The moment -- pop culture. Popular culture has shoved Obamaism, uprisings, wars, health care and gainful employment out of the public's consciousness and off the airwaves. Pop music. Popular music -- the poetic, lyrical and melodious spirit of pop culture. Pop culture is too readily critiqued as superficial and shallow. It is as if we cannot trust the great spirit and sentiments of the majority. One man embodies what I would term the deep power of pop culture/music as no other before him.

I wanted to avoid writing anything else about the King of Pop. I didn't want my readers to think that I was taking the easy way out. However the extended "nowness" of this pop icon's death moment is powerful, pervasive and saturated with meaning. How does the King of Pop define this moment in time? What does his intercourse with mass culture mean? His fellow icon, Prince, offers this meaning through the experience of his song "Pop Life." Here's the hook:

Pop life
Everybody needs a thrill
Pop life
We all got a space 2 fill
Pop life
Everybody can't be on top
But life it ain't real funky
Unless its got that pop
Dig it

Prince draws us into the exciting, egalitarian, meritocratic and soulful promise of popular culture.

The King of Pop fulfils the promise of popular culture. Born into a black family of 11 in the steel town of Gary, Indiana. He never learned to read music nor play an instrument but still becomes one of the greatest forces in music industry history. Motown taught the brothers how to step in sync while they performed but God taught the King how to dance. The highbrow music and dance lessons of the higher classes -- music and dance lessons that his parents could not possibly afford because of America's tragic history of discrimination and the classism created by racism -- lacked soul and were much too carnal for one who was learning to walk on the moon.

Popular culture didn't guarantee him fame but it did guarantee him fun. Popular culture offers accessibility to the masses. Education, wealth and pedigree are not required to experience the promise of pop culture.

The King of Pop is a child of the Civil Rights era. Civil Rights are about access, opportunity and the leveling of inequality in society. Popular culture is the tidal wave that washes away the lines and sand castles of exclusive and elite cultural norms that only a few can enjoy. Popular music is about evolution.

He evolved from child prodigy; to teenage heartthrob; to grown man; into a living, breathing colorless icon. America is still a pigmentocracy however our most popular icon was not post-racial but trans-racial. He evolved into a being that transcended color.

His look began to confuse and frighten. His behavior became suspect. The pauses between albums became longer. He sold out 50 tour dates in minutes. He died the death of a pop icon -- mysterious and shocking. His global fandom is reignited. Rumor has it that seven persons have committed suicide because of his death. He is more popular dead than alive.

Surreal isn't it. So is this moment. So was he.

Follow Rev. Gregory Seal Livingston on Twitter: www.twitter.com/gslivingston

Comments

[Annjell]

I was always a MJ fan. I saw the memorial service service today and it brought tears to my eyes. Yet, disappointed to Ed Schultz show on MSNBC to see Donny Deutsch disrespectful towards Michael and his fans saying, "Are Americans mad grieving a man they didn't know? All he did was sing and dance, why is he getting so much attention.­? I turned the channel. Screw MSNBC

[ValereP]

If Pop stardom is thought of as a form of transcendance of social/cultural boundaries and barriers, then it is no surprise that in his life-as-art, Michael would move further in transcending barriers of music, dance, recording, race, class, color, gender, age, time, etc. This is a beautiful thing and it does "pop" across the universe. It is not surprising, however, that elitists who would exclude others from social/cultural access and have the masses live within neatly defined boxes of unexamined convention­... would also interpret and dismiss Michael's art and his genius as merely whacko, perverted, pathological, etc. I am grateful for Michael's courage and leadership in having lived a larger vision... and it was obviously not all thrills. He is loved and his children have much to be proud of in his legacy.

[MICHELLEDIANE3]

I believe you are now, the angel in heaven you sought so hard to be here on earth. You were so misunderstood, vilified, and beat upon. There was so much mockery and hatred of you, for only one reason. You’re goodness; your luminosity into the beautiful heart you believed could be in every man. You had such generosity, and tried so hard to teach others, to look into the soul; and to not judge based on color, creed or class. But darkness, doesn’t like beauty to shine. It detracts so much from what it is trying to do. Create dark humanless souls of us all. To replace the radiance that was born within all of us, by God. You spoke of nothing, but love and peace. Your light through your words, and music shone so bright. You’ve brought so much too so many, but only sought pure love for yourself. Your sensitivity brought ridicule. When all you wished most of all was to be embraced and understood. You had such a creative, gentle, kind spirit. I think what personally stood out to me most of all; was your tender nature. Envy in other people mistook that for weakness, when in reality it is strength. The force of who you were was so strong. Many people wish to have that, but could never achieve it. We are all afforded different opportunities in life. Instead of being envious, they should have rejoiced with your success and in your life.

[Nommo]

I was not really a fan, Rev., as I am enough years older than MJ to make a difference. However, I have been married to a hard core fan for 28 years, so I have heard the music enough to come to appreciate and enjoy it. His vocals are simply amazing. He was an interesting lyricist as well.

[Nommo]

He did learn an instrument, it was his voice. He was in control from a shout to a whisper and like Billie Holiday, bent the rhythm to fit his lyric. He could lay behind the beat just enough to project incredible tension and resolve it by slamming the phrase right on the one, just as he learned from JB. His timing was supernatural, you ought to go back and listen again with that fact in mind. His dance routines are full of exquisitely timed stops and starts. These things are not accidents, they are the result of hard work and all those who worked with MJ have attested to the work he put into his art.

All that other stuff is window dressing. Which is an art in itself, yes?

[Rev. Gregory Seal Livingston - Huffpost Blogger]

we agree. let it be known that I am absolutely biased...i­'m a serious fan. RIP MJ.