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Michael Jackson's Cause Of Death Deferred

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 04:27 AM PDT

Medical examiner has ordered additional testing, which will take four to six weeks to complete.
By Eric Ditzian


Michael Jackson
Photo: Peter Still/ Getty Images

After several hours of delay, the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office announced at a press conference on Friday (June 26) that a determination of Michael Jackson's cause of death following his autopsy has been deferred pending further tests.

The development had been expected, as the coroner's office had warned earlier that tests conducted during the autopsy would take several weeks to complete.

"The cause of death has been deferred, which means that the medical examiner has ordered additional testing, such as toxicology and other studies," Craig Harvey, the operations chief and spokesperson for the coroner's office, said in a press conference. "Those tests we anticipated will take approximately four to six additional weeks to complete."

In addition to the toxicology tests, the coroner's office will be conducting neuropathology and pulmonary tests.

"After those results have been completed, we anticipate being able to close the case and issuing a final cause of death," Harvey said.

The autopsy revealed no external trauma to Jackson's body, nor any indication that foul play was involved in the singer's death. A Los Angeles Police Department detective was present during the autopsy. The LAPD requested that a security hold be placed on the investigation of Jackson, so the coroner's office was limited in the amount of information it could release.

While Harvey did confirm that Jackson was taking prescription medication, he would not comment on the specific types or doses of the medication.

The coroner's office had not spoken with any personal doctor to Jackson. The LAPD announced earlier that it wanted to interview the doctor who was at Jackson's home when the singer collapsed. According to TMZ, that doctor is cardiologist Dr. Conrad Murray, and he is preparing to speak with law enforcement officials.

The autopsy took approximately three hours, which Harvey said is a standard amount of time, and concluded at 1 p.m. PT. The subsequent press conference was postponed, Harvey explained, due to simple procedural delays and the need to handle various press inquiries.

With the autopsy complete, Jackson's family can begin the process of claiming his body. There was still no word of when they plan on doing so, and no funeral plans have been announced at press time.

MTV will be paying tribute to MJ throughout the weekend with music videos, exclusive performances and calls and tweets from celebrity admirers and friends.

Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below.

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President Obama Sends Condolences To Michael Jackson's Family, Fans

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 02:01 AM PDT

Press secretary delivers message on behalf of president.
By Jocelyn Vena


President Barack Obama (file)
Photo: Kevin Dietsch-Pool/Getty Images

Although President Obama held a press conference on Friday (June 26), no one asked him for his reaction to the news of Michael Jackson's death on Thursday in Los Angeles. In a separate press conference, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said that reporters seemed too shy to ask the president about the legendary singer — even though he is an avowed music fan — so Gibbs said that he spoke with Obama about Jackson's passing.

"I talked to [the president] about it this morning. He said to me that obviously Michael Jackson was a spectacular performer and a music icon," Gibbs said, according to Newsweek. "I think everybody remembers hearing his songs, watching him moonwalk on television during Motown's 25th anniversary. But the president also said [Jackson] had aspects of his life that were sad and tragic. And his condolences went out to the Jackson family and to the fans that mourned his loss."

The president joins a very long list of notable figures paying tribute to the singer, including longtime friends like Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson and Madonna.

"I can't stop crying; this is too sudden and shocking," Jackson's longtime friend and co-star in "The Wiz," Diana Ross, told MTV News in a statement. "I am unable to imagine this. My heart is hurting. I am in prayer for his kids and the family."

Madonna said in a statement, "I can't stop crying over the sad news. I have always admired Michael Jackson. The world has lost one of the greats, but his music will live on forever! My heart goes out to his three children and other members of his family. God bless."

MTV will be paying tribute to MJ throughout the weekend with music videos, exclusive performances and calls and tweets from celebrity admirers and friends.

Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below.

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Usher, Ciara, JC Chasez, More Reflect On Michael Jackson's Influence

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 05:59 AM PDT

'I feel it's important for me to continue to let my generation know how important he was to music,' Ciara says during 'A Celebration of Michael Jackson on MTV.'
By Jocelyn Vena


Michael Jackson
Photo: Ebet Roberts/ Getty Images

Entertainment and sports stars came together to remember Michael Jackson on the MTV News special "A Celebration of Michael Jackson on MTV" on Friday (June 26). The special — including several Video Music Awards performances as well as candid moments he spent on the network — brought together Kobe Bryant, Liza Minnelli and Usher, among others, to pay tribute to the departed pop icon.

"I think it's probably deeper than people would expect, actually," Kobe Bryant said. "Being out here in L.A., I had numerous conversations, just over the phone and also at his house, just talking about work ethic and paying attention to details. He was extremely inspirational for me because he helped me understand that it's OK to be different. And when I say different I mean different in the sense of being obsessed with your craft ... and working your tail off and being consumed by what you do. He helped mentor me in that department. I think we lost an absolutely brilliant, brilliant mind and just a genuine nice person."

Fabolous, who has sampled Jackson's music in his songs, said he learned a lot from watching Jackson as a kid. "I was just very disappointed the whole day ... I grew up on Michael Jackson," he said. "One of my first albums my mom bought me was Thriller, so just to see him pass was like a big loss to me and everyone who grew up around me."

JC Chasez, who performed with Jackson along with 'NSYNC at the 2001 VMAs, described the show as "a childhood dream come true." "It was kind of like my life had come full-circle at that point. First you dream about being able to dance like him and the next thing you know you're standing next to him while you're dancing. As a professional, you want to reach the top of your game. Then you find yourself on the MTV awards and you share that moment with him. He's a language. He's a piece of vernacular when you talk about dancing, singing ... entertainment."

Sheryl Crow toured with Jackson for two years in the late '80s, and she was one of the people lucky enough to get to know the personal side of Jackson. "I did a couple of duets with him. He reached out to me on a couple of occasions and invited me to come up to his hotel room to watch movies," she recalled. "A big room with a couple of bodyguards and us throwing popcorn across the room at each other. He was just very childlike and loved to practical joke ... very childlike and innocent and then he'd walk out onstage and you'd see this magnetic, very strong artistic talent up there."

Teddy Riley, who worked with Jackson on both "Dangerous" and "Remember the Time," is still reeling from the loss, but feels honored to have had a chance to work with the King of Pop. "Such a huge impact he had. A lot of the major people out there, they've grown up to Michael Jackson., and I've grown up to Michael Jackson, and it's been a dream to work with him ... he made my dreams come true. It's a big impact and I think everyone out there is going to miss him," he said.

Liza Minnelli, who called in to the show along with Usher, remembered the days they'd spend together. "We would hang together when we were in New York. We would go to [dancer and choreographer] Martha Graham's. I would take him to Martha Graham and he'd say, 'Oh, I got to learn that,' and we'd run upstairs to practice. Anyway, I loved him."

Usher, who was significantly influenced by Jackson, added, "It's pretty hard right now, man. Michael Jackson transcended culture. He transcended love, man. He changed the barrier of life and the way we looked at things."

One woman who has definitely used some of the Jackson aesthetic in her own career, Ciara, admits that MJ was her biggest inspiration. "He was part of the reason why for me," she said. "Whenever someone asks me who inspires me to do what I do, I always say Michael. That's it for me. He's everything to me. He's really a part of the reason why. He's going to be remembered in so many ways for me. I feel it's important for me to continue to let my generation know how important he was to music."

MTV will be paying tribute to MJ throughout the weekend with music videos, exclusive performances and calls and tweets from celebrity admirers and friends. For everything we've got on the life, career and passing of the legendary entertainer, visit "Michael Jackson Remembered."

Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below.

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The Game, Diddy, Chris Brown Record Michael Jackson Tribute

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 02:29 AM PDT

Game's 'Better on the Other Side' debuts on L.A. radio Friday morning.
By Rahman Dukes with additional reporting by Shaheem Reid


The Game
Photo: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic

Michael Jackson's impact on the pop-culture world was so powerful, several celebrities are already reacting to his death, not just with statements, but with songs. On Friday morning (June 26), 50 Cent dropped two songs paying tribute to the King of Pop. And on Thursday night, just after learning of MJ's passing, the Game orchestrated a symphony of performers to give thanks and reflect on Jackson.

Game's tribute track dedicated to Michael Jackson called "Better on the Other Side," debuted this morning on Los Angeles radio station Power 106. To assist on the track the rapper phoned in a few homies, including Chris Brown, Diddy, Polow Da Don, Mario Winans, Usher and Boyz II Men.

The piano-accompanied soundscape starts off with Diddy testifying about M.J.'s influence. "I believed I can do anything," he says. "You made the world dance. You made the music come to life."

Then a thunderous bass drops in, led by Chris Brown's vocals on the chorus: "This the type of song that makes the angels cry/ Look up in the sky and I wonder why/ Why you had to go, go/ I know it's better on the other side."

The DJ Khalil-produced track made its debut on the morning radio show "Big Boy's Neighborhood" as well as on Game affiliate DJ Skee's satellite radio show, "Skeetox."

"I told Game yesterday that Michael Jackson died, and he didn't believe me. He said, 'I'll call you right back,' " Skee told MTV News. "Then this morning, he hit me with this track, and I immediately started blasting it out. Game was in the studio with Diddy at the time I called. He reached out to Chris Brown and Usher and also got Boyz II Men, who so happened to be recording in the same studio."

On his verses Game reflects on the pop singer's influence on him growing up. "Who's Michael Jackson?/ You're Michael Jackson/ I'm Michael Jackson/ We all Michael Jackson/ I guess what I'm asking is/ Everybody bow their head/ For a legend, don't breathe for a second."

The Game continues with his heartfelt tribute and compares himself to Jackson. "Imma tell you my story/ Never had a family that close/ Never seen Berry Gordy walking through Interscope/ But just like me, they always had Mike in a scope/ No matter what you say imma love him and he's still dope/ Let me take you back to '85 when I was in a zone/ Dancing for my momma, 'Thriller' jacket with the zippers on."

"Other Side" concludes with one last statement from Diddy: "People can say what they want about you. We gonna remember the miracles that you showed us. Through your music, through your dance. You were the one that made us realize that you are the world. Through us your legacy lives on, Mike Jackson."

MTV will be paying tribute to MJ throughout the weekend with music videos, exclusive performances and calls and tweets from celebrity admirers and friends.

Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below.

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50 Cent Pays Tribute To Michael Jackson

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 10:35 PM PDT

'Rest in peace to Michael Jackson,' Fif says in one of two dropped Friday morning.
By Shaheem Reid


50 Cent
Photo: MTV News

50 Cent is the first artist to pay tribute to Michael Jackson in song since the King of Pop died Thursday. Fif released the first two records from his mixtape Forever King on Friday morning (June 26).

The first, "Respect It or Check It N---a," is vintage hard-core 50. He talks about coming up in the streets as a youngster and how he has evolved, and adds at the end, "Rest in peace to Michael Jackson ... You n---as need me, man. I might have to start moonwalking. A couple of dance moves and sh--, might be some sh-- called 'Billie Jean Is My Lover.' I'm back, n---a!"

The second song is called "Where You Are," and it takes directly from Jackson's historic catalog. The G-Unit General raps over the 1972 track "I Wanna Be Where You Are."

"They say I ain't lyrical, they say I ain't a miracle/ I say some hard sh--, so they say I ain't spiritual," the self-proclaimed King of Rap rhymes. "They act like they know God better than me/ I know 'God Allah,' he used to pump crack up the streets."

50 goes on to vent about those in the 'hood doubting him because of his over-the-top financial status. The Southside, Queens, native then gives way to the King of Pop, and we hear Jackson's timeless vocals.

"Can it be I stayed away too long?/ Did I leave your mind when I was gone?/ It's not my thing trying to get back/ But this time let me tell you where I'm at/ You don't have to worry 'cause I'm coming/ Back to where I should have always stayed/ And now I've heard the maybe to your story/ And it's enough love for me to stay."

MTV will be paying tribute to MJ throughout the weekend with music videos, exclusive performances and calls and tweets from celebrity admirers and friends. For everything we've got on the life, career and passing of the legendary entertainer, visit "Michael Jackson Remembered."

Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below.

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Janet Jackson, Kanye West, Slash Remember Michael Jackson

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 01:58 AM PDT

Tina Turner, Brooke Shields, Emmanuel Lewis and Smokey Robinson also pay tribute to the late legend.
By Jocelyn Vena


Michael and Janet Jackson
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage

In the 24 hours since news broke that pop icon Michael Jackson died suddenly on Thursday in Los Angeles, many of the legendary singer's friends, colleagues and family members have paid tribute to the late singer. On Friday (June 26), the memories kept coming, as Brooke Shields, Slash and little sister Janet remembered Jackson as a friend, brother, music pioneer and, obviously, the King of Pop.

"Janet Jackson is grief-stricken and devastated at the sudden loss of her brother," manager Kenneth Crear said in a statement to MTV News. "She is in pre-production on a film and is flying immediately to California to be with her family." Since Jackson released her statement, she has been seen in Los Angeles.

"My heart is overcome with sadness for the devastating loss of my true friend Michael," Brooke Shields, who dated Jackson in the '80s, said in a statement to MTV News. "He was an extraordinary friend, artist and contributor to the world. I join his family and his fans in celebrating his incredible life and mourning his untimely passing."

Jackson's longtime pal, Emmanuel Lewis, according to his agent is "sincerely devastated at this time," adding that the loss is "very personal and very emotional": "Former 'Webster' star Emmanuel Lewis, who befriended singer Michael Jackson in the 1980s, has been profoundly impacted by the singer's death on Thursday afternoon."

Slash and Jackson teamed up for a legendary 1995 VMA appearance. In a statement to MTV News, the former Guns N' Roses guitarist said, "Michael Jackson was one of the most talented and dynamic performer/singer/songwriters I ever had the pleasure of working with, he was amazing. Unfortunately, the controversy surrounding his personal life in recent years overshadowed his unparalleled contributions to the music world, which is a tragedy in and of itself. But his music will live on forever no matter what and his memory will be adored and admired for years to come."

Kanye West took to his blog Friday and posted a photo of Jackson and then left the simple comment: "Thank you for everything, Mike."

Legendary acts like Smokey Robinson and Tina Turner are also remembering Jackson. "It is always hard to lose a friend. I will miss Michael and all that he brought to the world through his music and his creative genius," Robinson told MTV News in a statement. "I know that his legend will live on and that the world will miss him dearly."

"I am shocked and saddened by Michael's passing," Turner, who worked with Jackson on the now-classic charity single "We are the World," told Spinner. "I, along with his millions of fans, looked forward to seeing him tour one more time. Now, may he rest in peace."

MTV will be paying tribute to MJ throughout the weekend with music videos, exclusive performances and calls and tweets from celebrity admirers and friends.

Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below.

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Michael Jackson's Style Legacy, From Military Jackets To One Glove

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 10:48 PM PDT

Singer started one-man fashion revolution with his cropped pants and sequins.
By Jocelyn Vena


Michael Jackson
Photo: Ebet Roberts/ Redferns

Michael Jackson is a pop-culture legend because of his groundbreaking work in music and movies and his visionary music videos. But Jackson, who died Thursday in Los Angeles, will also be remembered for his eccentric, creative and sparkling sense of style.

Just as his music and dancing have influenced today's young artists, from Justin Timberlake to Chris Brown, Jackson's style has also had an impact on many artists as well.

Jackson first burst onto the scene in the 1960s alongside his brothers in the Jackson 5. At the time, it was all about bright colors, bell-bottoms and printed tops. The guys kept up the look with a few tweaks here and there throughout much of the 1970s, including their signature Afros.

In the 1980s, Michael began a fashion revolution for himself, embracing a slimmer silhouette, shorter pants, bright-colored socks and, most importantly, sequins. This is also around the time when some of Michael's most recognizable pieces of clothing found their way into pop-culture history.

In the video for "Thriller," Michael wore what would become a signature red leather jacket (later referenced in the Adam Sandler flick "The Wedding Singer"). He would wear several versions of the jacket throughout the decade.

Military-style jackets, often sequined and usually paired with slim-fitting, short pants, also became a signature Jackson piece of clothing. The cropped pants were equally important to the Jackson aesthetic: They displayed his socks so when he danced onstage, you really paid attention to his moves.

Accessories were key to Jackson's look. He embraced chunky belts, armbands, sequins, hats, straps, ties, patches, sunglasses and even makeup. If Jackson could make his eccentric sense of style even more theatrical, he would. He never shied away from standing out in the crowd while onstage and in videos.

But the most iconic Jackson accessory is his now-legendary single white glove. It might be the one piece of clothing most associated with the singer. No matter what Jackson wore before or after he introduced the white glove to his aesthetic in the '80s, it would be the defining fashion moment in a career full of groundbreaking style.

MTV will be paying tribute to MJ throughout the weekend with music videos, exclusive performances and calls and tweets from celebrity admirers and friends. For everything we've got on the life, career and passing of the legendary entertainer, visit "Michael Jackson Remembered."

Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below.

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Michael Jackson Joins 'NSYNC At The VMAs, In MJ's Top MTV Moments

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 01:04 AM PDT

Jackson busted out his signature moves in a surprise appearance at the 2001 show.
By Kyle Anderson


Michael Jackson and 'NSYNC at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ImageDirect/Getty Images

By the time 2001 rolled around, Michael Jackson had been out of the media spotlight for some time. His last tour had wrapped in 1997 and his last album of new material was released in 1995. Jackson had retreated from the limelight slightly in an effort to focus on parenting and charitable work. But he made a grand return to MTV at the 2001 Video Music Awards, where he joined 'NSYNC onstage during their performance.

'NSYNC were just about finished performing their hit song "Pop" when their giant Etch a Sketch backdrop rose up to reveal Jackson. Dressed in his trademark white T-shirt and penny loafers, he did not join the group to sing but instead busted into a handful of some of his signature dance moves while 'NSYNC member Justin Timberlake beatboxed to accompany him. It was a poetic moment, especially considering how much Timberlake was clearly inspired by Jackson. Michael's return to the MTV stage made a big splash, and got the ball rolling on the buildup to his new album Invincible.

Along with fellow former-'NSYNC members JC Chasez and Lance Bass, Timberlake spoke about the moment after learning of Jackson's death on Thursday. "I can't find the words right now to express how deeply saddened I am by Michael's passing," Timberlake said. "We have lost a genius and a true ambassador of not only pop music, but of all music. He has been an inspiration to multiple generations, and I will always cherish the moments I shared with him onstage."

MTV will be paying tribute to MJ throughout the weekend with music videos, exclusive performances and calls and tweets from celebrity admirers and friends.

Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below.

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Michael Jackson's Recent Years Plagued By Legal Troubles

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 02:55 AM PDT

Singer was dogged by molestation charges, financial difficulties.
By Jayson Rodriguez


Michael Jackson at the Santa Barbara court house in 2005
Photo: Christina Barany/Getty Images

Even though Michael Jackson will always be recognized as a gifted entertainer first and foremost, the star will also be remembered for the legal troubles that plagued him throughout the latter half of his career.

At the forefront — amid many lawsuits and other legal entanglements — were a pair of highly controversial child molestation accusations, first in 1993 and then again 10 years later in 2003.

The first situation occurred when Jackson befriended a 13-year-old child and later invited him to his Neverland Valley Ranch. The boy claimed Jackson inappropriately touched him. He then allegedly gave police a description of the singer's genitals. Jackson was never charged in the matter, but the accusation was strong enough that he was subjected to a strip search by police that left him humiliated and enraged. Jackson lashed out publicly on TV against authorities after the embarrassing ordeal. Jackson was later sued in civil court by the family of the child and he countersued. But by 1995, Jackson and the family settled the matter out of court, with the singer reportedly paying the family a sum in the millions.

Public opinion about Jackson was split after the settlement was announced. Some took the action as an admission of guilt by the singer. But others were sympathetic toward Jackson, who, having spent his childhood as a performer, was robbed of a normal upbringing.

Remarkably, years later, when Jackson gave a February 2003 interview to British journalist Martin Bashir and admitted to sharing his bed with children in an act he considered affectionate, fans were still forgiving. But the district attorney's office seized the opportunity. A search warrant was issued against Jackson in light of the interview and police scoured the singer's home.

This time Jackson was hit with molestation charges. In April 2004 he was indicted by a Los Angeles grand jury, paving the way for a much-publicized trial. Celebrities like Jay Leno and Macaulay Culkin testified on behalf of Jackson. The child at the center of the case was the boy who was holding hands with Jackson during his interview with Bashir. The pop icon was accused of giving the underage child alcohol and engaging in lewd behavior. The jury deliberated for a week after the circus-like trial and acquitted the singer on all charges. The nail-biting decision drew cheers from Jackson supporters.

In recent years Jackson's finances were at the heart of his legal troubles. He battled bankruptcy amid a number of extended loans that he took out against the catalog of publishing he owned, which included hits by the Beatles and Elvis Presley. Jackson also was fighting to keep his Neverland home. It was announced in 2008 that items at his estate would be auctioned off to accommodate creditors. Jackson staved off the auction with a countersuit; the auctioneers fired back at Jackson, saying the gloved star had helped organize the auction in the first place.

The most recent major lawsuit against Jackson came just last month. The singer was sued by concert promoter AllGood Entertainment after the company booked Jackson and his siblings for a 2010 reunion concert only to discover Jackson's intention to perform a 50-show run in London this year. AllGood claimed it had exclusivity rights that barred Jackson from performing 18 months prior to the family reunion show. Jackson claimed he didn't sign paperwork committing him to the reunion show, but reports indicated his manager agreed in principle with AllGood and as a result he was in violation of the contract.

According to sources that spoke with MTV News, Jackson was rehearsing for his London dates the night before his death.

MTV will be paying tribute to MJ throughout the weekend with music videos, exclusive performances and calls and tweets from celebrity admirers and friends.

Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below.

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Michael Jackson Sampled By Kanye West, Jay-Z, Rihanna And Many More

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 02:36 AM PDT

Diddy, Nas and Jennifer Lopez also borrowed from the King of Pop for some of their biggest hits.
By James Montgomery


Kanye West in his music video for "Good Life"
Photo: Roc-A-Fella

Michael Jackson's best songs were alive, and they made the listener feel the same way. They had heart and soul, blood, sweat and even some tears — they were living things, expertly crafted by some of the best scientists in the business (Berry Gordy, Quincy Jones, Rod Temperton, etc.). Jackson's voice — sometimes lithe and tender, other times pained and downright dangerous — was always the lifeblood, the stuff that primed the pump. The musical flourishes (the disco rushes, the rock-hard guitar solos, the cinematic orchestral sweeps) were the DNA. The beat was the backbone.

Those building blocks were used to create some of the most undeniable music of the past quarter-century, massive hits that still fill dance floors and bring tears to the eyes of the faithful. They are the reason we remember the man. And they're still potent, still being employed by producers and musicians today — a testament to the genius of Jackson and his team of musical creators.

Some of the biggest acts in music today have built hits around MJ samples. Kanye West and T-Pain lifted "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" for their 2007 hit "Good Life." Rihanna's "Don't Stop the Music" took the beat from "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' " (which Jackson actually sampled from Cameroonian singer Manu Dibango's 1975 song "Soul Makossa") and MJ's famed whoops. Jay-Z's "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" samples the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back." And we're just getting started.

Public Enemy sampled Vincent Price's famous "Thriller" cackle on their seminal "911 (Is a Joke)." Nas' "It Ain't Hard to Tell" sampled "Human Nature." Tupac's "Letter 2 My Unborn" samples "Liberian Girl." Diddy sampled the J5's "Walk On" on his "All About the Benjamins" remix. Big Pun, Ghostface, Redman, Ludacris and Jennifer Lopez — all sampled at the altar of the King of Pop.

Electronic artists like Moby and the Prodigy got in on the act too. And the list goes on and on ... artists well-known and obscure, legendary and fleeting: They've all sampled Michael Jackson's songs. In fact, his musical DNA is so widespread that it necessitates sites like this and this just to document it. Jackson the man may be gone, but we're willing to bet that his music will live on — continuing to influence and inspire and build the songs of the 21st century.

MTV will be paying tribute to MJ throughout the weekend with music videos, exclusive performances and calls and tweets from celebrity admirers and friends.

Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below.

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