MTV News |
- Michael Jackson Memorial Expected To Draw Crowds Of Fans, Stars
- 50 Cent Says Making Mixtapes Is 'Easy'
- Michael Jackson Memorial Ticket Process Goes Surprisingly Smoothly
- Jay-Z, Game Trade Barbs
- Michael Jackson Advisers Named Temporary Administrators Of His Estate
- Michael Jackson Answers Fan Questions In 1996 Thailand Interview
- Michael Jackson's Life & Legacy: Wiz Kid (1958-78)
- Michael Jackson Memorial To Feature Mariah Carey, Jennifer Hudson, Usher
| Michael Jackson Memorial Expected To Draw Crowds Of Fans, Stars Posted: 07 Jul 2009 03:51 AM PDT 'This will not be something that we all mourn,' organizer says of Tuesday's public service.
LOS ANGELES — As time winds down until the public memorial service for Michael Jackson begins Tuesday (July 8) at Staples Center, final preparations are still under way and new wrinkles are being added. On Monday, representatives for the Jackson family announced a slew of entertainers that would participate in the memorial, including Lionel Richie, Usher, Kobe Bryant, Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson, among others. Wonder and Carey are expected to perform, as well as Jennifer Hudson, while Beyoncé and Whitney Houston are rumored to be attending but won't sing during the festivities.
Just as the public service was taking shape, plans for the private service remained unclear, as of press time. It isn't known if the burial will take place before or after the public ceremony, which means Jackson's body might not be present at Staples Center. Fans and media were camped out outside of the Forest Lawn Cemetery on Monday evening, where it's been speculated the Jackson family would hold a service for relatives prior to the public memorial. There, visitors from as far as Japan and Spain gathered. Although the family has been mum about the private service, Jackson's former makeup artist Karen Faye exited the cemetery grounds on Tuesday evening to grieve with fans. Faye's presence helped to shore up the buzz that some sort of service will take place on the grounds. Security measures are expected to be fully enacted for Tuesday's public service. Police closed off multiple areas outside of Staples Center and the Nokia Theater late Monday night. Only credentialed media members with blue wristbands will be allowed to roam the area on Tuesday morning, while fans with tickets and gold wristbands will be able to enter designated areas where they will be ushered into the separate venues. City officials have urged fans all week to stay away from the downtown Los Angeles area. No giant screens are in the area for fans to view the service, as previously reported. Only platforms for media cameras have been erected near the scene. The doors are set to open at 8 a.m. PT, and the memorial service is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. According to CNN, the memorial service is expected to run for one hour. Participants were rehearsing Monday, according to reports, though no names were released. There has been a mix of emotions all week leading up to the memorial, but the event isn't expected to be filled with sorrow. "This will not be something that we all mourn," AEG president and CEO Tim Leweike told CNN's Larry King. MTV's live coverage of the Michael Jackson public memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles will begin on Tuesday at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT. For complete coverage of 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. Related Videos
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| 50 Cent Says Making Mixtapes Is 'Easy' Posted: 07 Jul 2009 03:51 AM PDT Plus: Trey Songz tells Mixtape Daily that Anticipation has a 'sexy feel.'
Happy birthday to all the cancers out there — including MTV's own Shaheem Reid, Sway and Mixtape Daily go-to girl Whitney, not to mention Jim Jones and the G-Unit General himself, 50 Cent. Fif's born day was Monday, but he's still serving treats. He released his second mixtape in just a couple of weeks, , Forever King, and says in addition to the upcoming G-Unit mixtape, he might put out another free CD prior to Before I Self Destruct in September. Trey Songz is also locked in the studio, and he wants a bigger and better spot. Who's gonna stand in his way? Finally and obviously, rest in peace to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Thank you for a lifetime of classic songs, videos, performances and moments. Your genius is eternal. Don't Sleep: Necessary Notables Mixtape: Forever King Headliner: 50 Cent Co-Starring: Michael Jackson, Gina Thompson, Christopher Williams, Jeff Redd and others Records We Can't Stop Playing: "Michael Jackson Freestyle," "If U Leaving, Then Leave ... ," "Funny How Time Flies" and "Put That Work In" Essential Info: We gave you the Forever King preview last week, and the mixtape definitely held us down over that Fourth of July weekend. 50 mixed his street linguistics with a gaggle of timeless music from the 1990s, plus some songs that keep to the here and now. Although Fif has his personal favorites, he gives it up to the man who discovered Notorious B.I.G. as the cat who slides some musical inspiration to him. "It'll be some more records there playing," 50 said about the tunes already in the lab when he records mixtapes such as Forever King and its predecessor, Sincerely Southside. "Mister Cee plays a lot of that music still. I had Cee send me a CD that he thought would be hot to hear. Production-wise, I wanted them to still feel what the youthful audience feels is hot right now. Writing a remix is easy. It's just putting the words to the scenario. If you have no production plan, that's when it starts to get easy. Mixtape material is easy for me. Two days, three days, [I record it]. I know who I'm talking to." Five More Throwback Jams We'd Like 50 Cent to Jump On: "I Like" by Guy; "Poison" by Bell Biv DeVoe; "Don't Stop Your Love" by Keith Sweat; "Angel in Disguise" by Brandy; and "My Life" by Mary J. Blige. Mixtape: Anticipation Headliner: Trey Songz Co-Starring: Besides Drake on "Successful," Trey goes solo. Show Stealers: "Famous" and "Scratchin' Me Up" Essential Info: Your skills better be tight if you're calling out a legend like R. Kelly. Trey Songz raised eyebrows and left a few fans angry when he dropped a freestyle snapping at R. Kelly for using Auto-Tune on The Demo Tape a few weeks back. Trey maintains it wasn't a dis but a loud wake-up call to one of the cats who inspired him. We'll have more on Trey and the R. on Wednesday, but today, let's focus on Songz's new joint. You can't deny that Trey might finally be having his long-awaited, much-deserved moment. The kid has been consistent for years but never really blew up to a mainstream superstar status. The past few months, however, he's been keeping his feet dirty, with freestyles, mixtapes (he's also apart of the Jermaine Dupri-led Ocean's 7) and that beloved street jam with his good friend Drake, "Successful." Songz actually came up with the concept and, of course, the hook. (That's Trey singing those eerie chords at the very beginning of "Successful," not a sample.) "I Need a Girl" becoming the biggest radio record of his career has Mr. Songz and a lot of his fans thinking that his upcoming album, Ready, could push him over the top. As he explains, the singer's LP got pushed back from June 30 to August 4, so he wanted to have a body of work in the interim. The result is his mixtape of all new records. "I was recording these songs, and my manager and my producer, they'll be listening," he said. "I got, like, four songs done, and ... they pulled me to the side and was like, 'You know you messing up. You're recording a whole new album?' So some things got swapped out. At this point, it's all about making sure that it's cohesive, that it's a move, that Ready says what I want it to say and Anticipation says what I want it to say all in the same. I think they're both gonna be great bodies of work. I'm feeling so good musically, man, it's showing. Whether it be the song selection or the passion that's into the song. Whether it be a hip-hop record or a soulful record or a ballad. You know, I'm putting my all into it. "Anticipation," he added, "has more of a sexy feel to it. It's kinda dark, mysterious. I got a couple records on there that are fun as well. There's a record on there called 'Make It Rain' that Johnta [Austin], I and Eric Hudson did. It's not the typical 'make it rain' [song]. It has an organic feel." Whether it be mixtapes or official releases, Trey said he wants to show off. "I think it's important to show people that you are good at what you do," the singer continued. "And outside of being good at what you do, you should show appreciation for the people that appreciate you. So when I put out songs, it's because I love to do it and I would love for my fans to know that. I do this thing on my Twitter where every Monday, I put out new songs. Whether I go over somebody else's track or I put out original songs, just to let them know that I am so into what I am doing. And that's just to let them know I'm having fun. Musically, I'm in a space that I was in when I first started to record ... without the politics and without people telling me what I should be or what they think I am. I think I am in a space where I know what it is I need to be doing, and I'm getting better by the day. And it's fun for me." For other artists featured in Mixtape Monday, check out Mixtape Mondays Headlines. Related Videos |
| Michael Jackson Memorial Ticket Process Goes Surprisingly Smoothly Posted: 06 Jul 2009 05:38 AM PDT 'In and out within five minutes,' fan Massimo Guarini says about getting his tickets and wristbands.
LOS ANGELES — The planning for Michael Jackson's public service may be a "phenomenal undertaking," as described by the Los Angeles Police Department, but the ticket-distribution process has been anything but, according to those selected to attend Tuesday's memorial. "I'm really surprised it went this well, it was really well-executed," Richard Leong told MTV News after picking up his pair of tickets. "I'll actually be able to go back to work today."
Leong was among the many drivers on Monday (July 6) who went to Dodger Stadium to collect tickets and wristbands, the materials necessary to get near and inside the venues for the public memorial that will take place. A line of cars stretched back fairly deep from the freeway exit to the stadium. But once fans in cars showed their printed vouchers to police, the process went surprisingly fast to most. "In and out within five minutes," Massimo Guarini said. After the first stop, fans had to drive a short distance to Ticketmaster representatives stationed outside of the stadium. From there, they showed their voucher again and received a gold or blue wristband. After they received a wristband, one more short drive is all it took to get the pair of tickets from a representative. Lesley Leasen was notified Sunday that out of the 1.6 million fans that registered to attend the services, she had been selected. Leasen said she received an e-mail notice on her iPhone and was surprised by the news. The Los Angeles native then decided to take her young son to the services. "I'm here in L.A. and it's all over the news — it's a big piece of history," she said. "It's a sad day but I thought I'd come and see the tribute." As of press time, reps on site were still passing out tickets for Staples Center, where the memorial will take place. Once those tickets are gone, however, fans will have to make due with tickets to the Nokia Theater, where a live simulcast of events taking place inside the Staples Center will be shown. According to spokesmen for the Jackson family, 8,750 total tickets will be dispersed to fans, with the rest of the seating set aside for media and friends and associates of Jackson, including Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey and Kobe Bryant. Plans continue to be revealed for the memorial, with new announcements being made through the day. As for the fans, most are still in shock that the King of Pop is no longer with us. Leong said his daughter actually registered him online for the memorial tickets. "This is a real big thing for her," he said of his eldest daughter. "[We've had] great memories," he added. "Some of our best times were watching Michael Jackson videos and their releases on MTV. [My daughter] doesn't like big crowds, but she wanted to go. I wanted to share with her what we did when she was young, but now as adults." MTV's live coverage of the Michael Jackson public memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles will begin on Tuesday at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT. For complete coverage of 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. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Posted: 06 Jul 2009 01:25 AM PDT Hova freestyles at Las Vegas concert; Game responds on Twitter and at show in France.
The Game may be open to reconciling with 50 Cent and the G-Unit, but when it comes to Jay-Z, it doesn't seem like there is any love for one of his great rap influences. On Thursday at his tour opener in Las Vegas, Jay kicked an a cappella line where he mentioned some of his past foes, as well as former friends. "I ain't talking about gossip/ I ain't talking about Game," Hov rapped. "I ain't talking about Jimmy/ I ain't talking about Dame ... Dame made millions/ Even Jaz made some scraps/ He could've made more, but he ain't sign his contract." Jim Jones and Game responded on the Fourth of July via their Twitter accounts. "Question: if someone says in the song 'I'm not talkin' bout Jimmy,' is that not talkin' bout Jimmy? LOL," Jones tweeted. "We are back in business, people." "Aight so, after about 10,000 responses ... The results read that he ain't dissin me," Game tweeted. "And as bad as I want to respond to his old a--, he can slide." However, apparently Game changed his mind. In video footage that has been posted online, Game is seen calling out Hov onstage at a concert in France. "We ain't come to play no games today," Game rapped. "We in Bordeaux, France ... F--- Jay-Z, if you don't like that, you can find an exit somewhere." Game then leads the crowd in an obscene chant against Hov. Game has both given props to and dissed Jay publicly many times before. Hov has never officially responded to him in song, although many inferred that several lines in the original "Dear Summer" freestyle Jay spit several years ago on Funk Master Flex's radio show ("You saying my name to entertain your crew/ I ain't playing no games, sh--, the game's through ... You playing a game you know you can't win/ Quit playing them childish games with grown men") were directed at the Compton MC. Related Artists |
| Michael Jackson Advisers Named Temporary Administrators Of His Estate Posted: 06 Jul 2009 12:13 AM PDT Mother Katherine Jackson not given co-executor status.
The struggle for control over Michael Jackson's estate continued in a Los Angeles courtroom on Monday (July 6), with a judge approving the late pop star's wishes to have two of his longtime advisers control his assets. As a result, Jackson's mother, Katherine, was denied a request to become the interim executor of her late son's estate. According to TMZ, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff ruled on Monday that the decisions involving the corralling of all of Jackson's assets, attorney's fees and settling of claims against his estate will be in the hands of longtime attorney John Branca and music industry veteran John McClain, the two men named as co-executors in the singer's 2002 will. The two were appointed the special administrators of Jackson's estate until the next hearing on the matter on August 3, and were charged with protecting the estate from any immediate losses it might suffer until that time, according to CNN.
Katherine Jackson's lawyer raised questions about the 2002 will, but said she and husband Joseph Jackson will not challenge it at this time. The attorney also said Katherine was concerned about Jackson's relationship with Branca prior to the singer's death, noting that Branca — who worked with Jackson for more than 20 years — had re-joined the singer's team just three weeks before his death. A lawyer for Branca and McClain presented a letter from Jackson dated June 17, 2009 — eight days before Jackson's death — reiterating that he wanted Branca in control of his affairs. A lawyer for Katherine Jackson won approval from the judge to have the co-executors keep the singer's mother in the loop about any decisions they bring before the court; she had been administering the assets of the estate since Jackson's June 25 death on an interim basis. Among the details revealed in court on Monday was the fact that Jackson's will has a "no contest" clause, which means that anyone who challenges the will or the trust he set up to distribute 40 percent of his assets to his mother, 40 percent to his children and the remaining 20 percent to unnamed children's charities, will automatically be cut out of his will entirely. At one point, TMZ reported that the judge got so frustrated with the contentiousness between the two sides that he said he'd appoint a special administrator to temporarily oversee the estate if the bickering did not cease. In addition to questioning Branca's role as co-executor, Katherine Jackson's attorney also suggested that McClain should be excluded because of an alleged "infirmity," though his lawyer said McClain was in "fine mental capacity." Branca represented Jackson from 1980, when the singer was 21, until 2006 and was recently re-hired. Katherine Jackson was not present at Monday's hearing. "Quite frankly, Mrs. Jackson has concerns about handing over the keys to the kingdom," her lawyer, Burt Levitch, said. According to CNN, the two sides met for four hours over the weekend but could not reach an "acceptable accommodation" about administering the estate, which is valued at a reported $500 million. Beckloff ruled that any actions the two take to settle claims, modify business relationships and create any new ventures would be subject to court approval and that they have to set up a $1 million bond to insure their work as executors. Katherine Jackson remains the temporary guardian of her son's three children until a July 13 hearing in that matter. MTV's live coverage of the Michael Jackson public memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles will begin on Tuesday at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT. For complete coverage of 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. Related Videos
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| Michael Jackson Answers Fan Questions In 1996 Thailand Interview Posted: 06 Jul 2009 01:14 AM PDT Singer opened up about the inspiration behind 'Billie Jean,' whether he felt nervous onstage and his Motown childhood.
While in Thailand in 1996, Michael Jackson sat down to answer some of his fans' most pressing questions, including whether "Billie Jean" is based on a real person and if Jackson has ever felt nervous onstage. Jackson — who was candid, good-natured and relaxed during the interview — opened up about his childhood, his music and even what he would do if given the chance to have a day off from fame. "There is a girl named Billie Jean, but it's not about that Billie Jean," he said when asked about the inspiration behind his 1983 hit single. "Billie Jean is kind of anonymous. It represents a lot of girls. They used to call them groupies in the '60s. They would hang around backstage doors, and any band that would come to town they would have a relationship with, and I think I wrote this out of experience with my brothers when I was little. There were a lot of Billie Jeans out there. Every girl claimed that their son was related to one of my brothers."
Jackson admitted that it is interviews that make him more nervous than actually going onstage and performing. The usually shy singer put his guard up a bit during this particular question, seeming unable to fully explain how uncomfortable he feels about being interviewed. "I don't remember ever being afraid to go onstage. I'm more comfortable onstage than giving this interview right now," he said. "In truth, I really don't like being interviewed. I swear to God, I feel it's such an intrusion. Every interview I've ever done, I've been forced into it." Jackson, who was probably one of the most recognizable celebrities in the world before his death last month, admits that even if he could hide and get a day off, he'd just spend it working. "[I'd] probably [go] to Neverland or an island isolated somewhere," he said. "What would I do? Probably write music or create some music or stage play or something. Something creative. I never stop working." As a child working with his brothers in the Jackson 5, he had the chance to work with everyone from his good friend Diana Ross to Marvin Gaye. And, in this 1996 interview, he said the environment on the Motown label "was very friendly" and recalled some of his favorite memories from that period in his life. "Marvin Gaye used to come to my house at least twice a week to play basketball with my brothers," he recalled. "Stevie Wonder would come by for gatherings and parties. I would go to the Supremes' house with Diana Ross when she would invite the other girls over, and there was really, sincerely one happy family. We would have a baseball team where we'd played against one another. And I was just really little, and they'd let me bat, and it was really a happy family. And I do miss all of them. Even the Temptations would come over to my house all the time." MTV's live coverage of the Michael Jackson public memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles will begin on Tuesday at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT. For complete coverage of 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. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Michael Jackson's Life & Legacy: Wiz Kid (1958-78) Posted: 06 Jul 2009 04:51 AM PDT Jackson 5, solo hits and a star turn in 'The Wiz' defined Michael's early years.
In the wake of his untimely death on June 25, it's hard to remember a time when Michael Jackson was not in our lives. The world-famous singer — who in the 1980s shattered all notions of what pop stardom could be — had been a major star since he was 10 years old, and by the time he released what is still the best-selling album of original material of all time, 1982's Thriller, he was already a wily music-industry veteran. Born Michael Joseph Jackson on August 29, 1958, into a musical family of less-than-modest means in the industrial Midwestern town of Gary, Indiana, Jackson began performing with his brothers professionally at the age of 5 in a group put together by his steelworker father, Joseph. It quickly became apparent that even among his musical siblings, Michael's talents were on another level.
By age 6, Jackson was already gaining attention for his preternatural gifts for singing, dancing and performing a well-rehearsed medley of Motown, R&B and soul hits. The group, known first as the Jackson Brothers and then the Jackson 5 (the other members were Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon and Tito) hit the talent-show circuit, winding up on the famous stage of the Apollo Theater in New York's Harlem neighborhood, where in 1967 they won an amateur-night competition. As Jackson carefully studied the moves and musical phrasing styles of such contemporary masters as James Brown, Jackie Wilson and Sam and Dave, the group landed a recording contract with Motown in 1968. At that point, as a result of relentless pushing from Joseph Jackson — which, Michael would later reveal, included physical and emotional abuse — they were already a well-rehearsed machine thanks to four years of work on the "chitlin' circuit" of black nightclubs, often opening for burlesque acts. Thanks to personal attention from Motown boss Berry Gordy, the group was assigned a crack production team that helped write and record the songs that made them instant stars. Led by Michael, who handled nearly all the lead vocals and captivated audiences with his polished dance moves, their first four singles — "I Want You Back," "ABC," "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There" — all reached #1 on the Billboard charts, a milestone no group had ever accomplished before. As a testament to the star power of their youthful, energetic sound, dubbed "bubblegum soul" by the music press, "I Want You Back" sold 6 million copies worldwide and "ABC" replaced the Beatles' "Let It Be" as the #1 single in April of 1970. That same year, the Jackson 5 were headlining shows in 20,000-seat venues and appearing regularly on "The Ed Sullivan Show." They helped shatter mainstream perceptions of African-American families with an appearance on the cover of Life magazine in 1971. In a glimpse of things to come, Michael and his brothers were heavily merchandised on everything from stickers and jacket patches to posters, lunch boxes, coloring books and a Saturday morning cartoon on ABC that ran for two seasons beginning in 1971. Even as the group was gaining worldwide fame, Michael was being pushed further out front as a solo artist. He released the Oscar-nominated single "Ben" in 1972 as the title song to a movie about a young boy and his homicidal pet rat. He released a series of four solo albums with Motown, scoring hit singles with "Got to Be There" and a remake of "Rockin' Robin," one of his most beloved early numbers, while appearing on shows like "The Dating Game" during his teen-heartthrob years. By 1975, with their musical careers on the decline and looking to assert more creative control over their sound, the group split with Motown and renamed themselves the Jacksons, signing with Epic Records. They scored a short-lived variety show on CBS in 1976 (the first time a variety series was hosted by an African-American family), competing with ABC's "Donny and Marie" (Osmond) show. Though their first two post-Motown efforts were commercial duds, the family stormed back in 1978 with the disco-fied "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)," which was written by Michael and Randy and sold more than 2 million copies. Michael took his boldest step yet away from the family business in 1978 when he appeared alongside longtime friend and Motown mentor Diana Ross in the funky big-screen remake of the Broadway musical "The Wiz," based on the classic children's novel "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." Jackson was a revelation in the role of the rubber-legged scarecrow, holding his own in his first major acting role alongside such veterans as Nipsey Russell, Richard Pryor and Lena Horne. In a recent blog post, famed producer Quincy Jones, the music supervisor for the film, said he was reluctantly pulled into the project by director Sidney Lumet but is forever glad that he said yes. "As the scarecrow, Michael dove into the filming of 'The Wiz' with everything that he had, not only learning his lines but those of everyone in the cast," he wrote. The friendship the two formed while working on that film turned into a professional partnership that would soon change the face of popular music forever, first with Jackson's Jones-produced Off the Wall solo album, and then with their collaboration on the landmark Thriller. As the 1970s reached their end, Michael's star was just beginning to rise ... NEXT: Off the Wall establishes Jackson as a solo star ... MTV's live coverage of the Michael Jackson public memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles will begin on Tuesday at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Michael Jackson Memorial To Feature Mariah Carey, Jennifer Hudson, Usher Posted: 06 Jul 2009 01:38 AM PDT Kobe Bryant, Brooke Shields, John Mayer also scheduled to appear.
The public memorial service for Michael Jackson at Los Angeles' Staples Center on Tuesday will feature some of the late singer's closest collaborators, friends and fans paying tribute to the King of Pop. Among the stars expected to appear (and possibly perform) at the public event — which will take place after a private memorial earlier in the morning — are Jennifer Hudson, Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, Usher, John Mayer, Lionel Richie and Motown founder Berry Gordy, according to a statement from a spokesperson for the Jackson family.
The list does not specify which of the attendees will perform, but Carey is reportedly slated to reprise her famous cover of the Jackson song "I'll Be There" at the public ceremony and CNN has reported that Oscar-winning actress/singer Hudson will also sing at the event. Wonder was a contemporary of Jackson's on the Motown label in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Usher has often stated how influential Jackson was on his career, and Mayer performed the iconic guitar solo in "Beat It" on Fall Out Boy's 2008 cover of the song.
Among the other confirmed participants in the tribute to Jackson are Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, "Britain's Got Talent" finalist Shaheen Jafargholi — who toured as a young MJ in the "Thriller Live" show and sang the Jackson 5 cover version of "Who's Loving You" on the "BGT" show to great acclaim — the Andrae Crouch Choir, Lakers icon Magic Johnson, Martin Luther King III, Motown legend Smokey Robinson, Jackson family friend the Reverend Al Sharpton and Jackson's longtime pal, Brooke Shields. The statement said the lineup was preliminary and subject to change, but noted that no further information will be released regarding the program before Tuesday's event. Though she will not appear at the Los Angeles event, Madonna paid tribute to Jackson during one of her shows at the O2 Arena in London over the weekend — where Jackson was slated to kick off a 50-show run on July 13 — with one of her dancers interpreting some of the King of Pop's most famous dance moves to a medley of "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Something." While those events are unfolding in Jackson's adopted home of Los Angeles, a memorial service in the singer's hometown of Gary, Indiana, is also taking shape. The Gary Post-Tribune reported that Mayor Rudy Clay has announced that another Gary-born singer, Deniece Williams, best known for her 1984 "Footloose" hit "Let's Hear It for the Boy," will be among the performers at a Friday memorial at the U.S. Steel Yard baseball stadium. Other plans for the event include a performance from Indiana's first black Miss Indiana, Kellee Patterson, who kept in touch with Jackson after both left the city, and a 500-member choir singing "We Are the World." MTV's live coverage of the Michael Jackson public memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles will begin on Tuesday at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT. For complete coverage of 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. Related Videos
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