Michael Jackson spent most of his life in the spotlight, but there are still some facts that have slipped through the cracks. Below are 15 facts you didn’t know about Michael Jackson. Learn new information about the posthumous king of pop!
Number Fifteen: He Has More Awards Than Any Other Artist
Jackson has an impressive 23 Guinness World Records. He has also received 13 Grammys, 26 American Music Awards and 40 Billboard Awards.
Number Fourteen: He Earns More Than Any Other Dead Artist
It’s true – some people really can make money when they’re dead. In the first year after Jackson’s death alone, his estate earned him an extra $1 billion.
Number Thirteen: He’s Got Some Impressive Godchildren
Michael was godfather to a couple very famous people. He was the godfather of Lionel Ritchie’s daughter, Nicole Richie, and Bee Gees singer Barry Gibb’s son, who is also named Michael. Nicole Richie is currently starring in her own show, titled Candidly Nicole.
Number Twelve: The “Thriller” Costumes Weren’t Fancy
In fact, the costumes used in Jackson’s iconic “Thriller” video came from the Salvation Army. Looks like even the king of pop isn’t impervious to a budget.
Number Eleven: The “Thriller” Video Almost Didn’t Make It
After Jackson found out that some Jehovah’s Witnesses didn’t like the fact that he was making a music video “about a werewolf,” he almost had the video destroyed. As a compromise, he agreed to let it go public as long as a disclaimer was added before the video aired.
Number Ten: He Had a Favorite Food
Apparently, Jackson was a big fan of Mexican food. He enjoyed a good burrito and some even better tacos. And who can blame him?
Number Nine: He Has a Grammy Record
Jackson won more Grammys than any other person in a single year. In 1984, the famous singer won an astonishing eight Grammys. He won three Grammys for Thriller, two for “Beat It”, two for “Billie Jean”, and one for E.T. the Extra Terrestrial (Best Recording for Children). Many people are not aware of the fact that he worked on E.T. the Extra Terrestrial, which stars Drew Barrymore.
Number Eight: The Black Armband He Always Wore Meant Something
The black armband you would often see adorning Jackson’s arm meant something very important to him. He wore it to remind people of the children suffering around the world.
Number Seven: Michael Jackson Made the Most Expensive Music Video Ever
The most expensive music video ever made continues to be “Scream,” which also stars his sister, Janet Jackson. It premiered in the summer of 1995 and was met with a lot of critical acclaim.
Number Six: The World Crashed When He Died
Well, kind of. On the day he died – June 25, 2009 – Wikipedia, Twitter and AOL Instant Messenger all crashed.
Number Five: He Slept in an Oxygen Tent
The famous singer allegedly slept in a tent saturated with oxygen every night. He apparently did so for cosmetic purposes and to prolong his life.
Number Four: Michael Jackson Was Literally a King
When Jackson visited Gabon and the Ivory Cost, the villagers gave him a royal title. That means that he is, quite literally, a king.
Number Three: He Invented Anti-Gravity Boots
Did you know that the anti-gravity boots that allowed Jackson to lean forward in ways that seemed to defy physics were actually invented by him? He also owns the patent to the boots.
Number Two: He Spread the Faith in Disguise
Because Jackson was a Jehovah’s Witness, he had to spread his faith from door to door. In order to accomplish this without experiencing any trouble, he dressed in a disguise that included a fake mustache so people would take him seriously.
Number One: He Owed the Library a Lot
Jackson must have visited the library a lot, because at one point he apparently owed more than $1 million in rental fees. However, this $1 million really wasn’t a significant chunk of money for Jackson, especially considering that his estate is worth hundreds of times the rental fees.