… as much of the world did on June 25^th of 2009, everyone in my office gathered in the conference room, shocked and in silence, to watch coverage as news broke that the King of Pop had been taken to the hospital and later pronounced dead; we followed suit on July 9^th as his memorial service aired.

Amongst many things, Michael Jackson was an artist, entertainer, innovator, and humanitarian. His influence on music, dance, fashion and mankind as a whole is indeed indelible. Far and wide, he has impacted the lives of individuals, particularly the youth, since the 1960s and will continue to touch the world for as long as it endures [allude to “2012”]. His musical and philanthropic contributions helped paint a picture of the world he so avidly wished for and the class of humanity he wholeheartedly believed in.

In a 2007 interview for Ebony Magazine, Jackson stated:

“I always wanted to do music that influences and inspires each generation. Let’s face it, who wants mortality?”

“Music has been my outlet, my gift to all of the lovers in this world. Through it — my music, I know I will live forever.”

Well … as I’m sure many of us did in the wake of his death, and still do on random days of our lives, I had MJ songs on heavy rotation. His catalog, plainly said, is extensive; impressive. Intrigued by the amount of music he produced in his lifetime and trying to channel his themes and overall message, I got a little creative and came up with “my gift to all of the lovers” …

HIStory

This Is It Baby

I gotta Say Say Say

You Rock My World

Just a Little Bit of You

Makes me Happy and Smile

I Wanna Be Where You Are

Do you Remember the Time

You were a mere

Stranger in Moscow

I couldn’t help but wonder

Who Is It?

Dirty Diana?

Billie Jean?

It didn’t matter

You were Bad

Almost 2 Bad

Off The Wall, Dangerous

And I had to Get It

My gaze Unbreakable

On this Pretty Young Thing

Watching you Shake Your Body

I thought

I Got to Be There

I walked over to you

What seemed like Twenty-Five Miles

Butterflies stirring

Human Nature, what a Thriller

I approached you With a Child’s Heart

And said

Whatzupwitu?

I Wanna Be Startin’ Something

You should let me Rock with You

You countered with

Leave Me Alone

Beat It

And just like that

She’s Out of My Life

You were Gone Too Soon

Something told me

Don’t Stop til’ You Get Enough

Made me ask

What More Can I Give?

And to pretend

It’s A Brand New Day

This Time Around

I came to you like a Smooth Criminal

Together, the Music and Me

Convinced you to give me One More Chance

Convinced you to Give In to Me

After all, “Rockin’ Robin” was your Jam

That song helped us Come Together

But “Will You Be There”

Made our passion overflow

Spill like Blood on the Dance Floor

My heart raced like a Speed Demon

And as I repeated in my mind

The Girl is Mine

I’m gonna make her my Girlfriend

I whispered to you

Tell Me I’m Not Dreamin’

(Too Good to Be True)

Is It Scary?

That One Day in Your Life

I became addicted to The Way You Make Me Feel

Now, years later

I’ve realized I Just Can’t Stop Loving You

I look at the Man in the Mirror

And you are there

Another Part of Me

There Ain’t No Sunshine when you’re hurting

So when you feel the need to Cry or Scream

Remember that You Are Not Alone

Forget your troubles

They Don’t Care About Us

And In Our Small Way

Our love can Heal the World

So I will ask you

Simple as Black or White

Marry me, Baby Be Mine?

Let’s Ease on Down the Road

To A Place With No Name

Hold My Hand

We’re Almost There

Let’s make HIStory