A private funeral service for Michael Jackson has taken place, and his body is now being taken to the Staples Center in Los Angeles, where a memorial service is set to take place.

Michael Jackson's body is on its way to the singer's memorial service.

The late 'Thriller' singer's solid bronze coffin was wheeled out of Hollywood's Forest Lawn Cemetery and into a waiting black hearse following a private funeral for the singer, who died of a suspected cardiac arrest on June 25.

The casket was accompanied by the star's siblings and parents Joe and Katherine, who had attended this morning's service (07.07.09) and got into waiting limousines to follow the hearse to Los Angeles' Staples Center, where thousands of fans have gathered for the tribute to the pop icon, whose coffin will be displayed on stage.

Michael's three children, Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11 and Prince Michael II, seven, were not seen but it is believed they were at the service.

Earlier, Los Angeles was driven to a standstill when police shut a five-lane freeway to escort the 18-car funeral procession from Joe and Katherine's home to the cemetery for the funeral service.

Fans at the Staples Center cheered as video footage of his coffin was shown on big screens.

Inside the venue, the stage is adorned with the star's image, alongside a mural carrying the words "In Loving Memory. Michael Jackson King of Pop - 1958-2015."

It is not known where the singer's body will be taken following his star-studded memorial service, but it is expected to return to Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Watch the Video of Michael Jackson Funeral.

LOS ANGELES (AP) � Michael Jackson's golden casket has been placed on stage at his public memorial service in downtown Los Angeles.


The casket was brought into Staples Center on Tuesday as a choir sang in front of a backdrop of stained-glass windows.


The public event followed a private service for family and friends in a cemetery hall in the Hollywood Hills.


Jackson's flower-draped casket was brought to Staples Center in a motorcade under law enforcement escort.


THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.


LOS ANGELES (AP) � A public memorial service for Michael Jackson began Tuesday with Smokey Robinson reading comments from Nelson Mandela, Diana Ross and other friends of the King of Pop.


Following a long silent period inside the venue, piano music and a gospel choir kicked things off with a stained-glass motif in the background.


An estimated 20,000 people filed smoothly into the Staples Center as Jackson's golden, flower-draped casket was brought to the venue in a motorcade under law enforcement escort.


Fans with a ticket wore gold wristbands and picked up a metalic gold program guide on their way in. Pallbearers who placed Jackson's casket into the hearse wore gold neckties.


Jackson's hearse had been part of a motorcade that smoothly whisked his body 10 miles across closed freeways from a private service at a Hollywood Hills cemetery to his public memorial and awaiting fans.


The hearse pulled into Staples Center complex and drove into an underground structure as fans began to file into the venue for the start of the service.


Some arriving celebrities strolled down a black carpet on their way in. Spike Lee, Wesley Snipes and Barbara Walters were among the celebrities seen at the entrance, the Los Angeles Times said.


The traffic snarls and logistical nightmares that had been feared by police and city officials had not materialized. The thousands of fans with tickets began filing in early and encountered few problems, and traffic was actually considered by police to be lighter than normal.


"I think people got the message to stay home," said California Highway Patrol Officer Miguel Luevano. "When you have people staying home, it clears up those freeways."


Earlier in the morning, Jackson's family members and dozens of friends, led by his parents, Joe and Katherine, were seen entering a building at the cemetery. News reports estimated as many as 20 helicopters circled overhead.


In addition to Jackson's gold-plated casket, his pallbearers wore dark suits and gold neckties. Fans with a ticket wore gold wristbands and picked up a gold program guide on their way in.


The public memorial was to be televised live around the world. Among the celebrities expected to attend the memorial were Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Usher, Lionel Richie, Kobe Bryant, Jennifer Hudson, John Mayer and Martin Luther King III.


Outside the Staples Center, Claudia Hernandez, 29, said she loved Jackson's music as a girl growing up in Mexico. Now a day-care teaching assistant in Los Angeles, Hernandez said she cried watching TV coverage of his death.


"I'm trying to hold in my emotions," said Hernandez, wearing a wristband to allow her admittance to the service and holding a framed photograph of Jackson. "I know right now he's teaching the angels to dance."


Police blocked off perimeter roads and warned those without tickets to stay away because they would not be able to get near the downtown venue.

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson Funeral Ceremony at Staples Center

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Mega bintang Michael Jackson dilaporkan meninggal dunia setelah dilarikan ke sebuah rumah sakit di Los Angeles, Kamis (25/6). Laporan tersebut dikeluarkan oleh Los Angeles Times dan Associated Press, sementara jaringan televisi CNN belum memastikan laporan kematian bintang berusia 50 tahun itu.

Menurut sumber CNN, Jackson berada dalam kondisi kritis. Brian Oxman, pengacara keluarga Jakson, menjelaskan, mendapatkan informasi dari kakak Michael Jaskcon, Randy Jackson, bahwa megabintang itu tidak sadarkan diri setelah menderita cardiac arrest atau mendadak terhentinya kerja jantung di kediamannya di Los Angeles barat.
Jackson dilarikan ke UCLA Medical Center setelah petugas pemadam kebakaran Los Angeles menerima laporan itu dari jalur telepon permohonan bantuan darurat 911. Menurut Kapten Steve Ruda dari Dinas Pemadam Kebakaran Los Angeles, permohonan bantuan itu diajukan dari sebuah kediaman di Los Angeles barat pada pukul 12.21 waktu Los Angeles atau Jumat (26/6) pukul 02.30 WIB.

Mega bintang yang berasal dari Gary, Indiana, ini dikenal dengan julukan "King of Pop". Jakson merupakan anak ketujuh dari sembilan bersaudara dari sebuah keluarga musisi yang terkenal.

Saat ini, setiap pintu masuk menuju fasilitas gawat darurat UCLA Medical Center dijaga ketat oleh personel keamanan. Bahkan, tidak semua staf rumah sakit mendapatkan akses masuk ke ruang itu. Beberapa orang yang tampak berada di ruang tunggu sekitar fasilitas gawat darurat UCLA Medical Center tak kuasa menahan haru dan larut dalam kondisi duka dengan saling bertangis-tangisan.


Raja pop dunia Michael Jackson meninggal dunia hari Kamis (25/6) tengah malam, setelah dilarikan ke University California Los Angeles Medical Center. Dia terjatuh akibat serangan jantung di dalam rumahnya di Holmby Hills, Los Angeles, pada siang harinya, dan dipastikan meninggal pada malam harinya. "Dia meninggal di rumah sakit akibat serangan jantung," ujar saudaranya Randy Jackson.

Letnan Fred Corral dari kepolisian Los Angeles mengatakan sebuah otopsi untuk memastikan penyebab kematiannya akan dilakukan pada Jumat (26/6) hari ini, yang hasilnya akan segera diumumkan pada Jumat siang.

Jackson dalam kondisi kritis sejak Kamis siang, Ia kemudian dilarikan ke UCLA Medical Canter oleh dinas pemadam kebakaran Los Angeles, setelah mendapatkan panggilan darurat 911 pada pukul 12.21 waktu Los Angeles. Jackson segera masuk ke fasilitas unit gawat darurat begitu sampai di rumah sakit tersebut, namun jiwanya tak tertolong dalam beberapa jam kemudian. Ia meninggal pada usia 50 tahun.

Seluruh fasilitas umum di UCLA Medical Center, untuk sementara ditutup dan mendapatkan penjagaan ketat, begitu artis yang mendapatkan julukan sebagai 'the king of pop' ini masuk ke rumah sakit tersebut. Beberapa personel keamanan tampak disiagakan, untuk mengantisipasi serbuan kalangan media yang ingin meliput peristiwa ini. Sejumlah penggemarnya, terutama warga Amerika Serikat yang berkulit hitam, sudah tampak berada di UCLA Medical Center, dengan membawa karangan bunga dan tak kuasa menahan haru, menangis dan larut dalam kesedihan yang mendalam.

Menurut penulis buku biografi Michael Jackson, Ian Halperin, sebelumnya Jackson belum pernah dikabarkan menderita penyakit jantung. Pada bulan Desember tahun lalu, Michael Jackson memang sempat masuk rumah sakit, akibat menderita kelainan genetis tubuhnya tidak bisa memproduksi protein Alpha-1 antitrypsin, yang kemudian mempengaruhi kondisi paru-parunya, sehingga Jackson mengalami emphysema (sesak nafas). Ia sebernarnya direncanakan akan menjalani operasi cangkok paru-paru, namun karena kondisi fisiknya yang lemah, operasi itu masih tertunda sampai menjelang kematiannya. Ia dikabarkan juga menderita sejumlah penyakit pada saluran pencernaannya. Untuk itulah, proses otopsi masih diperlukan untuk memastikan penyebab kematian Jackson.

Michael Jakson tak hanya dikenal sebagai bintang penyanyi pop, tetapi juga dikenal sebagai 'icon' kebudayaan pop, yang melawan perspektif rasisme sebagian publik Amerika, dengan keputusannya menjalani operasi penggantian warna kulitnya yang aslinya berkulit hitam menjadi kulit putih, untuk menyatakan bahwa warna kulit sesungguhnya bukanlah sebuah penentu dominasi dalam kebudayaan, karena warna kulit bisa diubah. Sekaligus pernyataannya agar semua orang bisa menerima perbedaan warna kulit.

Sejumlah album legendaris Michael Jackson diantaranya adalah Off the Wall, Thriller dan Bad. "Ia akan dikenang dalam sejarah, bahwa yang menentukan keberhasilannya adalah benar-benar musik dan penampilannya yang luar biasa," ujar aktivis hak-hak sipil Amerika Serikat, Al Sharpton.

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Michael Jackson Akhirnya Meninggal Dunia

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We've just learned Michael Jackson has died. He was 50.

Michael suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this afternoon at his Holmby Hills home and paramedics were unable to revive him. We're told when paramedics arrived Jackson had no pulse and they never got a pulse back.

A source tells us Jackson was dead when paramedics arrived. A cardiologist at UCLA tells TMZ Jackson died of cardiac arrest.

Once at the hospital, the staff tried to resuscitate him but he was completely unresponsive.

A source inside the hospital told us there was "absolute chaos" after Jackson arrrived. People who were with the singer were screaming, "You've got to save him! You've got to save him!"

We're told one of the staff members at Jackson's home called 911.

La Toya ran in the hospital sobbing after Jackson was pronounced dead.

Michael is survived by three children: Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince "Blanket" Michael Jackson II.

http://www.tmz.com

Michael Jackson, the "King of Pop" who once moonwalked above the music world, died Thursday as he prepared for a comeback bid to vanquish nightmare years of sexual scandal and financial calamity. He was 50.

Jackson died at UCLA Medical Center after being stricken at his rented home in Holmby Hills. Paramedics tried to resuscitate him at his home for nearly three-quarters of an hour, then rushed him to the hospital, where doctors continued to work on him.

"It is believed he suffered cardiac arrest in his home. However, the cause of his death is unknown until results of the autopsy are known," his brother Jermaine said. Police said they were investigating, standard procedure in high-profile cases.

Jackson's death brought a tragic end to a long, bizarre, sometimes farcical decline from his peak in the 1980s, when he was popular music's premier all-around performer, a uniter of black and white music who shattered the race barrier on MTV, dominated the charts and dazzled even more on stage.

His 1982 album "Thriller" _ which included the blockbuster hits "Beat It," "Billie Jean" and "Thriller" _ is the best-selling album of all time, with an estimated 50 million copies sold worldwide.

At the time of his death, Jackson was rehearsing hard for what was to be his greatest comeback: He was scheduled for an unprecedented 50 shows at a London arena, with the first set for July 13.

As word of his death spread, MTV switched its programming to play videos from Jackson's heyday. Radio stations began playing marathons of his hits. Hundreds of people gathered outside the hospital. In New York's Times Square, a low groan went up in the crowd when a screen flashed that Jackson had died, and people began relaying the news to friends by cell phone.

"No joke. King of Pop is no more. Wow," Michael Harris, 36, of New York City, read from a text message a friend had sent him. "It's like when Kennedy was assassinated. I will always remember being in Times Square when Michael Jackson died."


Michael Jackson, the "King of Pop" who once moonwalked above the music world, died Thursday as he prepared for a comeback bid to vanquish nightmare years of sexual scandal and financial calamity. He was 50.

Jackson died at UCLA Medical Center after being stricken at his rented home in Holmby Hills. Paramedics tried to resuscitate him at his home for nearly three-quarters of an hour, then rushed him to the hospital, where doctors continued to work on him.

"It is believed he suffered cardiac arrest in his home. However, the cause of his death is unknown until results of the autopsy are known," his brother Jermaine said. Police said they were investigating, standard procedure in high-profile cases.

Jackson's death brought a tragic end to a long, bizarre, sometimes farcical decline from his peak in the 1980s, when he was popular music's premier all-around performer, a uniter of black and white music who shattered the race barrier on MTV, dominated the charts and dazzled even more on stage.

His 1982 album "Thriller" _ which included the blockbuster hits "Beat It," "Billie Jean" and "Thriller" _ is the best-selling album of all time, with an estimated 50 million copies sold worldwide.

At the time of his death, Jackson was rehearsing hard for what was to be his greatest comeback: He was scheduled for an unprecedented 50 shows at a London arena, with the first set for July 13.

As word of his death spread, MTV switched its programming to play videos from Jackson's heyday. Radio stations began playing marathons of his hits. Hundreds of people gathered outside the hospital. In New York's Times Square, a low groan went up in the crowd when a screen flashed that Jackson had died, and people began relaying the news to friends by cell phone.

"No joke. King of Pop is no more. Wow," Michael Harris, 36, of New York City, read from a text message a friend had sent him. "It's like when Kennedy was assassinated. I will always remember being in Times Square when Michael Jackson died."
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The public first knew him as a boy in the late 1960s, when he was the precocious, spinning lead singer of the Jackson 5, the singing group he formed with his four older brothers out of Gary, Ind. Among their No. 1 hits were "I Want You Back," "ABC" and "I'll Be There."

He was perhaps the most exciting performer of his generation, known for his backward-gliding moonwalk, his feverish, crotch-grabbing dance moves and his high-pitched singing, punctuated with squeals and titters. His single sequined glove, tight, military-style jacket and aviator sunglasses were trademarks, as was his ever-changing, surgically altered appearance.

"For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don't have the words," said Quincy Jones, who produced "Thriller." "He was the consummate entertainer and his contributions and legacy will be felt upon the world forever. I've lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him."

Jackson ranked alongside Elvis Presley and the Beatles as the biggest pop sensations of all time. He united two of music's biggest names when he was briefly married to Presley's daughter, Lisa Marie, and Jackson's death immediately evoked comparisons to that of Presley himself, who died at age 42 in 1977.

As years went by, Jackson became an increasingly freakish figure _ a middle-aged man-child weirdly out of touch with grown-up life. His skin became lighter, his nose narrower, and he spoke in a breathy, girlish voice. He often wore a germ mask while traveling, kept a pet chimpanzee named Bubbles as one of his closest companions, and surrounded himself with children at his Neverland ranch, a storybook playland filled with toys, rides and animals. The tabloids dubbed him "Wacko Jacko."

"It seemed to me that his internal essence was at war with the norms of the world. It's as if he was trying to defy gravity," said Michael Levine, a Hollywood publicist who represented Jackson in the early 1990s. He called Jackson a "disciple of P.T. Barnum" and said the star appeared fragile at the time but was "much more cunning and shrewd about the industry than anyone knew."

Jackson caused a furor in 2002 when he playfully dangled his infant son, Prince Michael II, over a hotel balcony in Berlin while a throng of fans watched from below.

In 2005, he was cleared of charges he molested a 13-year-old cancer survivor at Neverland in 2003. He had been accused of plying the boy with alcohol and groping him, and of engaging in strange and inappropriate behavior with other children.

The case followed years of rumors about Jackson and young boys. In a TV documentary, he acknowledged sharing his bed with children, a practice he described as sweet and not at all sexual.

Despite the acquittal, the lurid allegations that came out in court took a fearsome toll on his career and image, and he fell into serious financial trouble.

Michael Joseph Jackson was born Aug. 29, 1958, in Gary. He was 4 years old when he began singing with his brothers _ Marlon, Jermaine, Jackie and Tito _ in the Jackson 5. After his early success with bubblegum soul, he struck out on his own, generating innovative, explosive, unstoppable music.

The album "Thriller" alone mixed the dark, serpentine bass and drums and synthesizer approach of "Billie Jean," the grinding Eddie Van Halen solo on "Beat It," and the hiccups and falsettos on "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'."

The peak may have come in 1983, when Motown celebrated its 25th anniversary with an all-star televised concert and Jackson moonwalked off with the show, joining his brothers for a medley of old hits and then leaving them behind with a pointing, crouching, high-kicking, splay-footed, crotch-grabbing run through "Billie Jean."

The audience stood and roared. Jackson raised his fist.

By then he had cemented his place in pop culture. He got the plum Scarecrow role in the 1978 movie musical "The Wiz," a pop-R&B version of "The Wizard of Oz," that starred Diana Ross as Dorothy.

During production of a 1984 Pepsi commercial, Jackson's scalp sustains burns when an explosion sets his hair on fire.

He had strong follow-up albums with 1987's "Bad" and 1991's "Dangerous," but his career began to collapse in 1993 after he was accused of molesting a boy who often stayed at his home. The singer denied any wrongdoing, reached a settlement with the boy's family, reported to be $20 million, and criminal charges were never filed.

Jackson's expressed anger over the allegations on the 1995 album "HIStory," which sold more than 2.4 million copies, but by then, the popularity of Jackson's music was clearly waning, even as public fascination with his increasingly erratic behavior was growing.

Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley in 1994, and they divorced in 1996. Later that year, Jackson married Deborah Rowe, a former nurse for his dermatologist. They had two children together: Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., known as Prince Michael, and Paris Michael Katherine Jackson. Rowe filed for divorce in 1999.

Cardiac arrest is an abnormal heart rhythm that stops the heart from pumping blood to the body. It can occur after a heart attack or be caused by other heart problems.

Billboard magazine editorial director Bill Werde said Jackson's star power was unmatched. "The world just lost the biggest pop star in history, no matter how you cut it," Werde said. "He's literally the king of pop."

Jackson's 13 No. 1 one hits on the Billboard charts put him behind only Presley, the Beatles and Mariah Carey, Werde said.

"He was on the eve of potentially redeeming his career a little bit," he said. "People might have started to think of him again in a different light."

from http://www.huffingtonpost.com


Michael Jackson, the sensationally gifted child star who rose to become the �King of Pop� and the biggest celebrity in the world only to fall from his throne in a freakish series of scandals, died Thursday. He was 50.

Jackson died at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. Ed Winter, the assistant chief coroner for Los Angeles County, confirmed his office had been notified of the death and would handle the investigation.

The circumstances of Jackson�s death were not immediately clear. Jackson was not breathing when Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded to a call at his Los Angeles home about 12:30 p.m., Capt. Steve Ruda told the Los Angeles Times. The paramedics performed CPR and took him to the hospital, Ruda told the newspaper.

Jackson�s death brought a tragic end to a long, bizarre, sometimes farcical decline from his peak in the 1980s, when he was popular music�s premier all-around performer, a uniter of black and white music who shattered the race barrier on MTV, dominated the charts and dazzled even more on stage.

His 1982 album �Thriller� � which included the blockbuster hits �Beat It,� �Billie Jean� and �Thriller� � is the best-selling album of all time, with an estimated 50 million copies sold worldwide.

The public first knew him in the late 1960s, when as a boy he was the precocious, spinning lead singer of the Jackson 5, the music group he formed with his four older brothers. Among their No. 1 hits were �I Want You Back,� �ABC� and �I�ll Be There.�

Ranked with Elvis, Beatles
He was perhaps the most exciting performer of his generation, known for his feverish, crotch-grabbing dance moves and his high-pitched voice punctuated with squeals and titters. His single sequined glove, tight military-style jacket and aviator sunglasses were trademarks second only to his ever-changing, surgically altered appearance.

�For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don�t have the words,� said Quincy Jones, who produced �Thriller.� �He was the consummate entertainer and his contributions and legacy will be felt upon the world forever. I�ve lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him.�

Jackson ranked alongside Elvis Presley and the Beatles as the biggest pop sensations of all time. He united two of music�s biggest names when he was briefly married to Presley�s daughter, Lisa Marie, and Jackson�s death immediately evoked that of Presley himself, who died at age 42 in 1977.

As years went by, Jackson became an increasingly freakish figure � a middle-aged man-child weirdly out of touch with grown-up life. His skin became lighter, his nose narrower, and he spoke in a breathy, girlish voice. He surrounded himself with children at his Neverland Ranch, often wore a germ mask while traveling and kept a pet chimpanzee named Bubbles as one of his closest companions.

�It seemed to me that his internal essence was at war with the norms of the world. It�s as if he was trying to defy gravity,� said Michael Levine, a Hollywood publicist who represented Jackson in the early 1990s. He called Jackson a �disciple of P.T. Barnum� and said the star appeared fragile at the time but was �much more cunning and shrewd about the industry than anyone knew.�

Jackson caused a furor in 2002 when he playfully dangled his infant son, Prince Michael II, over a hotel balcony in Berlin while a throng of fans watched from below.

In 2005, he was cleared of charges he molested a 13-year-old cancer survivor at Neverland in 2003. He had been accused of plying the boy with alcohol and groping him, and of engaging in strange and inappropriate behavior with other children.

The case followed years of rumors about Jackson and young boys. In a TV documentary, he had acknowledged sharing his bed with children, a practice he described as sweet and not at all sexual.

Despite the acquittal, the lurid allegations that came out in court took a fearsome toll on his career and image, and he fell into serious financial trouble.

Comeback had been planned
Jackson was preparing for what was to be his greatest comeback: He was scheduled for an unprecedented 50 shows at a London arena, with the first set for July 13. He was in rehearsals in Los Angeles for the concert, an extravaganza that was to capture the classic Jackson magic: showstopping dance moves, elaborate staging and throbbing dance beats.

Singer Dionne Warwick said: �Michael was a friend and undoubtedly one of the world�s greatest entertainers that I fortunately had the pleasure of working with. ... We have lost an icon in our industry.�

Hundreds of people gathered outside the hospital as word of his death spread. The emergency entrance at the UCLA Medical Center, which is near Jackson�s rented home, was roped off with police tape.

�Ladies and gentlemen, Michael Jackson has just died,� a woman boarding a Manhattan bus called out shortly after the news was announced. Immediately many riders reached for their cell phones.

So many people wanted to verify the early reports of Jackson�s death that the computers running Google�s news section interpreted the fusillade of �Michael Jackson� requests as an automated attack for about half an hour Thursday evening.

In New York�s Times Square, a low groan went up in the crowd when a screen flashed that Jackson had died, and people began relaying the news to friends by cell phone.

�No joke. King of Pop is no more. Wow,� Michael Harris, 36, of New York City, read from a text message a friend sent to his telephone. �It�s like when Kennedy was assassinated. I will always remember being in Times Square when Michael Jackson died.�

http://www.msnbc.msn.com

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson dead at 50

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