Jaafar Jackson gets into the skin of uncle Michael Jackson in teaser of his biopic

Los Angeles, Nov 6 (IANS) The teaser of the biopic of the late legend Michael Jackson was unveiled on Thursday. The teaser begins with the lead character of Michael Jackson (portrayed by his nephew, Jaafar Jackson) putting on his headphones inside a studio.

A few shots inside the studio, and the teaser cuts to a packed stadium, followed by close-up shots of Michael Jackson’s midriff, one of them showing his iconic finger-snip hand movement.

The teaser then swings to show sticky notes on a board, one of which reads, ‘Beat It’, and other reads, ‘Billie Jean’.

‘Beat It’, which was released in 1983, holds monumental importance in Michael Jackson’s discography, both musically and culturally. It wasn’t just another hit, it was a turning point that cemented him as a global icon and helped define the sound and scope of pop music in the 1980s. The song blended pop, rock, and R&B in a way few songs had before. Featuring Eddie Van Halen’s blazing guitar solo, it bridged racial and genre divides, bringing Black pop to rock audiences and vice versa.

The anti-violence message (“don’t be a macho man”) contrasted sharply with the aggressive musical energy, showing Jackson’s ability to mix social commentary with mass appeal.

‘Billie Jean’, which was released in the same year as ‘Beat It’, is arguably the defining song of Michael Jackson’s career, the one that transformed him from a successful global icon into a musical legend.

The teaser then goes on to show the highs of Michael Jackson’s career, and his global impact as a cultural force, as he performs to packed arenas, and the audience fainting in his show, something that was common occurrence during his concerts.

It ends with another shot from the opening sequence of the teaser as Michael Jackson says, “Can you light the lights for me please” given he was a stage artist who transitioned to studio sessions.

Michael Jackson is considered the ‘King of Pop’. He was a transformative figure in music, dance, and entertainment. He revolutionised pop music through albums like ‘Thriller’, ‘Bad’, and ‘Dangerous’. His innovative music videos, signature dance moves like the moonwalk, and boundary-breaking sound reshaped pop-culture.

--IANS

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