Even as the clock ticks and the time passes on the six-week mark of Michael Jackson’s death and the tributes become less and less prevalent, haap (and Format Magazine) wants the world to know that we still haven’t forgotten.

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In what turned out to be a star-studded memorial service with the likes of Mariah Carey, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Lionel Richie, Queen Latifah, Brooke Shields Continue Reading

Michael Jackson was constantly evolving over the course of his career–always on the cutting edge of the entertainment industry. Continue Reading

First and foremost, thoughts and condolences go out from the HAAP family to the Jackson family. The entire world feels your tremendous loss.

I couldn’t have been but maybe three-years-old.

But my parents said every time Michael Jackson appeared on the television I would say, “Mike Jack” “Mike Jack”, not being able to pronounce his full name.

Even then, there must have been something so captivating about Michael Jackson. It’s so hard to grasp or wrap your mind around the fact that Michael Jackson is one of the most famous people of all-time ever on the planet Earth. Ever.

Jackson was considered in the upper-most echelon of celebrity where he had a fairly high percentage of his concert-goers just falling over and passing out. That, my friends, is huge. That is truly global.

Michael Jackson was just seemingly transcendent on so many levels. He was not only a musical genius, he was on the cutting edge for so long and was nothing short of a bona-fide trailblazer.

People forget that–because his music was so good–that Michael Jackson invented modern dance. He did. Dancing was never the same before or after Michael Jackson. Guys like Chris Brown, Usher and Justin Timberlake have derived much of their style and grace from Jackson’s moves almost 30 years removed. Hell, I’m not even sure people even knew how to dance until Jackson came along.

I think everyone can admit that the last 25 years or so of Jackson’s life didn’t go exactly as planned. But when I think of Michael Jackson, I will always think of–besides all the fun moments I’ve had with his music serving as the soundtrack–the year of my birth in 1983, at the television special Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever where Jackson unveiled his signature look, his signature sound with Billie Jean, and what would become a cornerstone of pop culture and his signature move: the moonwalk–and just totally blew everyone away. Certainly one of the most memorable moments in television and entertainment history.

And these weren’t just your run of the mill fans in the front row. This was a television special. These were his fellow celebrities in the front row falling all over themselves. That may be the very height of super-stardom.

He’ll always be Mike Jack to me.

Feel free to show your love and share your memories of Michael Jackson in the comments section below.

The 3:50 mark…in all his glory.

To show our due respect to arguably this era’s largest music icon, MJ, we will be posting daily videos and pics of the King of Pop.  Today’s video is one of, if not THE, favorite HAAP MJ song.  If you have another one that you would like us to add, post it in a comment or let us know and we will put it up.  Feel free to use the comment section to show your love or share some of your favorite MJ moments . . .
Enjoy MJ live at the 1988 Grammys: