Michael Jackson, the King of Pop and arguably one of the greatest entertainers and performers of all time has died at the age of 50, after suffering cardiac arrest.
Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Devin Gales would not confirm Jackson's identity but said that paramedics had attended an address corresponding to the star's home at 12:21pm and the person was consequently taken to UCLA Medical Center.
Attempts were made to resuscitate Michael enroute, however he arrived unresponsive at the Medical Center and was pronounced dead at 2:26pm on Thursday 25th June 2009.
Michael's father Joe Jackson told E! Online he had been contacted about the emergency but would not confirm specific details at this stage.
"I am in Las Vegas, but yes, people in Los Angeles called me and are with Michael and tell me he was taken to the hospital," he said. "I am not sure what's wrong. I am waiting to hear back from them."
A large crowd is gathering outside the Medical Center to pay their respects to the deceased pop star.
Michael Jackson was on born on August 29 1958, the seventh of nine children. He started performing when he was only 11 years old as part of the very successful family group "The Jackson 5". Michael went on to even greater fame and fortune when his solo career took off in the late seventies and throughout the eighties with phenomenal successes like Off The Wall, Bad and of course Thriller, the best selling album of all time.
Michael was due to start a keenly awaited concert tour in London, his first in nearly a decade, comprising of more than 50 shows world wide.
Organises of the concert had stressed that a previous postponement of a month had not been related to rumours of Michaels poor health.
In recent times Michael's incredible string of pop hits, music videos and astounding live performances had been overshaded by his escentricities including multiple plastic surgeries, dangling his children out of windows and off balconies, purchasing the bones of the Elephant Man and of repeated accusations of child molestation which culminated in charges being laid in 2005 for which Michael was eventually aquitted.
No matter what you thought of Michael Jackson himself, there is no doubting the impact he had on people all around the world, from all walks of life.
Jackson is destined to be remembered for his incredible contributions to music and the entertainment industry. Michael had an innate ability to combine music styles and genres and consistantly provide uniquely Michael Jackson creations that transcended generational barriers. He will be remembered as one of the truly greats of all time, and likened to The Beatles and Elvis Presley; forever immortalised for their creative genius.
In memory of Michael Jackson, the King of Pop.
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