Frank Cascio, Michael Jackson’s former personal assistant, wrote the new book “My Friend Michael: An Ordinary Friendship with an Extraordinary Man,” which is scheduled to be released on Tuesday.

The book sheds light on the musician’s longstanding drug problem that escalated into his Propofol-induced death in June of 2009.

wireimage.com

Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson’s former personal physician, was convicted by a Los Angeles County jury on Monday of involuntary manslaughter.

After a very public and high-profile trial, the jury found that Murray acted with criminal negligence that was so severe that it played a large role in Jackson’s death in 2009.   The defense asserted that Jackson administered the deadly dose of Propofol to himself, therefore Murray was not a factor, but the jury rejected this theory.

Jackson’s former doctor was immediately handcuffed upon the decision and will remain in custody until his November 29 sentencing.

“This is a crime where the end result was the death of a human being. That factor demands rather dramatically that the public should be protected,” Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor said, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Murray is facing a maximum of four years in prison, and will most likely lose his medical license.

Throughout the trial, witnesses accounted that Murray had made many medical mistakes, including giving Propofol in an unmonitored setting, messing up basic resuscitation and not keeping records.  According to the Times, experts said these mistakes led directly to the singer’s death.

After Jackson stopped breathing and died, Murray continued to talk on the phone, text message and receive emails.  He did not call for help for a while and lied to the first responders.  These factors, and his admission that he gave the pop-star Propofol were the nail in the coffin for Murray’s case.

The publicity around the trial also posed a challenge to the defense.  All of the nearly 150 people considered as jurors had heard of the case before the trial.

After Michael Jackson’s death on June 25, 2009, people pointed fingers at Dr. Conrad Murray, accusing him of causing the death of the King of Pop. The accusations said that Dr. Murray gave Jackson an overdose of Propofol, a type of surgical-grade anesthetic, and then did not proceed to monitor the star.

Despite the accusations, Murray chose not to show his face in L.A. Superior Court while the closing arguments for the involuntary manslaughter case took place. According to E! Online, Murray could only be proven guilty if the jury could prove that “he had (not only) committed an unlawful act, but (also) acted with criminal negligence and his act caused the death of Michael Jackson.” L.A. Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor made sure the jury knew that criminal negligence meant more than human error, inattention, or judgmental mistakes.

Murray was called negligent for even providing Jackson with the drugs, whether or not Jackson administered them himself. The prosecutors believed that Murray giving Jackson Propofol was enough to determine that he was guilty of the death.

Ed Chernoff was Murray’s defense attorney throughout the trial. E! Online quoted the start off Chernoff’s closing argument as he said, “They want you to convict Dr. Murray for the actions of Michael Jackson.” He claimed that the prosecutors had no substantial proof to put the blame on Murray, that they never found an actual crime.

The Daily Mail reported that Jackson was looking for Propofol to help him sleep at night, but he had no intention of overdosing. David Walgren, the prosecutor, said, “He wanted a doctor with eyes on him to keep him safe,” the night he took the drugs.

The prosecutors not only blame Murray for Jackson’s death, but also say that he has not acted like a trained doctor in general. According to the prosecutors, the doctor never had his patients’ prioritized at the top of his list.

Katy Perry is breaking records this year.

Katy Perry at the premiere of "The Smurfs" at the Ziegfeld Theater on July 24, 2011 in New York City. (WireImage)

The singer’s new film, “The Smurfs,” opened at #2 at the Box Office and she is the most nominated artist this year with nine VMA nods, although she has not won an actual Moonman yet.

Perry is now close to becoming the first female artist to have five #1 hit singles from the same album on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Michael Jackson first accomplished this record with his album Bad.

The singer’s new hit “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.),” is quickly moving up the charts and now sits at #2.

Perry’s previous #1 songs from Teenage Dream are “California Gurls,” “Teenage Dream,” “Firework,” and “E.T.”

USA TODAY reported Wednesday that Jermaine Jackson is going to write a memoir about the life of his brother, Michael Jackson. The book is called “You Are Not Alone, Michael: Through a Brother’s Eyes.”

It will focus on the several experiences Jermaine Jackson shared with MJ when growing up together in Gary, Indiana. Also, it is said that the book will cover some private topics such as MJ’s life as a worldwide star, his 2005 molestation trial, and the circumstances of his death.

Jermaine Jackson said in the release, “We don’t want Michael’s life – or death – to be an eternal mystery. This is the truth as we know it. I have read so much about what people think they know about Michael, but this is about what really happened. I hope to make sense of the occasions when the outside world struggled to understand my brother’s world.”

Touchstone publishers announced that it is slated for publication in the fall.

Having sold more than 100 million records worldwide, five-time Grammy award winner Janet Jackson one of the most well-known pop and R&B artists of all time.

With her countless hit songs like “Together Again,” “Rhythm Nation,” “Miss You Much,” and “All for You,” Janet is currently on the road. But it’s a little different this time. In her “Number Ones: Up Close and Personal” tour, she strongly focuses on the connection between the fans and herself at shows.

The tour also coincides with her recently released biography last month. Despite the busy schedule, Jackson kindly sat for an interview with Blast about her long journey as a fearless entertainer.

BLAST: You are currently on the road with Mindless Behavior. How is the tour going so far?

JANET JACKSON: Being onstage, performing for my fans is always fun for me. I get so much energy from them and it is great to be on tour. I talked with the kids from Mindless Behavior over the phone a few years back, and fell in love with them. I decided to have them open for me after seeing them on YouTube. They are not on the entire tour with me, but I am excited to have everyone in New York get to know them. They are so talented.

BLAST: For this tour, the venues are relatively smaller, compared to the ones where you’ve performed in your previous tours. Also, you only perform your ‘number one’ tunes this time. Is there any reason behind all these decisions?

JJ: I was at Radio City Music Hall for a private performance last year. It was so much fun. While I was on stage, I could look out and see the faces of everyone in the audience. All I could think of during the show was “this is exactly how I wanted to do my next tour, up close and personal.” I am excited to be back in Radio City Music Hall for the public dates. I just put out two CD’s from the “Number Ones” collection and that is why I have chosen the set list. The fans are really enjoying it and so am I. It has been a lot of fun!

BLAST: What can we expect to see at your shows during the current tour? Is there any surprise?

JJ: This tour is not about special effects. It is just me and my fans. I have been doing things a little different in each city. This show is a love affair between me and the fans.

BLAST: You’ve released 10 studio albums so far, and even your recent greatest hits compilation album, Number Ones, has 34 tracks. Which song do you love performing the most?

JJ: I really can’t answer that. I love to sign all of them. My music is so personal to me. I write about what is going on in my life at that time so whenever I am singing these songs, they bring back special memories.

BLAST: Looking back at when you released your self-titled debut album in 1982, what do you think has driven you to keep going at full speed for so long in the music industry?

JJ: Though singing was never my first choice, I am very grateful for the success I have had. I am a very creative person and I love creating…music, tours, acting roles. I am having too much fun to quit. Besides, I still have so much more that I want to accomplish in my life and career.

BLAST: A lot of musicians are big fans of yours, and some of them grew up watching you perform. You have been a huge positive influence on the younger generation of musicians.

JJ: I am grateful to hear that. The way was paved for me by women like Lena Horne, Dorothy Dandridge and Diana Ross. I hope that in some small way, I have been able to do that for others.

BLAST: Can we get excited to listen to new music coming from you?

JJ: Absolutely. Though I don’t know what it will be yet, I plan to go back into the studio later this year.

BLAST: You released your biography book “True You: A Journey to Finding and Loving Yourself” on Feb 15. What was the main message that you wanted to convey to the readers?

JJ: I want readers, specially the kids, to know that they are perfect just the way they are. If there was a book like it when I was a kid, I would have read it. There was nothing that I really liked about myself, it was like, I was all alone, and I felt like there was nobody I could talk to. I finally did talk to someone and only then did I feel like things started to get better. It has been a long road, but I am happy with my life now.

BLAST: In the book, you talk about your struggles with weight loss, self-esteem, and relationships. Those issues are not uncommon and there are so many people out there who are not able to like themselves. If you are going to give them advice, what would you say?

JJ: I talk a lot about this topic in “True You.” If I had to say just one thing, I recommend that people find someone that they can talk to about anything.

BLAST: The book recently ranked number one on New York Times Bestseller list.

JJ: I was told that we ranked in that position. I was so surprised but grateful to everyone that supported “True You” and made that possible.

BLAST: Even though you’ve gone through a lot of struggles including what you wrote in your book, you always look fearless and shining onstage, which encourages a lot of people. How do you transform all the pain into something creative and positive through music?

JJ: Whenever I am creating my music, or a tour, I am inspired by whatever is going on in my life. It is very healing and rewarding to take those experiences, the good and the bad, and create something that is positive. I hope that the fans can relate to what I create.

BLAST: What’s the next project that you will work on after this tour?

JJ: (laughs) I have never been great at multi-tasking, but I am working on that. I am having fun with everything that I am doing right now. The CD will be my next project at the moment.

Janet declined to answer questions about her brother, Michael Jackson. Janet plays Tuesday at the Wang Theatre in Boston. She plays Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut on Wednesday before a Friday, Saturday, Monday stop at Radio City Music Hall in New York.

Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor ordered Michael Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray, to stand trial for the involuntary manslaughter of the king of pop.

Prosecutors allege Murray, 57, gave Jackson a lethal dose of sedatives, which led to Jackson’s death in June 2009. Murray has pleaded not guilty by claiming that he did not give Jackson anything that should have killed him. However, during a six-day preliminary hearing at the Los Angeles Superior court, testimony was given that Murray ordered hundreds of bottles of Propofol in the months before the incident.

Pastor also granted a request by the California Medical Board to suspend Murray’s license to practice medicine in the state.

Murray could face up to four years in prison if convicted.

New Michael Jackson video was released this morning. “Hold My Hand” was released last month as a single from MJ’s upcoming album “Michael.”

The highly anticipated album will be released on December 14.

In the video, you can enjoy watching MJ’s historical achievement scenes and latest Akon powerfully singing the tune while listening to the amazing duet.

Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Julien’s Auctions had an “Icons & Idols” auction Saturday night, and the single glove worn by Michael Jackson during 1980′s “Bad” tour went for $330,000. Also, a fedora he wore on stage went for $72,000.

Other interesting items at the auction were an x-ray of Albert Einstein’s brain going for $38,750, and a pair of Marilyn Monroe’s empty prescription bottles, which was sold for $18,750.

Michael Jackson’s new single “Hold My Hand” will be released on Monday.

It will be the first single from the king of pop’s Michael album. Also, the song will be featuring Akon.

The song was originally leaked in an unfinished form 2 years ago and supposed to be included in Akon’s third album, Freedom.

The upcoming album “Michael,” hitting stores on December 14, will also feature Lenny Kravitz and 50 Cent.

It will be an early Christmas present for us from the King of Pop.

Here is a full track list

1. Hold My Hand (featuring Akon)
2. Hollywood Tonight
3. Keep Your Head Up
4. (I Like) The Way You Love Me
5. Monster (featuring 50 Cent)
6. Best of Joy
7. Breaking News
8. (I Can’t Make It) Another Day (featuring Lenny Kravitz)
9. Behind the Mask

The late King of Pop, Michael Jackson has vaulted to the top of the list of celebrities whose estates generate millions after his death. According to Forbes magazine list, Jackson is by far the richest dead celebrity, with an estate that brought in more than $275 million over the past 12 months.

It all came from a combination of smart licensing deals cut by the executors of his estate, a huge spike in sales of the singer’s catalog since his June 2009 death and, most important, the $250 million worldwide box-office receipts of the tour rehearsal film “This Is It,” including a $60 million advance from Sony Pictures. Jackson’s music sales alone brought in $50 million thanks to heavy radio play and album sales, along with receipts from a Jackson-themed video game and the re-release of his autobiography, “Moon Walk,” which added another $50 million.

The unprecedented financial numbers could continue to rise, as a deal with Sony Music to issue unreleased recordings, which is expected to happen in November first, being worth another $200 million to $250 million over the next seven years.

Number 2 on the list is king of rock, Elvis Presley, whose receipts shot up $5 million to give him $60 million in the past year thanks to the newly launched Las Vegas Cirque du Soleil show featuring his music as well as the boost in licensed products and merchandise in honor of what would have been his 75th birthday.

“Lord of the Rings” author J.R.R. Tolkien banked $50 million, mainly due to the sales of 500,000 books over the past year, followed by “Peanuts” creator Charles Schulz ($33 million) and, rounding out the top 5, “Imagine” singer/songwriter John Lennon ($17 million), whose earnings ballooned 30 years after his murder as a result of the re-release of his solo catalog, licensing deals with Cisco and Mont Blanc and receipts from “Beatles Rock Band” as well.

Almost a year has passed since Michael Jackson passed away. (Can you even believe that?) People still remember, respect, and love him/his music. However, now here comes another lawsuit battle regarding the death of the king of pop. Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine Jackson, sued AEG Live LLC in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday, claiming the promoter of her son’s planned comeback concerts didn’t provide key lifesaving equipment and didn’t adequately monitor the cardiologist hired to care for her son. Also, she is seeking unspecified damages on behalf of herself and her son’s three children.

"The lawsuit is inaccurate, unsubstantiated and meritless," attorney Marvin S. Putnam said in a statement released by AEG Live LLC.

The statement emphasized the point that the doctor, Conrad Murray, was acting as Jackson’s personal physician and was not an AEG employee — "Dr. Murray was Mr. Jackson’s longtime personal physician. AEG did not choose him, hire him or supervise him," the statement claims.

Putnam said there would be no further public comments on the lawsuit.

Murray has been charged with involuntary manslaughter for his alleged actions in the hours before Jackson’s death. Murray has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of Jackson in June 2009. Police said Murray gave Jackson an overdose of the anesthetic Propofol. He is not a named defendant in Katherine Jackson’s lawsuit although he is frequently mentioned.

Michael Jackson’s father, Joe Jackson, is going to sue the pop star’s doctor for wrongful death, according to Reuters.

Joe Jackson’s lawyer, Brian Oxman, told Reuters that the amount of prescription drugs given to the star amounted to second-degree murder. “That is Russian roulette,” he said. “That is loading six bullets into a gun with only six chambers.”

MJ’s doctor, Conrad Murray, has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter as part of a criminal investigation.

Joe Jackson’s legal action is to be a civil case because the civil lawsuit’s main purpose is winning monetary damages against Dr Murray but the criminal action could result in a jail sentence.

According to the publication., Mr. Oxmand also said Michael Jackson had been given Propofol every night for six weeks and said it was "reckless, and it amounts to second-degree murder."

Earlier this month, California’s attorney general Edmund Brown said Dr. Murray should not practice while he faces charges over the MJ’s death.

In the meantime, it has been revealed that large quantities of general anesthetic and dozens of tubes of skin-whitening creams were found in MJ’s home during searches after his death.

The creams are usually used to treat vitiligo, a skin disease MJ suffered from that causes patches of skin to lose pigmentation.

A lawyer for Dr. Conrad Murray said on Tuesday that his client was prepared to turn himself in if charges against him were filed relating to the Michael Jackson’s death, according to the Los Angeles Times. Murray admits giving the King of Pop the surgical anesthetic propofol, as well as other tranquilizers, several times before he died on June 25th, 2009.

“I don’t have any specific information that leads me to believe he is going to be charged this week,” Conrad Murray’s attorney Ed Chernoff told the LA Times. “But if he is, we’ve made it clear he’s available to turn himself in.”

The arrival of Dr. Conrad Murray and Chernoff from Houston set off a new round of speculation that authorities, who have been mulling a manslaughter case against the doctor since last summer, could file charges soon.

But the LA County district attorney’s office would not confirm whether prosecutors planned to file a case against Murray. “All I can tell you is that we have not filed anything. When and if we do, we will let everyone know at one time,” said spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons.

Chernoff said that Murray was visiting Los Angeles for personal matters and also planned to attend a strategy session Tuesday afternoon with his criminal defense team.

Murray has acknowledged that he administered the powerful anesthetic propofol only after trying many other medications to help Michael Jackson to sleep, and after Jackson’s “repeated demands/requests” for the drug.
After the injection, Jackson went into cardiac arrest within 20 minutes, while Murray had stepped out for a bathroom break, the doctor told authorities in an interview a few days after the death. He did not call 911 until 12:22 pm, more than an hour after he realized Jackson wasn’t breathing.

It’s official – Taylor Swift is the biggest award winner of the music trophy season. Her mantel will now hold the Grammy for Album of the Year, beating out Beyonc©, Lady Gaga, Dave Matthews Band and The Black Eyed Peas. As usual though, awards were not the focal point of the show. It was the performances that made the night at the Grammys. Some had a better time than others (though the big winner, performance-wise tonight was a miss for Taylor Swift). Also, a note to L’il Wayne, Eminem and Drake – if you are going to need a bleep out of your lyrics for more than three consecutive seconds, it might behoove you to consider a temporary re-write for those at home.

It has to be said that when recognizing a man who has been contributing to the music industry for the better part of four decades, the Grammys’ tribute to Michael Jackson was a bit of a let down. First, the vast majority of the audience at home were lacking in 3D glasses necessary to make out the performance – whether unaware that an extra purchase was necessary or not willing to part with the cash, non-glasses wearing viewers were treated to a performance of blurry red and blue images. To be honest, the 3D stunt seemed like a way to make an extra few bucks rather than paying tribute to Michael Jackson. It also seemed strange that “Earth Song” was picked as the tribute song rather than a medley of the King of Pop’s hits, especially with the wealth of musicians participating in the tribute. This is all without touching how painful it was to see his children put up on stage to accept Jackson’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Considering how hard he worked to keep them out of sight of cameras, the whole charade came off forced and insensitive.

Bon Jovi followed the tribute with another Grammy first – a viewer selected song. Fans and viewers alike have been voting before and during the show for what song Bon Jovi will perform on stage. The band opened with their newest single “Who Says You Can’t Go Home?” and then halfway through the performance, the winning song, “Living on a Prayer” was announced and Bon Jovi slipped into their biggest hit – though disappointingly for only a single verse and chorus.

The Grammys also memorialized Les Paul with a lackluster performance. Legendary Jeff Beck ruled the strings of Les Paul’s most generous gift to music – the hard bodies electric guitar. It was disheartening to see the vocal performance so clearly lip-synched though. If the guitar as well was mimicked, it was harder to pick up. One can only help they kept that legitimate.

The Dave Matthews Band and Maxwell also gave noteworthy performances. Even if she didn’t win any awards during the televised broadcast, Blast votes Lady Gaga as the most solid performances of the evening, kicking off the awards with Sir Elton John.

What was your favorite performance of the night? Least favorite?

If you missed any of tonight’s performances, they will be available for purchase on iTunes tomorrow. Or you can check out the photos below for some of tonight’s highlights.

Sony Computer Entertainment today detailed information on a “This Is It” Michael Jackson-themed PlayStation 3 bundle.

Available only in Japan for ¥33,500 (US$366) January 27, the package comes with a 120GB PS3 (and all its fixings) and a copy of the This Is It film on Blu-ray, which Sony is publishing.

Is this it? Yes it is.

No mention of the bundle coming to North America, but if it does, we’ll pass it on.

Well, never thought I’d see this, but hey, here it is.

Source: Kotaku

• Taylor Swift: Best grace under fire
• Beyonce: Diva with the best video of all time!
• Lady Gaga: Most original resurger of pop music
• Kings of Leon: Best job at making a straight up rock and roll band with no gimmick cool again
• Miley Cyrus: Tween queen 2009
• Owl City: Best “what the fuck is this but we kind of like it”
• Cobra Starship: Best use of a cameo and catchy hook to make you famous
• Blink 182: Best reunion
• Drake: Most awesome transition from shitty teen drama to rap star ever
• Lil Wayne: Most money for being on songs that aren’t his (surpassing Lil Jon)
• Justin Bieber: Best “this would be adorable except you’re 12 so it makes me feel like a creep”
• Glee soundtrack: Best way to make covers totally awesome yet completely nerdy all at the same time
• Jay Sean: Best introduction of Bollywood flavor into American main stream
• Michael Jackson: Best comeback, it just sucks he had to die to do it

The magic of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is giving the public a long desired look into Michael Jackson’s legal troubles today.

According to the FBI, there have been FOIA requests (yes, plural, but it doesn’t say just how many) for investigative files on the late MJ. The seven files total 333 pages (those of you into numerology should be mildly spooked) and the FBI emphasizes that none of the investigations ever lead to convictions in court.

The first file is in regards to a federal case against a California man who had pretended to be the son of John Gotti, written threatening letters to Jackson and staked out his house. The nut job was found unfit to stand trial and went to prison for two years.

Both the second and third files are on the 1993 molestation investigation. Public records on Jackson, potential witness interviews and other leads never amounted to much, as no charges were ever filed.

The fourth file involves a 1995 investigation into the possibility that Jackson possessed child pornography. This case, too, went nowhere, after forensic specialists said the tape was a “poor quality third of forth generation recording.”

Finally, the sixth, seventh and eighth files all deal with the extensive 2003 molestation investigation that eventually went to trial in 2005. This was his most recent, and last, child molestation battle. The files include an FBI response to an LAPD request to “analyze computers and digital media obtained from Jackson’s home under court warrant,” a request by the Santa Barbara County DA for help from behavioral analysts, and an FBI agent’s trip to New York to interview a potential witness, who was unwilling to cooperate.

So, if you’d like to sift through several hundred pages of a rather questionable life, check out the FBI investigative files on Mr. Michael Jackson, King of Pop.

Two very different season finales tonight: “America’s Next Top Model” at 8 p.m. on The CW and “South Park” at 10 on Comedy Central. No premieres on this Wednesday.

In the news, MTV will have exclusive US television rights to Michael Jackson’s “This Is It.” The movie concert will start to air on MTV’s networks in 2011, so don’t hold your breath.

Discovery has another epic series coming out in March. “Life” is an 11-parter and will be narrated by Opray Winfrey.

Lorraine Bracco from “The Sopranos” was cast in a TNT drama pilot called “Rizzoli.” She will play the mother of police detective Jane Rizzoli, who will be played by Angie Harmon.

Orianthi has wavy blond hair, a warm smile and a cute Aussie accent. But whatever you do, don’t underestimate her. She’s only 24, but she can already shred on a guitar better than rock stars twice her age. She’s so good, in fact, by the time she was 18, she had already opened for Steve Vai and jammed with Carlos Santana. And as if that weren’t cool enough, Michael Jackson selected her to be his lead guitarist for his “This Is It” tour. Dreams really do come true.

Sadly, Orianthi’s time with Jackson was cut short after his tragic death, but she always sticks to her mantra: Don’t let negativity hold you down.

She reflects on the three months she spent with Jackson positively, albeit a little wistfully. “He was encouraging and wanted all of us to do our best, project our energy and just put on an amazing show,” she says. Jackson helped build her confidence, and made her believe in herself. “It was an amazing and really, really surreal experience.”

Despite the cancelled Jackson tour, Orianthi is keeping busy. Her debut album, “Believe,” hit shelves October 27, just one day before “This Is It,” the Jackson documentary opened in theaters. Orianthi is featured extensively throughout the film.

“Believe” is an energetic, invigorating mix of pop and rock that could easily fit between Kelly Clarkson and Ashlee Simpson-Wentz on Top 40 radio, or after The Donnas on a rock station. There’s also a heavy 80s influence, and of course, a shrieking and wailing guitar solo in every song. But unlike some of her contemporary female singer-songwriters who only throw on a guitar to strum a few chords for a music video, Orianthi really knows how to rock. Avril Lavigne only wishes she could make an album like this.

Growing up in Adelaide, Australia, Orianthi was surrounded by music from a very young age. At age 6, she picked up one of her dad’s guitars and hasn’t put it down since. She recalls sitting for hours, just playing song after song on her acoustic guitar.

“I think in life, you should go with what you get and what you’re passionate for,” she says. “I didn’t really get math, and I didn’t really get science or anything in school but I felt music was my calling.”

It was Carlos Santana’s soulful live performance that really inspired her at age 11. “After watching him perform, I didn’t want to play classical anymore because it was kind-of boring,” she says with a small laugh. She quickly switched to electric guitar.

Three years ago, Orianthi was offered a record deal by Geffen and moved to L.A. to write and record. “Believe”has been a long time in the making, but her hard work really shines through in the finished project.

When she first got a Myspace message from Jackson’s music director inviting her to audition for the band, she didn’t think it was real. But soon enough, she was playing in front of Jackson himself. She had never been so nervous in her entire life.

After Jackson hired her, Orianthi worked hard to learn all the songs and make sure all the music sounded just right. “Every time he’d come in the room, I’d get nervous because I wanted to make him happy,” she says.

His death hit everyone in the band hard. Seeing “This Is It”once it was released to the public was tough but as usual, Orianthi tries to stay upbeat. “It was very emotional but fun looking back on some amazing memories working with the ultimate entertainer,” she says.

Just like Jackson, Vai, and Santana influenced Orianthi, she hopes to be an inspiration to kids around the world. “I really hope to inspire more young girls to pick up the guitar and keep at it,” she says.”It wasn’t easy being a female guitar player growing up and lining up at the auditions with the guys at school. It was pretty difficult but if I can inspire more females to get started, that would be amazing.”

Next up for Orianthi: a tour. She’s excited to go out on the road and start playing some of her new songs. No matter what happens, she knows everything will work out. “If I can play guitar every day, I’ll be happy,” she says.

Orianthi’s “Believe” is available in major music retailers everywhere, including iTunes and Amazon.

Just a few days before his untimely death, Michael Jackson was gearing up to set out on a sold-out 50-concert comeback in London. Following ten years of silence from the misunderstood artist, this final performance was going to be unlike any that the King of Pop had ever done before. But little did he know that his true final performance would come in the behind-the-scenes documentary of the show’s final rehearsals.

“This Is It” is pervaded by an eerie sense of foreboding. When watching the (still, at 50) incredibly nimble Jackson fly across the stage, it’s hard not to think of the autopsy photographs of his ruined body that would surface soon after. Jackson says, on several occasions during rehearsal, that he is saving his voice for the real thing, and it’s sad to think of the performance he might have given had he known it would be his last. And on several occasions, the extremely meticulous Jackson would stop mid-performance, fix whatever issue he had with the band, and say, “This is why we have rehearsal,” with a laugh.

Fans who go to “This Is It,” hoping to hear Jackson’s last words to his fans will come away disappointed. Though the film is a documentary, there are very few interviews with the crew, and there are none with Jackson. The film begins by talking to Jackson’s principal dancers, who are so choked up that it’s hard to believe the footage was shot before Jackson’s death.

The rest of the film is straight rehearsal footage, sometimes shot with poor-quality cameras, which reminds the audience that this was never intended to be released in theaters. Despite the fact that this footage only gives a brief glimpse into what the real performance was going to be like, it’s incredible to watch such a talented performer who still, after all these years, hits his mark every single time, both dancing and singing.

This film won’t win any awards based on its cinematography (the opening and closing credits looked like they were made on iMovie) but the packaging doesn’t matter a whole lot when the content is Michael Jackson. Viewers will take away the message of the film, which Jackson repeated to his crew several times — “It’s all about love.”

NEW YORK — As the 2009 CMJ Music Marathon drew to a close Saturday night, there was a palpable sense of giddy relief among festival-goers in Lower Manhattan. After five days of organized chaos, it was clear by Saturday afternoon that the artists and their management crews were focused solely on having a good time, like kids on the last day of school.

Kicking off the afternoon was the Brooklyn Vegan showcase at Piano’s, which featured a slew of bands (as well as free Miller and bloody marys until about 3 p.m.). The standout act was Canada’s Still Life Still, who’s hook-laden indie repertoire contains as much distortion as possible to still be called pop. It might be considered shoegaze, but more than likely your feet would be tapping so fast you wouldn’t be able to focus. The tiny performance space completely absorbed their fuzz-rock wall of sound, particularly drummer Aaron Romaniuk’s Animal-like pounding, that surely left plenty of ears ringing at the end of the set.

As evening fell and a monsoon drenched the city, Blast headed over to the Village Underground to catch Lisa Bianco. The local singer/songwriter, unlike many CMJ acts who brought out the bells and whistles, played straightforward Sheryl Crowe-esque rock backed by a full band.

On the opposite end of the musical spectrum, next up was Spleen United, an electro-rock outfit from Denmark who created their own four-person mosh pit on the downstairs stage of Santos Party House. Their pulsating, industrial sound is reminiscent of early Depeche Mode, but they were followed by Lemonade, whose psychedelia-inspired noise rock was a little too avant garde for our tastes.

Not avant garde AT ALL was our final stop of the festival, the Tribute Wars showcase at Le Poisson Rouge, which featured heavy metal tributes to the Bee Gees and Michael Jackson (yes, you read that right) and an all-female Metallica cover band called Misstallica.

The Bee Gees act, known as Tragedy (tagline: “The Number One Heavy Metal Bee Gees Tribute Band in the Tri-State Area”), employs shlock in the best way imaginable, with a stage setup that featured female backup dancers (one donning feathery angel wings) and an abundance of glitter. The band members exploited basically every ’80s hair metal stereotype, down to the ostentatious screens in the background that blared “TRAGEDY” in flaming typeface. Heartfelt interpretations of classics like “How Deep Is Your Love” and “Night Fever” had the crowd in stitches, with singer “Robin Gibbens,” clad only in pink feather boots and white boxer briefs, gyrating around the stage with a not insignificant beer gut unabashedly on display. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, they brought out a cowbell for closing number “Stayin’ Alive.”

After a quick costume change, some of Tragedy’s members teamed with other musicians for “Dangerous,” a heavy metal tribute to Michael Jackson whose members include “Neverland Raunch” and “Blanket Peterson.” Formed before Jackson’s death in June, the band seamlessly incorporated snippets of metal classics like “Whole Lotta Love” and “Sister Christian” into the end of songs like “Smooth Criminal” and “Billie Jean.” They finished with “We Are the World,” which featured what can only be described as the opposite of an all-star cast, including several audience members, up on stage. As crowd members looked on with a mix of amusement, confusion and horror, it’s fair to say that the rendition may have had a unifying effect equal to that of the original’s.

Less comical but equally mind-blowing was the final act of the evening, Philadelphia quartet Misstallica. Recently named one of the top five all-female tribute acts in the country by Gibson.com, they offered note-by-note replications of early Metallica classics like “Seek and Destroy” and “Master of Puppets.” Singer/guitarist Gina Randazzo offered a spot-on imitation of James Hetfield, even mimicking his distinctive hunch over the microphone, and lead guitarist Gigi Gleason made Kirk Hammet’s brain-melting guitar solos look effortless. For anyone who can’t afford a high-priced stadium ticket to see Metallica nowadays, these girls are a worthy substitute.

It’s been an exhausting week, but we loved every minute of it. Finally, here’s a wrap-up of the marathon overall:

Best Acts: Casxio, Still Life Still

Worst Acts: Hunter Valentine, Lemonade (sorry)

Pleasant Surprise: Via Tania

Biggest Disappointment: The Fire and Reason

Best New Discovery: Dangerous: A Heavy Metal Tribute to Michael Jackson, the banh mi at Santos Party House

Best Venues: Le Poisson Rouge, Santos Party House

Photography by Sarah Be for Blast

Beyonce was the big winner at last night’s MTV Video Music Awards, taking home the big prize of Video of the Year for “Single Ladies”. It seemed to be lady’s night at MTV because Lady Gaga took home the honors for “Best New Artist” while Britney Spears took “Best Pop Video”. Green Day beat out Kings of Leon and Fall Out Boy for Best Rock Video, but the awards were ironically a very insignificant part of last night’s show.

Just in case you have been in a coma for the past 24 hours, the first thing you need to know about last night’s awards is that Kanye West should no longer be allowed on the premises. By Blast calculations, this is the third year that Kanye has publicly displayed his outrage at the MTV selection for an award. This year’s victim was America’s country sweetheart Taylor Swift, who won the first award of the night “Best Female Video.” In outrage that Beyonce didn’t win for “one of the best videos of all time” Kanye rushed the stage, took Taylor’s microphone during her acceptance speech, and proclaimed Beyonce should have been the winner leaving Miss Swift in horrified silence. Twitter explosions and blog frenzies after report that Swift was to be seen sobbing backstage after the debacle.

Outside of the dramatics, the VMAs this year contained a lot of W-t-fness, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Every cut to Lady Gaga gave viewers a peak at outrageous outfit after outrageous outfit. Apparently being able to see was not a major concern when making fashion decisions. Equally as twisted was her live performance. Gaga performed her latest mega hit “Paparazzi” on the VMA stage. She lived up to her reputation of a fantastic live performance, but the crowd and viewers alike were a little disturbed by Gaga’s literal perception of the paparazzi killing her when she poured blood over her and then pseudo hung herself from the VMA ceiling.

R&B badass Pink also used a harness for her VMA performance, which may have been the most impressive of the night. Pink performed the entire sang, hanging about 50 feet off the ground, flipping around and somersaulting with her trapeze partner. The most amazing part of the stunt was that she was continuing to sing live “" no lip syncing “" as she continuously flipped head over heels.

In fact there wasn’t a bad musical performance the entire night. Taylor Swift was impressive with her take over of the 42nd street subway station and subsequent Times Square performance. Beyonce amazed audiences not only with her fancy leg work but the fact that she didn’t have a wardrobe malfunction visa Janet Jackson at the Superbowl. Jay-Z and Alicia Keys topped off the night with their new duet, but it was the opening of the show that stole most of the attention.

This year’s VMAs kicked off with a Janet Jackson led tribute to her late brother, King of Pop, Michael Jackson. It was touching and very fitting that this year’s awards were dedicated to a man who took music videos to a new height. Dancers recreated moves from the iconic “Thriller” before Janet arose on stage and re-created the moves from “Scream” while Michael’s mirroring performance played on the screen behind. Intermittently throughout the show, props were given to Michael as well as a full trailer of “This Is It”, the film compiled of all the rehearsal footage before his death, which will appear in theatres nationwide on October 28.

Performances really took precedence at the awards. Only five trophies were given out during the actual aired show. Equally as insignificant was host Russell Brand. While admittedly hilarious in his own right, British stand-up comic Brand fell flat as returning host of the awards. While MTV was probably banking on Brand’s gained notoriety over the past year, his brash humor didn’t translate well to the stage. It seemed that producers spent more time cutting to commercial after Brand’s crude punchlines than letting him speak, and that’s when he was brought on stage to introduce anyone at all. Though Brand has conquered television hosting, movies and even the New York Time’s bestseller’s list with his autobiography “My Booky Wook”, hosting just may not be his thing.

Overall, the show was surprisingly entertaining, especially considering the disappointing past couple of years. There wasn’t a boring moment during the entire two and a half hour runtime. Last night’s show was so well put together that it might have actually succeeded in distracting people from the fact that the ceremony is completely irrelevant. Seriously, when was the last time MTV even played a video?

Michael Jackson fans hoping for a DVD worthy of the career of the King of Pop will be sadly disappointed with Devotion: An Unauthorized Tribute to Michael Jackson. This DVD runs for over an hour completely devoid of any of Jackson’s music, videos or performance clips. “Unauthorized” is certainly an apt way to describe it, as the company that put this film together most likely couldn’t get the rights to the music.

“Devotion” is also the perfect word to have in the title. The film’s stance is that Jackson was a merely a tragic victim of the environment around him, and glosses over a lot of the unpleasant aspects of the late performer’s life.

The story unfolds with the untimely death of the beloved Jackson and then takes us back to Gary, Indiana where it all started. After a very brief history of the Jackson Five and Motown Records, the focus swiftly shifts to Michael as a solo artist. The tension between the family and father Joe Jackson during the Jackson Five days is ignored completely. The only interesting thing the film is able to get out of this segment is an interview with Berry Gordy Jr., the founder of Motown Records.

What “Devotion” fails to capture, is that the iconic essence of Michael Jackson will always be found in his music. Yes he was a philanthropist, had eccentricities, and was slightly vilified by the media but it is his music that upholds his status as a legend. This DVD is basically a narrated list of Jackson’s awards, charitable contributions and wrongs on the media’s part.

The highlight of the film is the “Memorial Service” feature in the bonus features menu. Here, we actually get footage of family and friends remembering Michael and sharing some fond memories.

One resonating clip from an otherwise mundane film is from Jackson’s brief press conference in March when he announced his final shows at London’s O2 Arena. Jackson’s words of “when I say this is it, it really means this is it … the final curtain call” seem particularly haunting to hear from him.

Michael Jackson’s personal doctor finds himself at the center of a homicide — and not an accidental death — investigation, the Associated Press reports.

Police told the AP that the Los Angeles County coroner has ruled Michael Jackson’s death was a homicide, making it likely that criminal charges will follow.

Michael Jackson died as a result of a fatal combination of anethetics and sedatives taken hours before his June 25 death.

Dr. Conrad Murray, Jackson’s personal physician, is the target of a manslaughter probe, the AP reported.

Just when you thought the rumors plaguing MJ’s death couldn’t be more absurd, Reuters dug into the weirdest yet.

For whatever reason, hairs that were burnt off the fallen king’s head during the filming of a 1984 Pepsi commercial were saved, and are now being made into diamonds.

Take moment to let that one sink in.

Apparently, this is completely true. The Chicago-based company, LifeGem, extracts carbon from hair, turns it into crystals and then high-quality laboratory diamonds. LifeGem’s founder, Dean VandenBiesen said, “Absolutely this is for real.” It’s also been done before with locks of Beethoven’s hair in 2007, one of which sold for around $200,000.

Reuters confirmed this rumor after Rolling Stone magazine first let it out in the August 6 issue. That magazine article also said that MJ’s artificial nose was stolen, but that rumor has not been confirmed.

The Los Angeles Police Department and other agencies are saying that Michael Jackson’s death might become a criminal/homicide case as they and we await the results of an official coroner report.

Police have seized medical records from about a dozen doctors.

Jackson’s father, Joe, has been vocal, telling ABC News, “I do believe it was foul play.”

Michael Jackson’s will was filed Wednesday in a Los Angeles court, revealing successors of his estate and legal guardians of his children, The Huffington Post reported.

The 7-year-old will estimates his estate to be worth more than $500 million at that time. It gives his entire estate to a family trust and names his mother Katherine Jackson, as a beneficiary of the trust and the guardian of his children.

The children are named in the will as well, but conspicuously absent from the document is Jackson’s former wife, Debbie Rowe. She is the mother of Prince and Paris Jackson, 12 and 11 years old respectively, and according to People, her lawyer will likely wage a custody battle. Jackson and Rowe have fought for custody of their kids once before in 2005, three years after the will was written.

If anything should happen to Katherine Jackson, Michael named Supremes singer Diana Ross as the children’s guardian.

People also points out that the entire estate will be in question because of Jackson’s recent financial problems.

In short, the will does little to settle the confusion surrounding Jackson’s death.

It has been days since the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, has passed away, and the future surrounding the estate of his fortune remains a mystery.

What is known is the fate of his children. In a statement to the Associated Press, Mr. Jackson’s mother, Katherine, was granted temporary guardianship of the three Jackson children by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff earlier this morning. This action is the first step by the Jackson family in order to secure the stability of the youngsters. An official determination of the guardian status will be held later in the summer on August 3.

The division of Mr. Jackson’s property and finances are most likely headed for probate unless an official will is presented soon. Probate is a legal process for heirs like Jackson’s children to obtain the title to the properties entitled to them by law. Without a specified will it shall be the court’s judgment as to how everything will be settled, not the wishes of the departed. The first consideration will be for his children and immediate family. Yet this complicates things further as Mr. Jackson’s mounting debts are suspected to be in the approximate range of $400 million dollars.

There are many details in need of resolution where Jackson’s finances are concerned currently. Despite the recent sale of The Neverland Ranch and its items, which were auctioned out, the high-end lifestyle of the icon continued to eat away at his bank account, especially with his last residence which cost $100,000 per month. The recent explosive sellout of Mr. Jackson’s discography may just change everything. While ticket sellers for Jackson’s now defunct British concert tour are assuring buyers proper refunds, all other merchandising of the icon remains at an all time high. Again, who stands to inherit the bulk? Since the news of Katherine Jackson’s guardianship of her grandchildren, members of the Associated Press recently noted the Jackson Matriarch has also filed to serve as an administrator of Michael Jackson’s estate to secure his three children future entitlements. So whatever benefits remain from clearing current debts will go towards the children. Deborah Rowe, the mother to two of Mr.Jackson’s children, has not disputed any course of actions thus far.

The pop star’s investments are famous, such as the partial ownership of The Beatles musical catalog which is at an estimate worth of almost half a billion dollars, and another investment of Mr. Jackson includes shares of Sony which is also valued at a high figures as well. Yet what seems like a windfall of money becomes shadowed by the immense costs for lawyers fees and settlements which Mr. Jackson made several years ago during his child molestation trial. While the singer has been acquitted of all charges the firestorm of attacks to his image cost the singer a slump in sales, and seclusion.

However, the current status of his brand name and sales generates a comeback not seen since the 80s during his “Thriller” days. The comeback which Mr. Jackson sought for the summer has manifested in a different way. It seems though his death, the unanswered questions to the controversies of his life, Mr. Jackson will become financially as much of a brand as Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, and James Dean.

Edward Chernoff, attorney for Michael Jackson’s physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, allegedly the last person to handle Jackson or see him alive, made a statement to the Associated Press that he did not prescribe the drugs rumored to have killed the King of Pop.

“Dr. Murray has never prescribed nor administered Demerol to Michael Jackson,” Chernoff said. He also reveals that Murray discovered a faint pulse after finding Jackson’s body. As to whether Murray mishandled the treatment is uncertain. We are awaiting the results of a second autopsy.

The question remains, what triggered the cardiac arrest?

After Michael Jackson’s death Thursday Universal Studios scrambled to remove a scene from the film “Bruno,” in which Sacha Baron Cohen’s Bruno questions La Toya Jackson about her brother, before the LA premiere of the film, Universal said in a press release.

Insiders told Entertainment Weekly they managed to cut the scene from the film just an hour before the premiere, which was Thursday night. The scene was previously seen by journalists during pre-screenings of “Bruno.”

The scene featured Bruno, a flamboyantly gay Austrian fashionista, snagging an interview with La Toya and asking her a series of questions about her brother, Michael. She did not appear to be in on the joke, EW reported.

Universal has not said whether the scene will be included in the film in either its theatrical or DVD releases.

LOS ANGELES — The king is dead.

On the afternoon of June 25, music icon Michael Jackson’s heart suddenly stopped at his Hollywood home. Paramedics and doctors could not revive him. The media competition began. Gossip website TMZ.com reported it first, and soon ABC and NBC were quoting the celebrity gossip site as if it were CNN or BBC “"‚  as if it were a colleague. CNN confirmed it last, but the news was true all the same. The King of Pop was gone forever. Michael Joseph Jackson, age 50.

Fans responded quickly.

A swarm gathered at UCLA Medical Center with pictures of his face and shirts with his name.

As news of his death sent shock waves the world still mourned the passing of Farrah Fawcett, who lost her battle with cancer, and Ed McMahon, whose combination of medical illnesses took his life several days ago. Three icons in a matter of less than a week, and in its wake the public still grapples to cope with it. Yet it was Mr. Jackson’s death which proved to overwhelm the public.

Jackson once revealed in a televised interview that the most honest song he has ever written, the song he feels people should examine when it comes to him, is “Childhood” from the album HIStory. The first verse of the song reveals a poignant fact, “no one understands me.”

And in the aftermath of his sudden death, questions still abound in attempts to understand how this King of Pop, the artist who enamored fans with his dancing and music, could have fallen from grace so tragically.

Although we may never know the truth to the molestation charges pressed against him, the scandal was detrimental enough and made a lasting impression. Mr. Jackson lost credibility among many fans and friends as his antics grew increasingly questionable “" from wearing pajamas while on trial or jumping on the roof of his car before onlookers outside the courthouse.

What does remain is a prolific body of work which has inspired generations of musicians, artists and actors.

The beginnings of Michael Jackson, as one of seven musically gifted children, hail from Gary, Indiana. At age five, Mr. Jackson began to reveal his flair for singing during school recitals and eventually became a part of his father’s dream team later known as The Jackson 5. Michael quickly became the most adored brother, captivating audiences as the years went by and fame grew quickly.

After a momentous meeting with legends Barry Gordy, Smokey Robinson, and Diana Ross, it appeared that Mr. Jackson and his brothers were on their way to being stars with hits like “ABC,” “I Want You Back” and “I’ll Be There.”

The price of fame eventually came at a cost. Unlike most children his age, Mr. Jackson’s catapult toward the limelight cheated him from normal childhood experiences “" a factor that would become a recurring theme in his music and life.

Where most child stars fall into the shadows of entertainment history, Mr. Jackson developed into a man and flourished. And it appeared, with the success of his solo project “Off the Wall” that he might do well after all, but no one could have predicted what would happen in 1982.

Thriller, a compilation of songs that fused his R&B roots with rock and pop, forever bridged the gap between rock and soul. The diverse tracks and addictive melodies pushed the album to record heights. It remains the top selling album of all time. Added to the appeal of his music was the timing of another trend: MTV. Jackson saw the potential in using music videos and was one of the first to use it heavily to promote his work. The apex of this phenomenon came with the featurette video of “Thriller,” an homage to classic horror films, in which Jackson incorporated his own style, music and choreography.

This also marked a period of Michael Jackson’s change in appearance. Mr. Jackson, who was rumored to have undergone excessive plastic surgery, suffered from a debilitating skin disorder called Vitiligo which causes one’s skin pigmentation to become patchy in appearance. This would be the first in a string of social dissections of his eccentricities. Even though his life was often plagued by public scrutiny, the popularity of his music throughout the course of the 80s never faltered, as legions of fans copied his moves and style as “The Gloved One.”

In the end, while most people permanently decided to love, admire, or loathe Michael Jackson, it was the media that truly had the mood swings. There’s no doubt he was often the center of attention by tabloids and the press “" a fickle beast that one moment adored him and the next shut him down.

But the boy from Indiana, whose humble beginnings rooted in a band of brothers, who captivated the world in the 1960s, is gone. And the performer who showed us how to moonwalk, dance the Thriller, and ask the tender question, “Who’s Lovin’ You?” is long gone. And so, too, is the eccentric, increasingly insular celebrity. The legend of Michael Jackson will never be forgotten.

John M. Guilfoil and Brooklynne Peters of the Blast staff and Blast correspondent Ashley Dean contributed to this report.

If you haven’t noticed, people tend to die at the most inconvenient times. It’s a sad fact of life.

AOL found this out the hard way when the company’s AIM service went offline at around 5:00 PM EDT, right as the news of Michael Jackson’s death started passing around the Internet. The company had previously planned a routine software update that shouldn’t have interrupted users’ normal experience.

Instead, the surge in traffic as everyone was all atwitter over Michael Jackson’s death strained the company’s servers too far, and AIM went offline. Service was restored about forty minutes later.

We wouldn’t go as far as to say that the AIM outage forced users to use other communication platforms, but AIM was far from the only site used yesterday. Trendrr reported 250,000 tweets mentioning Michael Jackson and Google News found more than 3,000 articles written about him yesterday alone. Keynote Systems, a company who tracks website performance, noted that the average time to access a news website doubled from 4 to 9 seconds yesterday.

Michael Jackson’s passing is a sad event, but as the currently trending topics show, many are honoring him with their tweets, a trend certain to continue.

“Words cannot capture the impact Michael Jackson has had on pop culture around the world. He changed the way we hear and feel and move to music; he epitomized what true musical talent and star power really mean. He is and always will be the King of Pop,” said Debra L. Lee, chairman and CEO of BET Networks, in a statement Friday.

“Michael’s influence is felt every day in so many ways at BET Networks, and it’s been that way throughout our network’s entire 29-year history. We watched him grow up, and he truly feels like he is a member of our family. He will be missed more than we can say … but his legend and memory live on in the artists, musicians, producers, dancers, fans, and everyone else who looks to him for inspiration.”

The annual BET Awards show, scheduled for Sunday in Los Angeles, is dedicated to Michael Jackson and will pay tribute to his legacy.

As the world both morns and shrugs-off Michael Jackson’s death, questions over what lead to his fatal cardiac arrest remain unanswered.

And they will likely go unanswered for a while. The Huffington Post reported that although his autopsy will take place today, testing could push a conclusion on the cause of death weeks back.

Meanwhile, as investigators search for clues, the King of Pop’s live-in doctor is nowhere to be found. According to The Huffington Post, the Los Angeles Police Department does not know who the doctor is, but they are trying to find him for an interview and have towed his car from Jackson’s home.

“His car was impounded because it may contain medications or other evidence that may assist the coroner in determining the cause of death,” L.A.P.D. spokesperson Karen Rayner said.

By now, it is well-known that Jackson’s family and friends had been concerned about his health for some time. There has been much speculation that the combination of grueling rehearsals for his London tour and drugs, whether prescription or not, were to blame for his death.

Blast’s Conception Allen will be covering any developments from the West Coast.

Pop icon Michael Jackson is dead at the age of 50, TMZ.com reports.

Jackson died this afternoon after being seized by cardiac arrest in his Holmby Hills home. ‚ Blast Reporter Conception Allen reported that paramedics rushed to the scene at approximately 12:30 this afternoon, but they were too late. ‚ Apparently, when they arrived, he was not breathing, had no pulse and they were unable to resuscitate him.

Jackson leaves three children: Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince “Blanket” Michael Jackson II.

Pop legend Michael Jackson died after lapsing into cardiac arrest, and emergency officials were unable to revive him. He was rushed to UCLA Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, officials and reports are confirming.

Jackson was 50 years old.

TMZ.com first reported that the pop superstar, with 13 top hits in his storied career, died. Mainstream media followed about a half hour later.

Los Angeles Fire Department Captain Steve Ruda told KTLA News that paramedics responded to a 911 call at Jackson’s home around 12:26 p.m., and he was not breathing when he arrived.

A Los Angeles police detective confirmed for reporters that Mr. Jackson was brought to UCLA Medical Center at about 1 p.m. and pronounced dead around 2:30 p.m. The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office is investigating to determine cause of death. The LAPD Robbery/Homicide Unit is also investigating, but the detective warned media to not “read into anything,” saying it was the high-profile nature of this death that triggered a police investigation.

The detective would not say if the death was suspicious.

CNN was one of the last major media outlets to confirm the singer’s death, but they did bring something new to the table. While TMZ reported that Mr. Jackson went into cardiac arrest and never recovered, a Los Angeles coroner said he went into cardiac arrest twice, indicating his heart may have restarted at some point.

“We were told that Michael Jackson was brought in by paramedics. He suffered two cardiac arrests and was later pronounced dead … there is no further medical history confirmed yet,” the coroner told CNN.

A cardiac arrest, which can happen during a heart attack, is the stoppage of blood circulation after the sudden stoppage of the heart contracting. Cardiac arrest stops the flow of oxygenated blood “" and thus oxygen “" to the brain and other organs.

La Toya Jackson was seen running into the hospital sobbing.

The singer’s family is believed to be at the hospital, which has been blocked off by police.

Many in Hollywood have been quick to react sadly to the news.

“We will always remember Michael in our hearts as a true Apollo legend, known for his professionalism and grace,” said Jonelle Procope, president and CEO of The Apollo Theater Foundation, Inc. “Michael first performed at the Apollo in 1969 with his brothers when he was only nine years old, winning Amateur Night, and catapulting their career as the Jackson 5. Our sympathy goes out to his entire family. He will be deeply missed.”

“I am so very sad and confused … I am heartbroken for his children, who I know were everything to him,” said Lisa Marie Presley, Mr. Jackson’s ex-wife, in a statement. “This is such a massive loss on so many levels. Words fail me.”

“You cannot say enough about what he has given to us musically and culturally. We take for granted people like him … all he wanted to do was give us great music and that’s what he did. Every single day was dedicated to us,” Jamie Foxx told the TV show “Extra.” “I’ll tell you this. Seeing him in concert in 1983 … to watch people faint in the audience. Grown men fainting. Women fainting just because he was that dynamic … all you can say is that you hope we put our arms around his family. So much turmoil toward the end of his career … and I think that’s the only thing that you can really hope for is that there is finally peace to this whole situation.”

Mr. Jackson had been planning a comeback tour, with several concerts in London scheduled for July. Jackson’s 1982 Album, “Thriller,” won eight Grammy Awards and is the top selling album of all time.

“The King of Pop” recently underwent a series of physical tests and was working out with bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno to get in shape for the shows.

Mr. Jackson leaves three children: Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince “Blanket” Michael Jackson II.

Blast’s Conception Allen is in the Los Angeles area gathering information. Stick with Blast for more as this story develops.

John M. Guilfoil of the Blast staff contributed to this report

Share your thoughts and memories about Michael Jackson in the comments section!

Michael Jackson has enlisted the help of Lou Ferrigno, former Mr. Universe and the original Incredible Hulk, to get into dancing shape for his comeback performances.

The Sun reported today that Jackson joined Ferrigno’s gym in 2007, but prefers to work out at home out of self-consciousness. Ferrigno now goes to Jackson’s Los Angeles home to work with him.

The task will not be easy. Jackson is currently battling skin cancer and the Sun has previously reported that the pop legend eats only one meal a day. A source also told the Sun that M.J. refuses to lift weights for fear that bulking up will only make the cancer tougher to fight.

“Michael is more delicate” Ferrigno said. “Our trainer conditioned him for dancing. He likes me – he feels safe with me, he feels protected.”

Who wouldn’t?