Entertainment
Fans Mark Micheal Jackson’s 10th Anniversary With Roses, Sunflowers
With roses crafted into heart shapes and crowns made of bright yellow sunflowers, Michael Jackson fans from as far afield as Iran and Japan paid tribute last Tuesday to the King of Pop on the 10th anniversary of his death.
Several hundred fans gathered outside his burial place in the Forest Lawn cemetery in Glendale, north of Los Angeles, and held a minute’s silence at 2:26 p.m., the moment when Jackson, 50, was pronounced dead on June 25, 2009. They then broke into a rendition of “Heal the World” as some mourners quietly sobbed, hugged or wiped away tears.
Fans, some dressed like Jackson, placed posters, dolls, sequined gloves and even a red jacket like the singer’s signature “Thriller” outfit outside the private mausoleum where he is buried.
“Forever King,” “We’ll never forget you” and “We’ll never let you part” read some of the messages from Iran, Hungary and Japan.
Joan Simons traveled to the cemetery from the Netherlands, meeting up with people she had met on fan Facebook groups over the years. “We all feel the same the love for Michael as a person, his music,” Simons said.
Jackson died at his Los Angeles home after an overdose of the powerful anesthetic propofol, which he was using as a sleep aid. His doctor, Conrad Murray, was convicted at a 2011 trial of involuntary manslaughter.
“A decade later, Michael Jackson is still with us, his influence embedded in dance, fashion, art and music of the moment. He is more important than ever,” the Jackson estate said in a statement marking the anniversary.
While Jackson’s death was met with a wave of grief in 2009, his reputation has come under scrutiny again because of the documentary “Leaving Neverland,” in which two men gave emotional accounts of what they said was sexual abuse by the singer in the 1990s when they were boys.
Jackson was acquitted on charges of molesting a different boy in 2005, and his family have denied the accusations made in the documentary.
“People are going to believe what they want to believe. But if they really do their research, they’ll know the truth,” Rem Garza, 22, a Jackson impersonator from Long Beach, California, said last Tuesday.
Carla Tonti said she traveled from Florence, Italy, to the cemetery with her 79-year-old mother, Sabrina. “We feel like as if we are close to the people who just enjoy Michael as much as we did,” Tonti said.
Popular businessman and socialite, Pascal Okechukwu, aka Cubana Chief Priest, has said that his relationship with singer Davido is beyond money and gossip.
He stated this in a recent interview with BBC Igbo.
“Davido is my friend. He is my in-law; he married Chioma who is from Imo State where I hail from.
“So the relationship I have with Davido is beyond money and gossip,” he said.
DAILY POST reports that Chief Priest disclosed via his Instagram page that his outfit for the wedding of the singer, Davido and his wife, Chioma, in Lagos on Tuesday cost seven million Naira.
The socialite recently appreciated Davido for not “discarding” Chioma.
He stated that the DMW boss has made Imo State proud by choosing to marry from the state.
Nigerian singer Simisola Kosoko, popularly known as Simi, has lent her voice to the ongoing anti-tax hike protests in Kenya.
The Tide’s source reports that Kenyan youths are marching against tax hike in widespread demonstrations tagged ‘RejectFinanceBill2024.’
Five people were shot dead and dozens wounded after police clashed with protesters who stormed the parliament building in Nairobi on Tuesday, according to Amnesty Kenya.
Reacting via her X handle on Tuesday night, Simi declared her support for the demonstrators.
She stated that “it is both powerful and heartbreaking for a people to have to fight and die for freedoms and rights.”
The singer wrote, “I stand with the people of Kenya. It is both powerful and heartbreaking for a people to have to fight and die for freedoms and rights. Godspeed and Strength. [Hash tag] RejectFinanceBill2024.”
In a series of other posts, she wrote: “Wow. When you’ve had enough, the fight is almost inevitable.
“African leaders- have not you done enough?
“I can’t wait for the day Africa is not a weapon fashioned against Africans. All of this amazing Black power and human resource, but the majority are not likely to thrive unless they run.”
Famous Nigerian Afrobeat singer, Davido was spotted among other top artistes at Asake’s ‘Lungu Boy’ tour concert in Atlanta, Georgia.
Asake’s performance at his sold-out show at the 17,000-capacity State Farm Arena in Atlanta began on August 16, 2024, and is set to run for 10 days.
In a trending video on social media, Davido appeared backstage with American rapper Quavo to support Asake during the live performance.
Other musicians in attendance included Nigerian hitmaker Zlatan and American rapper Russ Millions.
The Tide’s source reports that Asake’s ‘Lungu Boy’ tour is set to cover six U.S. cities, where he will headline notable venues including Madison Square Garden in New York, the Toyota Center in Houston, and the State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
Asake’s tour comes just days after the release of his latest hit, ‘Lungu Boy,’ which features several superstars, including Wizkid, British rappers Central Cee and Stormzy, Travis Scott and Brazilian singer Ludmilla.
‘Lungu Boy’ set a new record for the biggest opening week on Spotify Nigeria, garnering 18.9 million streams in its opening week and breaking the previous record of 14.4 million streams held by Davido’s ‘Timeless.’
