Long live the king

• Last Updated: November 19. 2009 7:36PM UAE / November 19. 2009 3:36PM GMT

The latest title from speciality publishers Opus Media is a 404-page, 12kg book featuring Michael Jackson immortalised in a remarkable series of images by the singer’s personal artist, Nate Giorgio, along with photographs and recollections of those influenced by the superstar.



Of all the tributes that followed Michael Jackson’s death in June, the most anticipated one is set to drop in time for the holiday season. The Official Michael Jackson Opus, a 404-page book of photographs, illustrations and remembrances, is billed as “the only new publication approved and endorsed by Michael Jackson himself, and his estate”.

Opus Media Group, the British publishing company that is also working on commemorative books about Burj Dubai and Mecca, had been consulting Jackson on the book before his death. With a foreword by Rev Jesse Jackson, it features more than 300 photos, many of them previously unseen, and includes an “Opus Reality” card that gives you access to 3D multimedia online.

Like many Opus books, it was no small undertaking: the hand-bound black leather book, which measures 33cm x 46cm and weighs 12kg, comes in a red storage case with an illustration by Nate Giorgio, Michael Jackson’s personal artist. Giorgio, whose ink sketches introduce the book’s 10 chapters, recalls working with Jackson in this abridged excerpt accompanied by some of his artwork from the book. Other tributes from the book follow it.

Nate Giorgio, artist

After years of working with Michael on private commissions that began in 1984, I lost touch with him for a while during the trials. He had moved away from Los Angeles and was busy raising his children, not really taking on too many projects. Just occasionally I would get a quick call and we would talk a little bit.

Then during the summer of 2008, I received an e-mail from Michael’s assistant asking if I could come to Las Vegas to talk about a new project. I thought Michael was still living in Europe or the Middle East so I was very happy to hear he was back in the States. I quickly put together a portfolio of some new art I was working on and flew to Las Vegas right away.

I walked into the house and Michael’s assistant brought me to a big games room to wait for Michael. After waiting 10 or 15 minutes I heard Michael’s footsteps and when I turned to face him I saw Paris, Prince and Blanket walking in with their dad.

“Nate!” Michael said.

“Man, it’s been too long,” I laughed.

“I know,” he replied.

Right away Michael introduced me to his children. I was so impressed at how polite, humble, and likeable all three of them were. Such great kids. Michael walked over and gave me a big hug as always. He wore his black fedora, black jacket, with a thin silk scarf around his neck. He looked good, and I could tell he was in a good mood, excited.

Flipping through my book he said, “I see you’re doing loose work, kind of like a Picasso style”.

I knew how much he loved detail in art so I explained how I was doing more figurative type work. This was how all of our meetings went — we always talked about drawing and painting. I asked if he was sketching at all. He said not as much as he would like. Michael and I sat down across from each other and he began telling me what he was up to.

“I’m back working,” he said. He looked around the room and waved his arms: “This is just temporary. I’m building this new place not too far from here. And I want you to do these huge paintings of me and the kids that will hang on all the walls.”

He said he saw a mural I did recently for Quincy Jones that he really loved. I knew Michael and I knew how much work this was going to be. He looked at me and must have noticed the expression on my face because he said, “You can do it… I need them huge, very large, on canvas”.

“Well, how big?” I asked.

He was pointing to the wall about 20 feet away. “You can come here and set your stuff up and paint, I want to see you work on the art as you go,” he said. “I want to document the entire thing.”

He told me how this new place was going to have all his awards and memorabilia for everyone to visit and look at. And all the walls he wanted covered in huge oil paintings and murals.

We exchanged numbers again and I said I would go back to Los Angeles and start working up some new ideas and sketches to show him. He wanted me to think of settings and themes that had a touch of history and also some sketches that would include him and his children in different settings.

Shortly afterward, Michael moved to a home on Carolwood Drive in Beverly Hills. I met with him several times from January to June. We would talk about different concepts for the new paintings. He would always have piles of the best art books on the coffee table for inspiration.

At these meetings he looked happy and wanted me to start right away on the paintings. I was also showing Michael how to hold a thick brush to sketch in ink and did a few sketches in a pad from this meeting, not realising they would be the last sketches I did of him.

At our last meeting at the Carolwood home, we talked about how we could arrange to take some photographs of Michael and the children to use for references on the new paintings. The first painting he wanted was himself walking in a deep forest with his children at his side under the bright moonlight shining down. I did a few very quick thumbnails and made some notes, and packed my things away.

I walked toward the beautiful foyer to leave. Hanging above our heads on the wall were a few very large oil paintings and I said, “Michael, we’ll do them this big, maybe bigger. I’ll see you soon”.

And as I turned to look back at Michael he was standing at the end of the long foyer. There was a slight pause and looking at me, smiling, he said quietly, “God Bless”.

Smokey Robinson, singer

When I heard his recording of my song Who’s Loving You, I was amazed by how an 11-year-old kid could comprehend those lyrics, feel those emotions. After all, it’s a song about somebody who had somebody who loved them and they did the person so wrong the person left them. Then they’re sitting around feeling sorry that they drove the person away because they’re lonely now and they need that person back, but they’re wondering who loves that person now.

I sing part of it in my live concert and younger people have come up to me and asked why was I singing Michael’s song!

Travis Payne, dancer and choreographer

I fell in love with Michael Jackson when I first saw him perform as a child. I think I was most fascinated by him because he created his own dancing style, but this style also allowed him to be inspired by others. He studied the greats and then he would do something that nobody had ever dared to do before. It had energy, it was exciting, but never got so complicated it couldn’t be easily emulated. Other people could do it, so his movement and message was sent out on an even wider scale.

Like when Michael did the moonwalk on Motown 25 he wanted to create something that would stay in people’s memories for decades and live forever. I remember trying that move until I’d mastered it.

David Blaine, magician

Michael Jackson was one of the most amazing showmen of all time. In a way, he was actually a master magician who created the perfect illusion for the whole world. Through his music, his lifestyle and his connection to people he became an enigma; the image that all magicians strive to achieve.

Michael had a real love of magic and the principles behind it. He was curious and full of wonder. In his mind he believed the world was magical, he believed that anything was possible, and at his core he was a showman.

Annie Salijevic, fan

In May 1992 my mother and I went to visit my grandma in a town called Tuzla in Bosnia. I’m Croatian and was living on an island called Korcula. But on my visit the war broke out. We tried to escape and managed to make it to Sarajevo, but we couldn’t get out of there for three years.

I was seven years old. My childhood was shattered – I had no one there who was my age.

For a while the only childhood friends I had made were these awesome UN officers who were originally from the Bronx and Queens in New York. I would teach them Bosnian. In exchange they’d correct my accent or help me with a word I’d been struggling with. One day, one of them was listening to music on his headphones and he let me listen.

I loved it so much. I asked him if I could listen to it for a few minutes while I fell asleep. For the first time in months I slept through the entire night. I woke up in the morning with a note next to me that said, “Keep it” (I still have that note!). The headphones were still on my head and somebody had left me MJ’s Bad and Thriller cassettes. For the next two years that was my jam.

At that time, I had no idea who Michael Jackson was, but I knew that his music cheered me up and that he silenced all the noise from outside. To this day when something upsets me, his music is my only comfort – a security blanket.

Usually when we received food in boxes, it was from the UN. But every now and then we received something with the label “Heal The World”. Whenever those boxes came, I knew it wasn’t just bad wheat and rice. They always included blankets and toys, as well as food and medical supplies. I still have the blanket I got in one of those vital boxes.

I am not the only one with this story. I contacted a few people who commented on a YouTube video where it was reported that Michael’s Heal The World Foundation was shipping out boxes full of stuff to Sarajevo.

Many were refugees as well; many saw him perform in the country they had now escaped. They will never ever forget what he did for us when we were children. During a time when we barely had a chance to have a childhood, he gave us one. A meaningful one. RIP.

Shaquille O’Neal, basketball legend

Michael Jackson was, and still is, the King of Pop. He touched so many people with not only his music, but his love and huge generosity, as well.

My mind understands that he is no longer with us, but my heart and soul just cannot seem to grasp it. Michael’s music has been the soundtrack of my life and now when I hear one of his songs my eyes automatically begin to fill up with tears. Then I check myself; for as long as I can still groove to his music, it’s easier for me to believe that Michael’s somewhere in the universe doing his thing. I don’t like being reminded that he died. Greatness doesn’t die. Legends don’t die.