Happy birthday, Michael Jackson!
August 29 would have been Jackson’s 58th birthday, but the music world unfortunately lost this legend too soon when he passed away in June 2009. Fortunately, his legacy lives on through those who loved him.
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To celebrate the late singer’s birthday, here are five fast facts you need to know:
- He is still the number one selling artist of all time. Jackson has over a billion total sales, and “Thriller” was the first ever album to be certified 30 times multi-platinum for U.S. sales, according to Billboard.
- He was a vegetarian. Jackson’s personal chef once told PEOPLE that he was a very picky eater and often would “go for hours without eating.” The chef, Mani Naill, also called Jackson a “vegetarian who didn’t like vegetables.”
- Jackson’s favorite animated character was Pinocchio.
- His video for “Billy Jean” was the first video by a black artist to air on MTV.
- The Jackson 5 was originally named “The Jackson Brothers.”
Happy birthday, MJ! May you legacy live on through your friends, family and fans!
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