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Michael Jackson - Profile

He had a hugely successful musical career, but also was an incredibly controversial figure who some described as a 'tortured genius'.

Here are some key facts about the controversial 50-year-old, who was taken ill at his home in Los Angeles.

EARLY LIFE:
Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, the seventh of nine children. Five Jackson boys - Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael - first performed together at a talent show when Michael was 6. They walked off with first prize.

Their group later became The Jackson Five, and when it was signed by Motown Records in the late 1960s it underwent its final metamorphosis to become The Jackson 5. Jackson made his first solo album in 1972.

   

SUCCESS:
Jackson released Thriller in 1982, which became a smash hit that yielded seven top 10 singles. The album sold 21 million copies in the US and at least 27 million worldwide.

The next year, he unveiled his signature "moonwalk" dance move while performing Billie Jean during an NBC special.

Jackson's lifetime record sales tally is believed to be about 750 million, which, added to the 13 Grammy Awards he has received, makes him one of the most successful entertainers of all time.

ACCUSATIONS
In 1993, Jackson was accused of sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy, and police raided his California ranch "Neverland".

The same year, Jackson announced he had become addicted to painkillers and abruptly cancelled a world tour to promote his album, Dangerous.

He reached a settlement in 1994, later reported to be $23m with the family of the boy he was accused of abusing.

MARRIAGE & FAMILY:
In 1994, Jackson married Elvis Presley's only child, Lisa Marie, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1996. Jackson married Debbie Rowe the same year and had two children, before splitting in 1999. The couple never lived together.

Jackson has three children named Prince Michael I, Paris Michael and Prince Michael II, known for his brief public appearance when his father held him over the railing of a hote balcony, causing widespread criticism.

MORE CONTROVERSY:
A television documentary titled Living With Michael Jackson was screened in 2003, saying that Jackson still had sleepovers with young boys and had his third child with a surrogate mother. Jackson aired his own rebuttal.

Jackson went on trial in 2005 on charges of molesting a 13-year-old boy in 2003, as well as conspiring to abduct the boy. The singer faced nearly 20 years in prison if convicted.

The four-month trial ended in June 2005 with his being acquitted of all charges. Jackson has spent time in Bahrain, Ireland and France since then.

COMEBACK?
After several false dawns, Jackson and music promoter AEG Live announced he would perform 50 concerts at London's O2 Arena. Jackson had been due to start the concerts on July 13.

Jackson had been rehearsing in the Los Angeles area for the London shows, which sold out within hours of going on sale in March.