Late American singer Michael Jackson has been crowned the highest-paid deceased celebrity of 2025 by Forbes magazine, raking in an estimated $105 million in pre-tax earnings.
The King of Pop’s financial dominance is attributed to a lucrative deal with Sony Music, where the estate sold a 50% stake in his master recordings and publishing catalog for a whopping $600 million.
Jackson’s estate has generated a sum of $3.5 billion since his passing in 2009, solidifying his position as the most posthumously successful celebrity of all time.
His Broadway hit, MJ: The Musical, has grossed nearly $300 million worldwide, while his long-running Las Vegas residency, Michael Jackson ONE, surpassed 5,000 performances this year.
Other notable musicians on Forbes’ annual list include Prince, John Lennon, and Bob Marley, who collectively earned $541 million in the past year.
Dr. Seuss secured the second spot with $85 million in earnings, driven by robust book sales and Netflix licensing deals.
Pink Floyd co-founders Richard Wright and Syd Barrett each earned $81 million after Sony purchased the band’s catalog for $400 million.
Jackson’s influence extends beyond record sales, with his estate’s empire continuing to expand.
A highly anticipated biopic, “Michael,” starring his nephew Jaafar Jackson, is set to premiere in April 2026, expected to drive another wave of renewed interest and earnings.
The widely acclaimed king of pop, Michael Joseph Jackson, passed away on June 25, 2009 – exactly two months and four days before his 51st birthday.
It was public knowledge that Jackson adored his three children and ensured they were with him in his Neverland home.
After the birth of his first child in 1997, he was quoted as saying, “Words can’t describe how I feel. I have been blessed beyond comprehension and I will work tirelessly at being the best father that I can possibly be. I grew up in a fish bowl and will not allow the same to happen to my child. Please respect our wishes and give my son his privacy.”
At the time of his death, he had three children – Prince Michael Jackson, Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson, Prince Michael Jackson II aka Blanket from Debbie Rowe and a surrogate mother. He was worth over $500 million.
15 years later, only a few people remember the three children, who are now aged 27, 26, and 21 respectively.
Here’s what we know about the three children of the late king of pop, who serenaded the world with his music, voice, and philanthropy.
Interestingly, after Jackson’s death in 2009, the children became more visible in the public eye.
Unlike when they were schooled inside their late father’s expansive Neverland home, the three children got education like every other rich kid in ivy league schools across the United States of America.
In August 2023, all three of Jackson’s kids celebrated what would have been the singer’s 65th birthday.
In March 2024, all the three children of the pop king attended the London premiere of ‘MJ: The Musical.’
One thing the late Jackson ensured was that his three children remained united and though the siblings pursue different passions and projects of their own, they have remained very close and united as one.
Prince Michael Jackson
Age 27
Male
Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., was born on Feb. 13, 1997, in Los Angeles. He is the first child of Jackson and ex-wife Debbie Rowe. The late Jackson announced Jr.’s godparents as Macaulay Culkin and Elizabeth Taylor and he is commonly referred to as Prince Michael Jackson.
Prince graduated with a degree in business administration from Loyola Marymount University in 2019. He is an avid motorcycle fan and has a YouTube channel devoted to his rides across California. Prince co-founded the charity Heal Los Angeles with a friend. In 2020, Heal partnered with a meal delivery service to give meals to those in need during the pandemic.
On what he misses most about his father, “I think about him every day. What I miss probably the most about him are his hands. He had really strong, really big hands. Firm, but they were gentle. It’s tough to explain.”
Prince, Paris and Bigi Jackson
Paris Jackson
Age 26
Female
Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson is the second child from the Jackson and Rowe union that lasted four years. Paris was born on April 3, 1998 and she was named after the city where she was conceived, her father and her grandmother, Katherine. Jackson also announced Paris’ godparents as Macaulay Culkin and Elizabeth Taylor. At just 11, Paris made herself relevant when she gave a short, unplanned speech at her father’s funeral. “Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. And I just want to say that I love him so much.” Paris was the most hit by her father’s death in 2009 revealing that she’d attempted suicide multiple times by age 15. In 2019, Paris sought treatment for her physical and emotional health while rekindling her relationship with her mother, Rowe. She also followed in her father’s footsteps as a musician and has been a member of several bands and released both EPs and a full-length solo album, ‘Wilted,’ in 2020. The young Paris is also a model and actress, who has featured in ‘American Horror Story’ and ‘ Sex Appeal.’ She has embraced her sexuality despite her extended family’s approval of her same sex and opposite sex relationships.
Prince Michael Jackson II
Age 21
Female
Prince Michael Jackson II was formerly known as Blanket but now prefers to be addressed as Bigi. The 21-year-old is the second son and last child of the late pop king, who was born via surrogate in 2002. Of all Jackson’s three children, Bigi keeps the lowest profile. He is very close to his older brother Prince, and they both love sci-fi and science. In 2021, he opened up about his desire to make an impact in the world. The youngest Jackson is also passionate about climate change and was quoted to have said, “I do think it’s important we all know about it. We have some work to do but our generation knows how important it is.”
Prince and Bigi took after their father’s passions, children, climate and environment.
In 1991, Michael Jackson wrote a song, ‘Heal the World’ for his charity organisation which had the same name with the song, ‘Heal the World Foundation’ and the charity organisation hammered at protecting the rights of children. The widely acclaimed king of pop, Michael Joseph Jackson, passed away on June 25, 2009 – exactly two months and four days before his 51st birthday.
It was public knowledge that Jackson adored his three children and ensured they were with him in his Neverland home.
After the birth of his first child in 1997, he was quoted as saying, “Words can’t describe how I feel. I have been blessed beyond comprehension and I will work tirelessly at being the best father that I can possibly be. I grew up in a fish bowl and will not allow the same to happen to my child. Please respect our wishes and give my son his privacy.”
At the time of his death, he had three children – Prince Michael Jackson, Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson, Prince Michael Jackson II aka Blanket from Debbie Rowe and a surrogate mother. He was worth over $500 million.
15 years later, only a few people remember the three children, who are now aged 27, 26, and 21 respectively.
Here’s what we know about the three children of the late king of pop, who serenaded the world with his music, voice, and philanthropy.
Interestingly, after Jackson’s death in 2009, the children became more visible in the public eye.
Unlike when they were schooled inside their late father’s expansive Neverland home, the three children got education like every other rich kid in ivy league schools across the United States of America.
In August 2023, all three of Jackson’s kids celebrated what would have been the singer’s 65th birthday.
In March 2024, all the three children of the pop king attended the London premiere of ‘MJ: The Musical.’
One thing the late Jackson ensured was that his three children remained united and though the siblings pursue different passions and projects of their own, they have remained very close and united as one.
Prince Michael Jackson
Age 27
Male
Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., was born on Feb. 13, 1997, in Los Angeles. He is the first child of Jackson and ex-wife Debbie Rowe. The late Jackson announced Jr.’s godparents as Macaulay Culkin and Elizabeth Taylor and he is commonly referred to as Prince Michael Jackson.
Prince graduated with a degree in business administration from Loyola Marymount University in 2019. He is an avid motorcycle fan and has a YouTube channel devoted to his rides across California. Prince co-founded the charity Heal Los Angeles with a friend. In 2020, Heal partnered with a meal delivery service to give meals to those in need during the pandemic.
On what he misses most about his father, “I think about him every day. What I miss probably the most about him are his hands. He had really strong, really big hands. Firm, but they were gentle. It’s tough to explain.”
Paris Jackson
Age 26
Male
Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson is the second child from the Jackson and Rowe union that lasted four years. Paris was born on April 3, 1998 and she was named after the city where she was conceived, her father and her grandmother, Katherine. Jackson also announced Paris’ godparents as Macaulay Culkin and Elizabeth Taylor. At just 11, Paris made herself relevant when she gave a short, unplanned speech at her father’s funeral. “Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. And I just want to say that I love him so much.” Paris was the most hit by her father’s death in 2009 revealing that she’d attempted suicide multiple times by age 15. In 2019, Paris sought treatment for her physical and emotional health while rekindling her relationship with her mother, Rowe. She also followed in her father’s footsteps as a musician and has been a member of several bands and released both EPs and a full-length solo album, ‘Wilted,’ in 2020. The young Paris is also a model and actress, who has featured in ‘American Horror Story’ and ‘ Sex Appeal.’ She has embraced her sexuality despite her extended family’s approval of her same sex and opposite sex relationships.
Prince Michael Jackson II
Age 21
Female
Prince Michael Jackson II was formerly known as Blanket but now prefers to be addressed as Bigi. The 21-year-old is the second son and last child of the late pop king, who was born via surrogate in 2002. Of all Jackson’s three children, Bigi keeps the lowest profile. He is very close to his older brother Prince, and they both love sci-fi and science. In 2021, he opened up about his desire to make an impact in the world. The youngest Jackson is also passionate about climate change and was quoted to have said, “I do think it’s important we all know about it. We have some work to do but our generation knows how important it is.”
Prince and Bigi took after their father’s passions, children, climate and environment.
In 1991, Michael Jackson wrote a song, ‘Heal the World’ for his charity organisation which had the same name with the song, ‘Heal the World Foundation’ and the charity organisation hammered at protecting the rights of children.
Michael Jackson‘s legendary black Fedora hat, famously worn during his debut of the moonwalk dance in 1983, was sold on Tuesday for €77,640 euros at an auction in Paris.
Auctions of music memorabilia have grown in popularity, with recent sales of Freddie Mercury-related items selling for a total of €46.5 million.
Prior to this, Jackson’s first moonwalk performance’s loafers went for $10,000 at auction, while crystal socks given to his manager fetched $100,000.
The black Fedora, which was put up for auction at the Hotel Drouot, was initially anticipated to sell for between 60,000 and 100,000 euros.
At the height of his stardom, Michael Jackson thrilled crowds by premiering his famous moonwalk while donning this fedora during “Billie Jean” at a broadcast Motown event in 1983. As a result, this fedora has a particular position in music history.
He gracefully took off the Fedora right there and then, mesmerizing everyone.
Approximately 200 pieces of rock memorabilia were offered in the auction, with the top bidder placing a record-breaking €129,400 on a guitar once held by the legendary bluesman T-Bone Walker.
AS the world all over is talking about the controversial revelations about late music icon, Michael Jackson, the much-debated two-part documentary, ‘Leaving Neverland’, DStv says customers across Africa don’t have to wait long to see why the Channel 4 and HBO co-production has taken the world by storm.
Few weeks after its controversial premiere in the US at the recent Sundance Film Festival, ‘Leaving Neverland’ will be screened across two days on M-Net City, DStv channel 115 this weekend.
Part one will be aired on M-Net City on Saturday, 30 March at 8:40pm WAT, while part 2 will follow on Sunday, 31 March at 8:40pm WAT. To accommodate these screenings, M-Net City will reschedule The Blacklist S5 on Saturday and Stan Lee’s Lucky Man S3 on Sunday.
The PayTV station says fans of these shows can catch the next episodes of The Blacklist S5 episodes 17 & 18 on Saturday 6 April and Stan Lee’s Lucky Man S3 episodes 7 & 8 on Sunday 7 April.
Directed and produced by five-time BAFTA-winner Dan Reed, the four-hour long ‘Leaving Neverland’ unpacks the story of two individuals: James Safechuck and Wade Robson, now-adult men in their 30s, who befriended Jackson at the ages of ten and seven respectively. Through gut-wrenching interviews with Safechuck and Robson, as well as their mothers, wives and siblings, Leaving Neverland crafts a portrait of sustained abuse, and explores the complicated feelings that led both men to confront their experiences after both had a young son of their own. Playing out against the backdrop of our collective experience, the film documents the value of breaking silence, even when it implicates a powerful and revered figure.
“Bringing ‘Leaving Neverland’ to African screens is testament to the fact that DStv brings the most compelling content to the continent as quickly as possible,” says MultiChoice Nigeria Chief Customer Officer, Martin Mabutho. “Please note, however, that documentary is not suitable for younger viewers as it contains strong language, discussions of self-harm and graphic descriptions of child sexual abuse.”
Among the line-up of channels which have already acquired the documentary are Network Ten Australia, DR Denmark, VPRO Netherlands, SVT Sweden, ProSieben Germany, Channel One Russia, VRT Belgium, NRK Norway, TVNZ New Zealand, Discovery Italy, DBS Israel, Amedia Russia, YLE Finland, Fox Asia, Front Row Middle East, RUV Iceland, M6 France, HBO Latin America, HBO Portugal and Movistar + in Spain and HBO CEE. Additionally, there are a considerable number of deals which are currently in the final stages of negotiation.
Leaving Neverland airs on M-Net City channel 115 on DStv with part one on Saturday, 30 March at 8:40pm WAT, and part two on Sunday, 31 March at 8:40pm.
MULTI-TALENTED American superstar, Jennifer Lopez is expected to receive the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the 2018 MTV VMAs.
The singer who has been nominated for two “VMAs” for her most recent single, ‘Dinero’, will also perform live at the show for the first time since 2,000.
Lopez joins a prestigious list of past Vanguard recipients that include Michael Jackson, Madonna, Guns N’ Roses, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, BEYONCÉ, Kanye West, Rihanna and P!nk.
The “VMAs” will air live from Radio City Music Hall on Tuesday, 21 August 03:00 CAT and repeat the same night at 21:15 CAT across MTV’s global network of channels in more than 180 countries and territories, reaching more than half a billion households around the world.
Since her first album, “On the 6,” debuted in 1999, Lopez has transformed the global music scene, including selling over 80 million records worldwide, 40 million albums, 16 top 10 hit songs, and three #1 albums. In addition to her music, Lopez has made her mark in film and television. Her films have grossed over $2.9 billion worldwide, five of which opened at #1.
The 2018 VMAs in partnership with Skky and Dragon and will air on Tuesday, 21 August at 03:00 AM CAT with a repeat on the same day at 21:15 PM CAT.
Father of pop stars, Michael and Janet Jackson, Joe Jackson has succumbed to cancer, his family has announced. He died at 89.
According to reports, the patriarch of pop’s most famous family had been in hospital with cancer.
He died at 3.30am, in Los Angeles. His death is coming exactly nine years after Pop icon, Michael Jackson passed.
His grandson Taj tweeted: “Disgusted by some of the comments I’m reading about my grandpa Joe by those who didn’t even know him. Please don’t just regurgitate what you were spoon fed by the press. Joe was loved by our ENTIRE family and our hearts are in pain. Let us grieve without the nastiness.”
Jackson was said to have suffered poor health in recent years, having a stroke and three heart attacks in 2015, and spending time in hospital the year after.
He was separated from his wife Katherine but it is understood she had frequently been at his bedside during his most recent hospital stay.
He was criticised after Michael’s death for what some people said was an attempt to monetise his memory.
Jackson and his wife had 10 children and were married for 60 years.
He managed three of them, Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine, as a trio in the early 1960s. Marion and Michael later joined to make them the Jackson Five.
They signed a deal with Motown records in 1969 which catapulted them to global stardom, but Joe was constantly criticised as the five members of the band told of the abuse they suffered at his hands while he managed the band.
Last year he said he was “truly sorry” for the way he treated them.
After his death, Rev Jesse Jackson paid tribute, tweeting; “Joe Jackson, brother beloved, patriarch & creator of one of the most talented American musical dynasties. We will remember him as long as his family’s music plays. Offering prayers and condolences to the Jackson family.”
On June 25, 2009, the King of Pop, Michael stopped breathing while attempting to sleep under the care of Conrad Murray, his personal physician. Murray had reportedly given Jackson an array of medications in an attempt to help him sleep at his rented mansion in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles. Attempts at resuscitating Jackson were unsuccessful.
If report by TMZ is anything to go by, Michael Jackson’s niece and four nephews may be out on the streets, as they are about to be evicted from their home.
“You may remember Jaafar,” the news medium said, “… he’s the son of Jermaine and Alejandra Jackson, who got in trouble in 2010 when he bought a stun gun and terrorised Michael’s son Blanket. Now Jafaar, along with his brothers; Jermajesty, Dante, Randy and sister Genevieve may be without a roof over their heads because their mom’s landlord says she’s $124,000 behind in rent and has filed legal docs to evict her.”
The story recalled that Alejandra was a squatter in the MJ family home on Hayvenhurst in Encino, refusing to leave when Katherine wanted to renovate the estate. “Last we heard, Katherine offered to get a modest condo for Alejandra and her kids.”
In the building up story, it queried: “So how, pray tell, did Alejandra and her children end up in a $15,000 a month, 7,000 square foot Mediterranean mansion on 24 acres in Malibu with a 180 degree ocean view? Apparently the landlord has the same question, because he says Alejandra hasn’t paid rent for 8 months. We could not reach Alejandra for comment.”
IN what has been described as an epic night of music enchanting performances and unpredictable moments, MTV Base, on Sunday, August 24, hosted the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards.
The awards, which held at the Forum, Inglewood in California, had Beyoncé welcome MTV and the audience to earth- shattering performances of hits from her visual album, Beyoncé.
The singer broke Justin Timberlake’s 2013 record for the longest VMA performance ever. She was joined by her husband, Jay Z and baby, Blue Ivy unexpectedly joining her on stage for a highly emotional moment as her family presented her with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.
She also won the greatest number of awards of the evening, including Best Collaboration for Drunk in Love and Best Video with a Message” for Pretty Hurts.
Miley Cyrus shocked the world by leaving her twerking ways behind her and delivering a heart-felt message as she took away the Video of the Year award. A former homeless youth in Los Angeles named Jesse took the stage in her place to accept her award on behalf of the 1.6 million runaways and homeless youths in the U.S.
From the side of the stage, Miley teared up watching him make a call to action, directing fans to her Facebook page to join the fight to end youth homelessness. Jesse ended with an emotional quote: “A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is a reality.”
Multi-platinum global R&B star, Usher, also delivered a funk-filled performance of his single, Give it to You, bringing the audience to their feet and surprising everyone when Nicki Minaj, once again, returned to join him on the stage during their charged set.
•Claims Jackson never slept with Debbie Rowe, mother of singer’s two kids
In his first interview since he was released from prison, Dr. Conrad Murray, personal physician to late pop singer Michael Jackson has revealed intimate details of his closeness to the late singer.
Apparently troubled by negative allusions that he may have murdered the musician, the embattled doctor revealed bizarre secrets, indicating the singer killed himself by accident. He told Daily Mail.
Murray, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011 for the death of Jackson, said he shared intimate moments with the musician and couldn’t have hurt him.
“You want to know how close we were? I held his penis every night to fit a catheter because he was incontinent at night,” he told the Mail on Sunday.
“He wore dark trousers all the time because after he went to the toilet he would drip for hours,” said the doctor, who was released from prison three weeks ago.
Since then, he has wasted no time making bizarre revelations about his former patient, whom he is said to have given a lethal dose of a sedative.
Murray claimed he and Jackson loved each other as brothers and that another revelation he got from the late prince of pop was that Michael never slept with Debbie Rowe.
Rowe had befriended Jackson and they were said to have struck an agreement for her to have his children. In February 1997, Rowe gave birth to Michael “Prince” Jackson, and in April 1998, a second child, Paris Katherine. She gave up and then sued to regain custody, but she never did.
According to the 60-year-old doctor, one of the happiest days of his life was the night “when this man who had been so lonely, who had spent so many long nights telling me about his pain and anguish, finally felt he could trust someone in his life apart from his children.”
He insisted he never gave Michael anything that would kill him. “I loved him. I still do. I always will.”
Apparently emotional, the doctor said “I love Michael. I love Michael Jackson, I love him. You see, I was Michael’s doctor, but I spent more time with him as a friend than taking care of him medically… I love Michael, I will mourn his loss forever. I am so sad that he’s not here.”
Murray, however, declined comments on whether or not Jackson was a paedophile. “I’m not prepared to answer that question, not now. And I tell you the reason – because my interview with you is candid and honest, and I will not make up or fabricate anything.”
Asked what he thought of a man who sleeps with a dolly and had a urinary bag attached to him, Murray said: “Let me just say that Michael is not a perfect man by far – Michael has a huge dark shadow. Michael slept with dolls. Is that normal? No, it’s not normal, but if you understood the history of Michael as a child and the things that he has encountered in life and you’re willing to listen, you probably wouldn’t judge him.”
On the sedative, he claimed he didn’t give Jackson the amount he wanted and “I believe he woke up, got hold of his own stash of propofol and injected himself. He did it too quickly and went into cardiac arrest.
“When I came back to the room I knew instantly he wasn’t breathing. I didn’t panic. I felt and tried to get a pulse. I tried the groin and the carotid artery. There was no pulse. I immediately started CPR. I’ve resuscitated thousands of people. This was my friend but I went into medical mode.”
During the interview, Murray made other bizarre revelations – including admitting he is still in contact with Michael from the other side. “The last time Michael spoke to me was the day the verdict came from the civil trial,” he said. “Michael touched me, he put his hands on my shoulder and he speaks to me. He does.”
When asked what he (Jackson) said, Murray wiped away the tears before saying: “It’s too emotional to go into at this time.”
Jackson was pronounced dead at 2.26pm on June 25, 2009. “I did not kill Michael Jackson. He was a drug addict,” the doctor said.
Dr. Conrad Murray in his first interview since being released from prison after spending two years for the death of Michael Jackson has said they were so close he “held his penis every night.”
In the bizarre, rambling interview, the doctor convicted of Jackson’s death painted a sad picture of The King of Pop’s final days as a physically broken 50-year-old filled with dread and self-doubt.
Jackson barely had control of his bodily functions, according to Murray.
“He wore dark trousers all the time because after he went to the toilet he would drip for hours,” he told The Daily Mail.
“You want to know how close Michael and I were? I held his penis every night. I had to put a condom catheter on him because Michael dripped urine. He had a loss of sensation and was incontinent.”
The ex-physician goes on to say, “Michael didn’t know how to put a condom on, so I had to do it for him.”
Murray was found guilty of injecting the singer with an overdose of Propofol that killed him on June 25, 2009. He was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and spent nearly two years in jail.
Murray went on to say in the interview that Jackson gave himself lethal doses of anesthesia after pleading for more drugs, and said that he was not responsible for his overdose.
“I did not kill Michael Jackson. He was a drug addict,” Murray said. “Michael Jackson accidentally killed Michael Jackson.”
“I believe he woke up, got hold of his own stash of propofol and injected himself. He did it too quickly and went into cardiac arrest.”
“I never gave Michael anything that would kill him. I loved him. I still do. I always will,’ he exclusively tells the Mail On Sunday.
“I tried to protect him but instead I was brought down with him.
“It’s difficult when you ask me about Michael. There’s a void in my heart, a lingering pain. I miss him every day.”
