Well, the king of pop late Michael Jackson should not deserved this. The pop star has given world music a new beat, a new spark and contributes so much to music world. But MTV’s quietly removed Michael Jackson name from Vanguard Award. The award was named after the King of Pop for his contribution to music. While his dance moves and music remain legendary, Jackson also courted controversy on several occasions during his career. Even to this day, controversies seem to have affected the pop star’s rep.
According to news, MTV pulled out late Jackson’s name from the honor due to potential backlash after HBO’s controversial documentary “Leaving Neverland.” The film focuses on sexual abuse allegations against the star. In the documentary, Jackson’s friends, Wade Robeson and James Safechuck, recall chilling stories of molestation told in graphic detail, making it impossible to view Jackson in the same light again.
MTV’s Quietly Removed Michael Jackson Name
While MTV included Jackson’s name on a press release sent out to announce rapper Missy Elliott as this year’s Vanguard recipient, Jackson’s name was quietly excluded from the other promos.
The Video Vanguard Award is a prestigious one and earlier recipients have included David Bowie, Madonna, The Beatles, Beastie Boys, and Beyonce.
Earlier, MTV did include Jackson’s name on a press release sent out to announce rapper Missy Elliott as this year’s Vanguard recipient. Besides that MTV renamed the award for Jackson in 1991. Elliott did mention him during her acceptance speech. She said, “The Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award means so much to me,” before thanking Janet Jackson for her friendship and inspiration. The MTV VMAs 2019 were an exciting affair for music lovers across the globe.
