![]() ![]() ![]() Though the killing happened in the U.S., the impact resonated across the world and ‘They Don’t Care About Us’ once again played its part in uniting. As the crowds marched through London’s Oxford Street, the chants rang out – “All I want to say is that they do really care about us.” The chorus included scores of young people who would have been born after the song’s release, demonstrating the power of Michael’s words and their ability to inspire new generations with the same message. In 2016, A Black Lives Matter protest attended by hundreds, marched on Westminster in London to protest the fatal shootings of Philando Castille in Minnesota and Alton Sterling in Louisiana by police. But the song has gained momentum over the years and has elevated Michael’s position from one of entertainer to social activist, examples of which we are seeing more and more in recent years. ![]() The impact of this decision did discount Michael at the time as he was labelled a racist, something his actions and words have demonstrated to be completely unfounded and untruthful. Often considered as a risk to one’s career at the time, it’s these artists who history remembers for their commitment to becoming a voice, regardless of the consequences. The song was Michael’s entrance into a very select group of artists who use their position to inform the masses about the injustices that happen within society. The song draws distinct parallels with Reggae artist Bob Marley’s famous hit ‘Get Up, Stand Up’ which was one of his most significant protest songs calling for the people of Jamaica to stand up to racism and fight against the system, “You can fool some people sometimes, but you can’t fool all the people all the time.” “Tell me what has become of my rights”, “black man, blackmail, throw your brother in jail” sees Michael call out the continued racial prejudice that he had been fighting to overcome and points to Martin Luther King, noting that “If Martin Luther was living, he wouldn’t let this be.” Its lyrics set out a dialogue that has become identifiable, particularly in the last decade since Michael’s passing. Coming out on the other side, he embodied the essence of what he had shared in his book and demonstrated that “People who have it, take a stand.” And he had it, so he took a stand. His spirit was indeed crippled by people who were attempting to control his life. In 1993, when the allegations hit, Michael’s addiction to pain medication and the humiliating ordeal of the body strip search at the hands of overzealous law enforcement was his low point. ![]() People who have it take a stand and put their blood and soul into what they believe.” They were never going to let that happen again. They knew what it was to have your spirit crippled by people who are controlling your life. In his 1988 autobiography Moonwalk, Michael said “When black people in America finally got out from under that crushing system, they were stronger. Though in many senses he did so through encouraging love and unity (‘Can You Feel It’, ‘Black or White’), He also addressed the issue with determination and resolution. Yet, Michael had long been speaking up about institutional racism. Years later when he spoke about police brutality and racial inequality on ‘They Don’t Care About Us’ he was criticised, labelled a racist and was deemed as having no right to want to speak up because of his own experiences suddenly. When ‘Billie Jean’ was added to MTV’s regular rotation and forced an end to the colour divisions that the network had long enacted, it was generally seen as a move in the right direction at a pace of change that worked for the white networks. In truth, while Michael set out to make change both in the industry and for Black Americans, he had done so in a way that was deemed dynamic, yet compromising. Over two decades later, it has become a vital tool in speaking out against political unrest, social injustice and racial inequality, which was what Michael intended for it to become. Arguably, it has transcended the idea of being just another Michael Jackson hit and has evolved into a statement in its own right. Considering the legacy of ‘They Don’t Care About Us’ as simply a song to be analysed would be to do it a disservice. ![]()
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