Michael Jackson

How do we reckon with Michael Jackson in the wake of Leaving Neverland?

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Last night, the first part of the Michael Jackson documentary Leaving Neverland aired on TVNZ. Katie Meadows looks at what it means for the popstar’s legacy. This piece involves descriptions of child abuse, sexual assault and grooming. Since Leaving Neverland first aired, one of the first questions to be asked in a world where Michael Jackson is an abuser … Read more

What happens to the music of R Kelly and Michael Jackson?

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First published on RNZ, ethnomusicologist Kirsten Zemke weighs in what fans should do with the music of alleged bad men.  American rapper R Kelly has been the subject of sexual abuse allegations for a number of years, for Michael Jackson it’s been decades. Both have remained popular and celebrated artists. Two new documentaries, Surviving R Kelly and Leaving Neverland feature the … Read more