MJJC Exclusive Q&A with Taj Jackson - Read Taj's answers

[KingMikeJ]

Thanks for setting this up Ivy, it's great to finally read the answers. Taj was kind of vague throughout but I think we all expected that. And I hope Taj realises the "Estate vs Family" thing started with La Toya and to this day she is continuing it. Anyway, thanks again Ivy and Taj.

Thanks Ivy. Thanks Taj.
I see he didn't clarify anything at all. The one of reasons why I don't understand some of family members is their tendency to talk too much but can't speaking straight out. His answer about Cascio tracks is just about nothing.

He probably doesn't want to be sued.

[HumanNature2210]

Best comment so far. Thanks Ivy for taking the time to arrange the Q&A but I guess we will never get the kind of "truthful answer" that we are hoping for. I guess too concern about offending some "senior family members".

And I fully agree with Memefan, MJ's legacy will never be linked to the Jackson's and all this bullshit is just to justify the "cashing in".

I read his answers very late last night... i was too drugged up to comment then, but i am not even sure i want to comment now.

I appreciate some of his answers. For example, i am glad he didn't push the idea that MJ was close to his family. We know, and i think they now understand, fans are far more knowledgeable about MJ and his strenuous with the Jacksons, than they realize before June 25th 2009.


The single one thing i took from his answers is: he is one person among many, all pulling in different AND often opposite directions. They don't see to have a dialogue among themselves, and no one seems to know how to get all of them in a room, that is reflective of the very public bickering we see on Twitter & in the media. No decorum.

I understand why MJ pulled away...and i think, when so many people with divergent opinions where no one will take the lead, no one wants to follow, for one's sanity, it's best to walk away.

Ivy, your intro was very misleading....there can't be a communication line with the fans, when there's none within the family. lol

Again i appreciate your effort to pull this off and also, thankful that Taj took the time. If one disregard his Cascio response (he should have been able to answer this one sincerely because he was one of the instigators), It's obvious, that he tried to do the best he could, but he doesn't hold all the cards.

ETA: One final point before i move on, i will never accept that MJ's legacy is intertwine with the Jacksons. Too many things have gone wrong since 1991 and too many things continue to go opposite of enhancing MJ's legacy.

And thankfully, the general public isn't linking MJ's legacy to the Jacksons. And again, I am glad the kids won't control the estate for many years to come, by the time they are in charge they will wise up to many things.

[Angela_MJJ]

I have to say I'm a little bit disappointed but I'm happy he took the time to answer the questions for us.

[Bonnie Blue]

Thanks ivy for organising this, it is appreciated. Unfortunately i found taj's answers unenlightening, i'm no wiser as to the jackson thinking behind doing projects without estate backing, allowing ppb to be so public and to the family's claims that mj was needing drug interventions before he died (neat deflection to concentrate on oxman and no, not one family member contradicted oxman in those first crucial days in june).

Most revealing comment, 'family cannot cash in on their own name'.

[Dsplenter]

Sorry to come out of the blue but i feel like adding my two cents in here.

A few fans have been noticing this great divide and surge of negativity in the MJ fanbase every since his passing and it's starting to get clear to us what is going on.

First of all, it was gracious of Taj to take the time to answer tedious, predictable and sometimes inappropriate questions from none other than Michael Jackson fans, about his own oncle.

Sec. of all from the responses, seems like the majority is still not satistied as predictable as it would be also. Well, people who have agendas are never satisfied.

Third of all, listening to the so-called fans, it's as if they've never even listened to Michael himself or gotten his messages. It's as if his work and all of his accomplishments should be done all over again.

Maybe you should pay more attention this:

[Krshna28]

Thanks Ivy for all your hard work......you're the Jewel of MJJC!!!


But Taj.......Geez.....talk about playing dodgeball......

It's either he didn't want to fully answer the questions......or he wasn't allowed to!!!!!

[Dsplenter]

And it never fails to become obvious when a group has an agenda. Their true colors will just explode once their little scheme is confronted and called out.
Those who have confidence are a threat to those who don't and Michael had plenty of confidence not only in who he was but in his purpose in this world. As much as many like to claim themselves fans of his, they are still overwhelm by this confidence so they use his name to spread animosity because they just can't reach the higher level of positivity where MICHAEL JACKSON was. This is worse than being an obvious hater.

[Ben]

Thank you very much to Ivy for organizing this. I'm not really disappointed as it's rather what I expected. Taj indeed agreed to answer, and it was nice of him to take the time, but I dont see anything being explained. It was very politically correct.

I have to confess a couple of things kinda make my blood boil a little, like the kids being bullied or doing interviews; I doubt they were told about the way some interviewers talked about their dad, and not being imprisoned doesnt mean having 200 000 followers and sharing your private pictures online; or to go and meet lunatics you talked to on twitter.
There's a lot he says that totally contradicts what the eldest do and say, or what we see happen.


And I agree, I dont think anything will change. That one was really shocking :

Most revealing comment, 'family cannot cash in on their own name'.

Yes they can. When the only one who gave this name any real significance is gone.

[Autumn II]

Most revealing comment, 'family cannot cash in on their own name'.

The responses to the questions were so vague as to be jello. But that was to be expected, and either he was counseled not to answer, or figured that one out on his own?

Agree, that was the most revealing comment, and may enlighten us as to the Jacksons' reasoning behind so many of their "projects?"

He wrote: "So…. my uncle Michael considered his legacy to be a piece of the Jackson legacy. For him, it had always been about the Jackson name living on. And I don't believe family can "cash in" on their own name."

I highly DOUBT that is how Michael felt. There is no indication that he did, or he would have welcomed the MANY attempts of the family to reunite the J5, and AGAIN cash in on childhood material. (anyone remember the "Korea fiasco?") After the MSG concert, Michael was having no part of that. The Jacksons, via Frank DiLeo? even seem to have attempted to disrupt the TII concerts, with a strange "reunion" concert involving the brothers. Michael was having no part of that, either.

Michael's last name is "Jackson," and he has parents and siblings of the same name. That does NOT mean they ever functioned as a "unit" after the Jacksons (adult brothers and Michael) era. Michael was the most famous entertainer who ever lived. And the rest of the family, are NOT. But this does explain somewhat the reasoning (or lack of logic?) behind using the name "Jackson" to promote the family's various money-making ventures? That is actually what they THINK? That they are some sort of family "unit," with the entitlement that would involve? That might, possibly, fly on its own, if they didn't ALSO use Michael's likeness and associations, i.e. Joe's perfume? Or, a tribute concert, that was a tribute to ONE, particular, "Jackson?"

For me, this particular answer confirms the sense of entitlement the family must feel. It's sad, actually.

[soulmum]

Thanks for all the hard work in getting this interview. Yes, some of the answers were vague but some also put him in an awkward position to be able to answer properly. The good part is that some of the questions may have given Taj food for thought and there may just be some things he will check up on especially regarding the children. It's also good for him (and the rest of the family) to know for certain the way the fans are thinking because I'm sure they rely on us for anything they themselves have 'out there', they really don't want to alienate us. I know some family members have their own fan base but they must hope that the 'Jackson' name alone will help with sales.

[MJnVA]

I think Dr. Shafer spoiled us.

[Autumn II]

I think there has always been some confusion, among some in the Jackson family, about what it means to be a "Michael Jackson fan?" It means just THAT, and does not automatically include anyone else in that family, by association. Sure, some people are fans of, and follow, the other family members, and in that sense, they are THEIR fans, too. Nothing wrong with that, but it's certainly not a given that allegiance to Michael would automatically transfer to anyone else -- because it DOESN'T.

[bluetopez]

Originally Posted by Bonnie Blue
Most revealing comment, 'family cannot cash in on their own name'.

So true. With that answer u don't even have to read the rest because it truly said it all as to why they do what they do sometimes. SMH

And another thing. They all may be Jacksons but there is only one MICHAEL with the last name Jackson in that family. Ya know the one ya'll depend on for your "careers" and projects. Especially since he died. So ya Taj that is cashin in whether u like it or not! And using the kids as the cash cowes to do it. SMH Let them just be kids. And I found it also funny how he said he and his brother put their careers on hold after MJ died to take care of his kids....O_o What Careers?!

Anywayz, not even gonna sweat this never ending crap no more, it's clear as I said nothin will changed with this family and many MJ friends neither. Blah. I am a MICHAEL (the person & the musician) fan and that's it.

[TheChosenOne]

Thanks for all you have done, Ivy.

I guess the challenge we have is that since it is a text interview, we do not have the opportunity to challenge vague answers and to really get to the meat of the matter. Ah well.

[Acafan]

The responses to the questions were so vague as to be jello. But that was to be expected, and either he was counseled not to answer, or figured that one out on his own?

Agree, that was the most revealing comment, and may enlighten us as to the Jacksons' reasoning behind so many of their "projects?"

He wrote: "So…. my uncle Michael considered his legacy to be a piece of the Jackson legacy. For him, it had always been about the Jackson name living on. And I don't believe family can "cash in" on their own name."

I highly DOUBT that is how Michael felt. There is no indication that he did, or he would have welcomed the MANY attempts of the family to reunite the J5, and AGAIN cash in on childhood material. (anyone remember the "Korea fiasco?") After the MSG concert, Michael was having no part of that. The Jacksons, via Frank DiLeo? even seem to have attempted to disrupt the TII concerts, with a strange "reunion" concert involving the brothers. Michael was having no part of that, either.

Michael's last name is "Jackson," and he has parents and siblings of the same name. That does NOT mean they ever functioned as a "unit" after the Jacksons (adult brothers and Michael) era. Michael was the most famous entertainer who ever lived. And the rest of the family, are NOT. But this does explain somewhat the reasoning (or lack of logic?) behind using the name "Jackson" to promote the family's various money-making ventures? That is actually what they THINK? That they are some sort of family "unit," with the entitlement that would involve? That might, possibly, fly on its own, if they didn't ALSO use Michael's likeness and associations, i.e. Joe's perfume? Or, a tribute concert, that was a tribute to ONE, particular, "Jackson?"

For me, this particular answer confirms the sense of entitlement the family must feel. It's sad, actually.

I agree with all you have said.

That one sentence about "family can't cash in on their own name" is packed with so many assumptions and, as you said, a sense of entitlement.

It's rivalled by his comment that "my uncle Michael considered his legacy to be a piece of the Jackson legacy". A piece?! I think that for many fans around the world, it's the other way around. But clearly, to consider themselves a family dynasty allows them to justify all their various ventures. And it confirms the name of the game for many years to come. And absolutely Katherine (with Joe) controls the purse strings. Note how often here and on Twitter Taj speaks of protecting his grandmother; I'm sure he loves her with all his heart, but he is being savvy, too.

I also agree that some consistent, adult guidance about the kids' use of social media doesn't equal "imprisonment". If Paris' twitter is made private, or is used only for "official" uses, will that really "imprison" them? Actually, Taj's term "imprisonment" almost sounds like a veiled critique of how Michael saw fit to shield the kids. We saw and heard Katherine on Oprah say that she never liked the kids' masks which Debbie supposedly decided upon but Michael enforced. The Jacksons have long made some backhanded comments about one another in public, so for Taj to allude to that wouldn't surprise me.

The burden of "normalcy" seems to rest heavy on the shoulders of some Jacksons.

I also noticed that when asked about the kids and their involvement in Estate and non-Estate projects, Taj said that they are now Michael's legacy, and something about how they will carry his legacy forward. That's fine in a few years, but what about while they are young, Michael being Michael's legacy?? His own work and message standing up to the test of time for at least a few years until the kids are 18 or so, without public promotion by his kids? It's hard not to wonder what's really behind that reasoning....

That said, big thanks to Ivy for organizing all this, and thanks to Taj for taking the time to do this.