Dramatic

errant said:

And that is the joy of great music by artists that continue to deliver time and time again.

Swa

The Queerness of Michael Jackson
Irene MonroePosted: July 8, 2009 11:35 AM


At Michael Jackson's memorial service the Rev. Al Sharpton gave a rousing speech that had the congregation at the Staple Center rise to their feet at times with shouts of Amen.

Sharpton made one particular statement in his speech to MJ's three children, addressing the reasons for Jackson's eccentricities when he said, "I want his children to know there was nothing strange about your daddy. It was strange what your daddy had to deal with -- but he dealt with it anyway."

While clearly Sharpton's statement hinted to the racism Michael Jackson endured in the music industry as an African American entertainer trying to be a crossover success, Sharpton's statement totally ignored, as much as the black community has in their tribute to Jackson, the homophobia too, from us and the music industry.

Diagnosed with vitiligo, a skin disorder that causes depigmentation in patches of his skin, Jackson bleached his skin, not as a denunciation of his blackness, but rather, as he said, as a way to cosmetically have a more even skin tone.

Just as Michael was black, he was also queer, because he did not conform to our society's heterosexist norms. And as the man in the mirror faded from black to white, so too did his staged gender performance, from cute straight boy lead singer of the Jackson 5 to an effeminate male solo artist donning outfits in sequins.

And as the consummate drag performer he was not only a singer and dancer, Jackson was also a shape-shifter.

Jackson's transitioned himself first into looking like Diana Ross and then later into looking like his baby sister Janet and then later he transitioned himself into something, well, as inhumanly ghastly as he became more ghostly looking.

Jackson's gender blending was as transgressive, tabooed, and subversive as his skin bleaching.

He wore many masks until the masks became him.

Jackson's costumes and accessories range from various signature wigs to his hypermasculine look with his military/marching band outfits or his classic red (faux) leather look from "Beat It" to his softer look with his white nylon socks that were always prominently displayed beneath his black dress pants when he's doing his famous moonwalk.

Whereas Jackson couldn't be on the down-low about his skin bleaching, he could be and had to be on the down-low about his sexuality.

With an entertainment industry that forced Rock Hudson, a movie idol, in the closet until his death, and with a black community that still has light years to go in accepting its own lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer population, Jackson concealed his desire to grow up by donning an asexual Peter Pan image.

But when rumors abound, nonetheless, that Jackson was gay, so too did rumors that Jackson was a serial pedophile who beguiled young impressionable boys into his bed using the Neverland Ranch as a lure.

Although Jackson was acquitted of all charges, the strangeness Jackson had to deal with, which Sharpton did not speak about at Jackson's memorial, was homophobic bigotry: a bigotry that's predicated on the stereotype that one's gayness or perceived gayness is not only deviant but it is also innately criminal.

"Every time they knocked Michael down he got back up. Every time they counted him out he got back in," Sharpton said at the tribute.

The child sex abuse charges not only knocked Jackson down but it shocked his fan base. And with the potential of his multimillion recording industry collapsing under false allegations, Jackson had to go into action.

When Jackson tied the knot first with Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis's daughter, in 1994 following the first child molestation charges in 1993, everyone knew that Jackson was in damage control mode. And in his second marriage, rumored to be not consummated, in 1997 to Debbie Rowe, who is the mother of two of Jackson's three children, you get to see how compulsory heterosexuality exacted a toll on his life.

"We will never understand what he endured... Being judged, ridiculed. How much pain can one take? Maybe, now, Michael, they will leave you alone," Marlon Jackson stated at his brother's tribute.

And maybe Marlon is right.

Jackson was unquestionably eccentric, and his masks did not always protect him or liberate him because he always had to don them within the restricted boundaries of both race and sexual discrimination.

Perhaps Jackson's queerness was more a function of society's homophobia than it was his own.

http://www.huffingtonpost...27549.html

dreamfactory313 said:

still crying over this, I have to see the video of that woman.

mozfonky said:

How exactly would someone think "white"?

Chic35 said:

Gay or Straight, I think we can all admit the Michael was Transgendered.

Nancy Grace Michael Jackson coverage...

I thought Sharpton was referring subtely to the child abuse accusations.

purplesweat said:

He was, I think he was adding the whole media circus to this list not just the music industry and the racism that MJ had to battle with all his life from american public, which is as homophobic as any other.

Let's fall into the age old trap that black & gay is any worse than black & strange..

I think the song black & white by MJ tell's it's own story.....

(michael)
Dont tell me you agree with me
When I saw you kicking dirt in my eye

But, if
Youre thinkin about my baby
It dont matter if youre black or white

I said if
Youre thinkin of
Being my baby
It dont matter if youre black or white

r.i.p

mj

babynoz said:

This is the real MJ, the artist, all the media want is racist dirt

Chic35 said:

I don't think MJ ever came off looking like a saint, yes he cared for people and animals but don't most good hearted people, what's wrong with that?

Every man on this earth makes mistakes and does silly stuff, all that shows me is that he's human.

Mike tried to break down the wall between black and white, some people in the media did not like it....why?

r.i.p
m.j.

LondonStyle said:

Because how could a black man who's "turning" white possibly be a spokesperson for racial equality? The headline "MJ doesn't want to be black!!" is far more enticing than "MJ wants equality!!". Watch the media begin to focus on "tell all" aspects of MJ's private life now instead of focusing on the amazing work he did for charities.

The media, and the people who lap it up, are too shallow and dumb for that important issues, particularly when it comes in the form of catchy pop music. It's one or the other with them. You can't be both a pop star and outspoken socially.

Only the fans truly recognise the message because they look past the media and just listen to the damn music without bias.

Michael Jackson Album Sales Highlight Physical, Digital Merits
Although downloads help fill the gap after stock disappears upon the singer's death, fans are choosing CDs over digital albums.

Link

In the first few days after Michael Jackson's death on June 25, bereaved fans downloaded nearly 2.5 million digital copies of his songs, setting a record that's likely to stand for years. Before that, no music act had ever rung up even 1 million digital tracks in a single week.

Just as when John Lennon was killed in 1980, or when Elvis Presley died three years earlier, those who rushed out to music stores looking to buy physical copies of Jackson's albums often found that stock disappeared quickly under the huge demand born of tragedy.

The difference this time was that the era of the digital download gave Jackson's followers instant access to virtually anything in his catalog.

"Unlike in the past when the marketplace would be out of stock, the digital part of the business gave a connection for the content that fans were looking for immediately," said Gary Arnold, senior entertainment officer for Best Buy.

Last week, the pendulum swung back the other way. Once online and brick and mortar retail outlets replenished their shelves, an additional 800,000 copies of Jackson's albums were sold in the first full week after his death, according to figures released last week. CDs and other physical media accounted for 82% of those sales at a time when the demise of the CD is estimated to be only a few years away.

Officials at Jackson's label, Sony Music-owned Epic Records, declined to be interviewed for this story, as they've declined all interviews about Jackson's catalog since his death; likewise, neither iTunes nor Amazon would comment on sales-related information.

The latest figures from Nielsen SoundScan show that so far this year, overall music sales have been split 60% in favor of physical media and 40% digital. That's a rapid shift since 2005, when 92% of all music sales were physical and just 8% digital. SoundScan predicts that digital music will account for half of all music sales by the end of next year if current trends hold.

Fan response to Jackson's death has illuminated the distinct needs that physical and digital formats serve. The immediacy and near-universal accessibility of digital music has made it the form of choice for millions today. But physical media still offer an emotional connection that digital music has yet to replace.

Jackson's life and career were unique on so many fronts that most resist drawing generalizations based on what's happened since he died. But coupled with a surge in demand for vinyl LPs in recent years, there are those who see it as a reflection of a broader theme about how fans bond with their favorite music and musicians.

"I think because Michael Jackson's music meant so much to so many people of different generations, that emotional aspect of it created a situation that we saw where people wanted to come into a music store and get something they could hold in their hand as opposed to something to load into their computer," said Dave Cunningham, a floor manager at Amoeba Music in Hollywood.

Beyond looking for a form of music that's tangible, Cunningham said many of the store's customers also were looking for a sense of community they don't find buying music online.

"They were talking with other customers about what they felt," he said. "That's one of the things we try to do overall, foster that environment of the record store . . . People are hungry for that kind of thing -- not just the physical product that you can hold in your hand, but the experience of going to the record store. That sort of got lost in the late '90s and the early millennium with the introduction of download culture."

There's also a generational aspect at work.

"With Michael, his music probably resonates strongest with people who are 30 and above and who remember physical product fondly," said Keith Caulfield, senior chart manager for Billboard. "If we were talking about Lady Gaga or Katy Perry, I don't think there would be a run on physical product."

Caulfield noted that the album format still skews more strongly toward physical media than do singles. In the first half of 2009, digital album sales overall have averaged 21.5%, compared with 78.5% for physical product, Caulfield said.

The recent increase in physical sales of Michael Jackson albums is noticeable, yet not so dramatic that anyone is casting it as a sign of revitalization of the physical side of the record business.

"I think that the death of the CD as it's been called is further out than most would expect," Arnold said. "My belief is that more of a generational transition may occur than a transition driven by a specific device or opportunity.

"It's going to take some more time before we can make any concrete evaluation of what this means," he continued. "But I think in the wake of tragedy as people gravitated to the music, probably there were people who wanted physical forms of the content, but we can't overlook the fact when the moment arose, digital was there to help."

Michael Jackson's Death: How Culpable Are the Doctors?
Michael Jackson fans sign a poster in his memory at the Museum for African History in Detroit on July 7.

07/14/09
Link

The answer to the question "What killed Michael Jackson?" may still be weeks away, but police officials have given a strong indication that criminal charges, perhaps even for homicide, are being considered. Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton has said that detectives have spoken to a number of Jackson's doctors and are looking into the singer's prescription-drug history. The coroner's conclusion as to the cause of death, based on toxicology reports, will determine whether criminal charges are filed. "Based on those, we will have an idea of what we are dealing [with]," Bratton told CNN. "Are we dealing with a homicide or are we dealing with an accidental overdose?"



The police investigation is being conducted with the assistance of the California attorney general's office, which keeps a database of prescription drugs, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Neither Bratton nor the two law-enforcement agencies involved in the case would go into further details when contacted. However, the police investigation is reportedly centered on a coterie of physicians who treated Jackson throughout the years. Gossip website TMZ reported over the weekend that Jackson may have been administered Diprivan, a powerful sedative typically used in hospital or clinic settings for surgical purposes, shortly before he stopped breathing.


Diprivan, which is administered intravenously and known by its generic name propofol, can lead to respiratory failure. It was allegedly found at Jackson's rented home during a police search after the superstar's death and is rumored to have been used by the him in the past to treat insomnia.

"Diprivan was designed to cause respiratory depression," says Dr. Zeev Kain, professor and chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of California, Irvine. "That's the quality of the drug. That's why we use it in the operating room. If any of [the Jackson allegations] is true, a lot of people will be in a lot of trouble. It's reckless. In one word, it's outrageous." Kain adds: "We use [Diprivan] before we perform surgery because we want the patient to be out. It's not a side effect of the drug; that's how it's designed to work." In addition to its usual role, Kain says, in small doses the drug can induce a state of euphoria.


"There are a lot of risks of this drug," says Kain. If Diprivan was administered to Jackson, "we have somebody who underwent all the risks of anesthesia just for what? It's just outrageous, incomprehensible, it doesn't make sense. It's performing a medical procedure that's unnecessary in an environment that is most likely not licensed for it to be performed."

If police conclude that the drug was administered to Jackson before his death, it could very well lead to manslaughter charges — or worse — against the physician who performed the procedure. Citing sources in the LAPD and the coroner's office, TMZ reported that the police are focusing on Dr. Conrad Murray, the cardiologist Jackson had hired to help him prepare for his comeback tour. The website said it was told there was evidence Murray may have administered Diprivan to Jackson. It was Murray who found Jackson in cardiac distress and administered CPR before calling 911 for assistance on June 25, the day the entertainer died. When contacted by TIME, Miranda Sevcik, spokeswoman for the law firm representing Murray, said that they would not be commenting on the numerous rumors, innuendo or unnamed sources at the request of LAPD investigators.

What kind of charges might physicians implicated in Jackson's death face? "The most serious charge that they might be able to do would be involuntary manslaughter, which is an unintentional killing with criminal negligence," says Jean Rosenbluth, a clinical associate professor at USC Law and former federal prosecutor. "Now, there can be criminally negligent homicide if there is such gross recklessness. Theoretically, I suppose you could file some sort of second-degree murder charge, but it's hard for me to imagine that they will be able to show that kind of recklessness. But none of us know the facts yet of what he died of or what these doctors were doing." Involuntary manslaughter carries a criminal penalty of two to four years of jail time.

Lesser charges could be filed against doctors who may have overprescribed medication to Jackson or used aliases to do so, which seems to have been the practice of some medical professionals in the past. Documentation and photographs from a police raid of Jackson's Neverland Ranch after he was charged with child molestation show an array of drugs, some with the names of Jackson employees.

Attorney Brian Oxman, who helped represent Jackson during the molestation trial, says dozens of drug vials, including Zoloft, Percocet, Vicodin and Demerol, were found at the time. Oxman told TIME: "Instead of pursuing the evidence which was staring them right in the face really — overprescription by doctors, overprescription by employees who were providing him with their drugs — instead of pursuing that which was an obvious, easily proved case they went after the molestation."

Some of the drugs, like Demerol, Percocet and Vicodin, which Jackson may have continued to abuse, are covered by the Federal Controlled Substances Act — and their misuse can carry criminal penalties of up to 40 years in prison, says Rosenbluth. However, she cautions that sentencing is determined by many factors, such as the amount of the drug, whether the crime was a first offense and whether the administration of such drugs led to death. "Certainly the penalties are more severe if death occurred. Generally people who are first-time offenders though don't get anywhere near the statutory maximum," says Rosenbluth.

Doctors or other individuals who are alleged to have conspired to provide Jackson with drugs he shouldn't have had access to can also face felony conspiracy charges. "Even if someone is not a doctor, but [is] enabling Michael Jackson to get access to drugs knowing that he shouldn't have access to them, that person can be charged with some kind of criminal conspiracy," says Rosenbluth, citing the current case against Howard K. Stern and two physicians stemming from the death of Anna Nicole Smith. "Two of her doctors were charged, but Stern, who was not a doctor, was charged as well because he was alleged to have gotten prescriptions for her under his own name, knowing that they were for her, which is against the law. He was alleged to have conspired with these doctors to overprescribe pills for her." Stern was charged with conspiring to furnish Smith with drugs, the doctors with illegally prescribing drugs to Smith; all three were charged with "prescribing, administering or dispensing a controlled substance to an addict." The trio have pleaded not guilty. A preliminary hearing for their trial is set for Aug. 12.

As the Smith case shows, in California doctors can also face additional charges for prescribing drugs to a known addict, unless it's for a medicinal purpose. "There's all sorts of ways in which a doctor can get himself into trouble," says Rosenbluth. "Generally, I think what prosecutors would look at is, Did they know that this was a false name that Michael Jackson was using? Did they know that there was no need for this many prescriptions of a particular drug? Did they know that he was addicted to a prescription drug and didn't have a medical purpose for it? They will also look at how long the course of conduct went on. Were these doctors doing this with other patients as well as Michael Jackson? There's a whole host of things that will figure into any calculation as to whether someone is criminally liable."

Some of these charges are misdemeanors, which carry a potential sentence of up to a year, but each prescription can be a separate count, theoretically leading to consecutive sentences.

Why would doctors risk criminal charges to treat celebrities, who are notoriously skilled at getting whatever they want, no matter what the personal, financial or legal risk? Ego, says Dr. Drew Pinsky, a substance-abuse specialist who treats many celebrities. "You can imagine how gratifying it is for a doctor who can make somebody feel better — that's the reason you go into medicine," says Pinsky. "And then a really important person says, 'Oh, you've done such a good job. You've made me feel so good.' What that doctor may not understand is that what that patient needs is to get off the drugs, which doesn't make them feel good and they get very angry and dismiss the doctor. Because they have unlimited access and there's always someone available to give them what they want."

I'm getting a bit fed up of the charts being full of MJ albums and seeing people pick up various compilations to buy.

It makes a mockery of the huge outpouring of grief from some of these people. If you care that much, how come you only just bought his records?!

And people looking at the back of the Greatest Hits to see what's on it?! You KNOW what's on there, come ON! Every radio station and TV channel* has been playing these songs for the last couple of weeks now!


Let me be clear here; I mean NO disrespect towards Michael Jackson, his music or his genuine fans, nor even of anyone discovering his music for the first time through this, but why so many proclaim themselves to be fans when they're just jumping on a bandwagon?




.

(*OK, maybe not SkySportsNews, but you know what I mean....)
[Edited 7/14/09 4:00am]

Katherine Jackson Seeks More Influence Over Michael's Estate
07/14/09

The two men named by Michael Jackson to administer his estate confirmed their powers with a judge Monday, despite new opposition by Katherine Jackson's lawyers to gain for her a larger say in her late son's affairs.
The dispute continued through the weekend between the two sides and was detailed in documents filed with Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff.

Beckloff agreed with the men's lawyers and signed off on the papers needed for special administrators John Branca and John McClain to begin doing business on behalf of the estate, at least through Aug. 3.

The judge also formally revoked his earlier order, which gave Katherine Jackson limited powers over some of her son's possessions when it was believed he died without a will.

Attorney Paul Gordon Hoffman, a member of the team representing Branca and McClain, said in a nine-page declaration that as late as 4:10 p.m. Sunday, an attorney for the Jackson family sent an e-mail "stating that it was his intent to have the order reflect that Katherine Jackson should be treated like a third trustee."


Hoffman argued that to gain that power, attorneys for Katherine Jackson would need to appear Monday and submit a competing proposed order that would allow this.

No competing order was submitted.

No hearing was held and the judge signed the papers without hearing further argument.

Attorney Burt Levitch, who appeared for Katherine Jackson, referred questions to New York lawyer Londell McMillan. A call to McMillan was not immediately returned on Monday.

Attorney Howard Weitzman, who represents Branca, refused to comment.

Hoffman said in his filing that Branca and McClain have been submitting to Katherine Jackson's lawyers "voluminous and continuous information on the business opportunities being presented and their responses or intended responses."

He said while the law firm has been able to reach agreement with the Attorney General's office, which is a party to the case, it "has been unable to reach an agreement with counsel for the Jacksons."

Hoffman said that Katherine Jackson's lawyers "have stated that they were pleased with the information being provided, and that their objections were not predicated on the actual provision of information, but rather on the lack of a formal role for Katherine Jackson or a court-ordered requirement that the information be provided."

Hoffman cited the transcript of the July 6 hearing in which the judge said that Branca and McClain "are for now for the next month at the helm of the ship." At the time, the judge suggested that they keep Katherine Jackson informed but said, "I'm not telling them what they have to do to do their job."

"There are numerous pressing matters that require immediate attention," Hoffman said in his declaration. He asked for administration authority "so that McClain and Branca can begin to take the actions necessary to preserve the assets of the estate and address the needs of the decedent's minor children."

Jackson died on June 25, leaving a will which provided for a trust to be administered by Branca and McClain. The beneficiaries named were his mother, his three children and an unnamed group of children's charities.


Link

rocknrolldave said:

I've referred to the resurgence as the only upside to his death. When someone dies it's only natural to look back at their lives, with michael I am really glad that people are forced to go back and see the man in his prime, before all the wierdness, when his eyes were so clear and his thoughts focussed. A guy hardly even recognizable anymore but inarguably brilliant. His enemies, the allegations, the wierdness cannot detract from the fact that here was an american genius. Some people do not want to be reminded of that for whatever reason.

And oh yes, I've just read that Michael Baden said they may have kept his brain to try to see if his "strange behavior" may have had a psychological cause, something I suspected but knew the inside authorities wouldn't cop to. They made some B.S. up about the brain hardening to reveal more drug information(which may also be true). But knowing how those people are, I presumed they wanted to study and document every shred of info on the mind of a genius/deviant/drug addict or whatever they may have thought he was.

mozfonky said:

The more i read these stories true or false , the more i understand and agree with everything Prince does to protect his name and music and image.

What they are doing to MJ is beyond human, cruel and sick.

The whole "death of the CD" thing is so stupid. Just keep selling them! If the music was actually GOOD, like MJ's is, people would buy it.

Like they said in that article above, if it were Gaga or Katy Perry, aka BORING crap artists, they wouldn't sell.

No shit!

CDs aren't selling like they used to because music today sucks compared to back then.

I'm just waiting for these big business executives to all of a sudden realise one day that it's the QUALITY of the music that's killing the music industry, not the way in which we choose to consume the crap we're bombarded with.

I stopped buying music because most of it I hated. I used to be obsessed with buying back in the day because I knew I was buying a quality product.

mozfonky said:

Yeah.... Thats horrible ,GOD

purplesweat said:

Has anyone already posted this?
OMG, I am dying.

[Edited 7/14/09 5:57am]

rocknrolldave said:

I can understand your frustration, but for many people Michael's music was always present and maybe they liked what they heard but never owned a CD. Or maybe they did back in the day but not since.

In the time of someone's death, people look for solace and with someone like Michael they look for it in his music. Those who stopped buying his stuff post BAD might wonder what came after, what else was there beyond Black or White or Scream, etc.

I don't mind people re/discovering if they're trying to understand him or appreciate him.

Swa
[Edited 7/14/09 6:25am]

A sad reality hit me tonight - and maybe it is an obvious one but hear me out.

Tonight I was talking to friends who had tickets to what would have been MJ's opening night tonight and I was thinking about the tickets I had for shows later in the tour. And then I thought about my life as an MJ fan which has been since I was five and it hit me... from the first time I bought Off the Wall there has never been a time in my life when a) Michael's music wasn't there and b) there wasn't something exciting to look forward to.

Even in the midst of the whole allegations you knew there was going to be something more, some new music from Michael. When Thriller came out you knew there was going to be more. When Dangerous came out you knew there was going to be more. When HiStory and Invincible came out you knew there was going to be more. And even as the past few years dragged on you knew Michael was recording tracks, you knew there was going to be more.

There was always this optimism in me that Michael was going to bring the goods again. I had seen in time and time again. In the face of the WACKO JACKO backlash of post BAD Michael brought the goods of Dangerous. In the face of the backlash of the whole Chandler allegations Michael brought the goods in the form of his most personal work in HiStory. And in the backlash of Invincible you knew there was going to be something more, he was going to bring the goods. And as we talked about what might have been with This Is It, it made me realised that with Michael's death, so too did my optimism and excitement for something new.

From now on, sadly, there will be no new music from Michael. Instead we may get unreleased works but they will be tinged with the sadness of what could have been, instead of the joy of what could be.

Now, what do we have to look forward to?

Swa

Another one


[Edited 7/14/09 6:34am]

Countthedays said:

I hate this bitch but on a recent show,she admitted that she used to be a fan of MJ She said that,as a child,she would watch Soul Train and try to imitate his dance moves.

Michael Jackson Rules Album Chart
MJ has four albums in the top five…
10:40, Monday, 13 July 2009
Michael Jackson continues his reign in the UK charts, with additional new entries in the album and singles stakes.

The King of Pop, who died suddenly two weeks ago, now boasts four of the top five in the UK album charts, with The Essential, Off The Wall, Thriller and The Motown Years all fending off all comers.

WATCH VIDEOS FROM THE THE OFFICIAL UK SINGLES CHART HERE

Only Florence and the Machine managed to invade MJ’s top five domination, entering at an impressive number two with her debut Lungs.

In total, Jackson now has 13 albums in the top 200.

In the Singles Chart, Cascada’s Evacuate The Dancefloor climbs to number one, knocking La Roux’s Bulletproof down to two.

Michael Jackson continues his posthumous presence in the singles stakes too – one in five of all singles in the top 200 feature the late legend.

....we miss u m.j.
r.i.p

This from today's New York Post...so take it with a grain of salt but if there is one ounce of truth to it...people thinking Michael Jackson was malicious and dastardly for keeping Debbie Rowe away from his children...might want to REALLY think about the kind of person Ms. Rowe ACTUALLY is!

http://www.nypost.com/sev...179174.htm

DEBBIE ROWE DROPS CUSTODY FIGHT
$4M MOTHER LODE FOR MICHAEL JACKSON EX

By KATE SHEEHY

Last updated: 9:01 am
July 14, 2009
Posted: 2:55 am
July 14, 2009

Michael Jackson's baby mama Debbie Rowe has sold her kids again -- this time squeezing about $4 million from her former mother-in-law in exchange for giving up her parental rights, a family source told The Post yesterday.

"It's one final payday," the disgusted Jackson confidant said.

The family isn't happy about the mega-payout -- which was set to be sealed in Los Angeles yesterday afternoon -- but they consider it a necessary evil, the source said.

"They felt it was like a ransom-type thing. [Rowe] jumped back into the picture because she wanted money," the friend said.

'POP' JACKSON ART AUCTION IS POSTPONED

JANET JACKSON BEATS $120M SUIT

CINDY: ELIZABETH TAYLOR GOES TO HOSPITAL ACHING FOR JACKSON

ONGOING MICHAEL JACKSON COVERAGE

Rowe -- a former dental assistant who bore a boy and girl for Jacko -- had forfeited her parental rights once before in exchange for big bucks.

After the birth of son Prince Michael, now 12, and daughter Paris, 11, she agreed to allow Jackson to raise them in exchange for a lump sum of $8 million, plus $900,000 annually for five years, the source said.

When Jacko was accused of child molestation in 2001, Rowe resurfaced to reclaim her rights. But she wound up giving her ex-husband full custody of the kids anyway -- in exchange for another $4 million plus a $900,000 home.

This time around, she is forfeiting her restored parental rights to Jackson's mom, Katherine, in exchange for yet another roughly $4 million, the family source said.

"This would be it. This takes away any rights she has to challenge custody at any given time," the source said.

"If something happens to Katherine, [Rowe] can't challenge the next [guardian], whether that be Diana Ross or someone in the family."

Neither lawyers for Rowe nor Katherine Jackson returned phone calls or e-mails.

While it had been thought that Rowe was demanding that Jacko's abusive father, Joe, have nothing to do with the kids, the source said there is no such language in the agreement.

Still, the family will keep him in check, the source said.

Joe Jackson is reportedly pushing his dead son's children -- also including Prince Michael II, a k a "Blanket," born to an unidentified surrogate using donor sperm -- to form a new group, The Jackson 3.

But "that's something the family would absolutely not tolerate," the source said.

The King of Pop's siblings are themselves involved in a venture that has become much more lucrative since his death.

Jacko's five remaining brothers were filming an A&E pilot for what they hoped would be a reality series about them launching a reunion tour.

While the five initially agreed to be paid a total of between $200,000 and $300,000 for the pilot, they now want to add footage of Michael's funeral into the mix -- and boost their take to "between $10 million and $20 million," the family source said.

Jacko's body -- still undergoing testing as part of a police probe -- was abruptly moved from its temporary resting place in a crypt at the famed Forest Lawn Cemetery in the Hollywood Hills last week.

It now rests in a refrigerated unit in the basement of the cemetery's main building for security reasons, according to the site RadarOnline.com.