I've got one word: Beyoncé. It used to be two words, but such are the heights the 27-year-old from Houston has scaled in a career that has already spanned two decades. Say what you will about her scantily clad BET tribute to Michael—she is the only living performer to even approximate Jackson's blend of talent and cultural clout.

Mstrustme said:

Whoever wrote the article needs, NEEDS their ass kicked

I'm sick and tired of people saying that "this artist" is the next (insert artist name here) There is no "next Michael Jackson"! Usher,Justin Timberlake and Chris Brown have all tried to fill his shoes but they have failed.It ain't gonna happen.Great artists will never be replaced.No torch will be passed.

candy2277 said:

um.


as much as I do enjoy Beyonce, this writer seems to forget that MJ still has a few living conemporaries whose combination of fame, style, material and talent are on par with where Michael is/was at the end of his life. Prince, Madonna, Janet, maybe even George Michael? Of course no supernova has ever burned as brightly as MJ's, including Elvis and the Beatles (because of the limited mass media in their eras) when it comes to successes, failures, controversies, etc. But they are supernovas in their own right.

I will agree that Beyonce is the heir apparent, for this generation, of that type of pop icon fame and talent. I said it in that thread about her new video. And I'm glad there's at least one person out there with the drive and ambition to take on that sort of role when everyone else is so boring and dull.

But she's got a looooong way to go before she reaches the level of anyone I mentioned above, and may never reach those heights of pop idolatry. But at least she's trying.

The exception I take with the writer is that he seems to forget that MJ came from a time when there were a LOT of superstars. And his death does not signify the end of that era when his contemporaries that hold/held the mantle still live and continue to work. Beyonce is NOT the most famous/talented/hardeest-working/most popular act in music since MJ. There are a lot of them still alive and kicking who were right there with him during his peak years.
[Edited 7/18/09 12:59pm]

errant said:

Well if we are gonna talk about popular contemporaries I think that Eminem is far more successful than Beyonce. And he is using one name too. So why don't we make him the heir apparent? Also Britney Spears is more successful than Be internationally. And what about Rihanna or 50 Cent? I mean come on Beyonce is not more influential or more successful than the people I just mentioned and she is definitely not on her way to become the new Michael Jackson or Madonna or Prince or Janet or whatever. The reason why is not that she is untalented but because with the way the industry works today and the fact that almost everything has been done before I think Mariah and Celine will remain the last real superstars for long time to come.

HELL NO!

midiscover said:

Co-sign...actually HELL THA FUCK NO!!!!! Ah, much better. Seriously, I'd rather have Usher or Justin Timberlake be the MJ heir than Mrs. Jigga Man. People need to stop putting these thoughts and ideas into her head or she'll never go away. What the hell happened to that hiatus...we were supposed to get a break from her and now, what, no, no break. That ain't right, yo.
[Edited 7/18/09 16:47pm]

I'm sick and tired of people saying that "this artist" is the next (insert artist name here) There is no "next Michael Jackson"! Usher,Justin Timberlake and Chris Brown have all tried to fill his shoes but they have failed.It ain't gonna happen.Great artists will never be replaced.No torch will be passed.

Beyonce, the heir to MJJ's glove?!?

Yeah over Janet's, Prince's, AND Madonna's dead bodies! Is THAT writer out of his f***ing mind or what?!?

Countthedays said:

From the mouth of babes!

whoever made that claim should be anally penetrated with lint duster

whoever made that claim should be anally penetrated with lint duster