by CBS News
Published: Thu, June 25, 2009 - 3:42 pm CST
Last Updated: Thu, June 25, 2009 - 10:24 pm CST
BREAKING NEWS(CBS/ AP) Michael Jackson, the sensationally gifted "King of Pop" who emerged from childhood superstardom to become the entertainment world's most influential singer and dancer before his life and career deteriorated in a freakish series of scandals, died Thursday, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press. He was 50.
The person said Jackson died in a Los Angeles hospital. The person was not authorized to speak publicly and requested anonymity.
The circumstances of his death were not immediately clear. Jackson was not breathing when Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded to a call at his Los Angeles home about 12:30 p.m. local time, Capt. Steve Ruda told the Los Angeles Times. The paramedics tried to resuscitate him and took him to UCLA Medical Center, Ruda told the newspaper.
Earlier Thursday evening, with speculation reaching a fever pitch, the Times cited city and law enforcement sources as saying Jackson had been rushed to hospital by paramedics and was not breathing when they arrived at the sprawling mansion where he'd been staying.
Subsequent reports said Jackson was in a deep coma and that family members were gathering at his bedside. Some unconfirmed reports said he'd suffered cardiac arrest.
Word of the sudden emergency, fuelled by rampant media speculation about the possibility of Jackson's death, brought a swarm of news helicopters to the air above the hospital and a growing mass of people on the grounds outside.
Jackson, 50, has been in the public eye for more than 40 years.
With his unforgettable catchy Jackson Five tunes and incredible stage presence, the public has been infatuated with the shining child star turned awkward adult, who reached international superstardom. As soon as Jackson glided across the stage with his signature moonwalk dance, it was all over from there - fans were immediately hooked.
His album "Thriller," released in 1982, was a chart-topper that set the bar for pop music.
In recent years, however, the pop icon has become more of a recluse and somewhat of a lost soul.
Headlines about Jackson were no longer about his music; instead there were stories of plastic surgery and strange behavior. He dangled his baby from a balcony and most damaging to his image was his 2005 trial for child molestation.
CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker reports that Jackson's 1982 album, "Thriller" still is the top-selling album of all time, and Jackson was the top performer in the world through much of the 1980s. But somewhere along the way, Jackson went from the King of Pop to Wacko Jacko. Some say it started with an accident during the filming of a TV commercial that burned his scalp severely and led to a dependence on prescription pain killers. He became an increasingly reclusive and odd figure. He was married briefly to Elvis Presley's daughter, then to his skin doctor's assistant. He was a father of three, despite ongoing speculation that they could not be his natural children.
The King of Pop had been plagued by financial, legal, and medical woes for years and had not performed a major concert since 2001. His last studio album was released the same year.
A previous attempt to relaunch Jackson's career collapsed amid reports of ill health and court action.
In recent years, there have been several sightings of Jackson looking frail.
In 2005 during his molestation trial, he famously appeared in pajamas after being rushed to the hospital, one of four such visits during the trial.
Jackson has kept a largely low profile in recent years but in March, he announced he would perform a series of London concerts scheduled for July.
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Although she does tend to giggle from time to time.
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