Joe Jackson, the father of Michael and Janet Jackson, has passed away. He was 89.
Last week, reports already showed that Joe was on his deathbed and later hospitalised with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. His family, including his wife Katherine, children, and grandchildren, were by his side.
Joe’s health had been rapidly declining over the past few years. During his 87th birthday in July 2015, he experienced 3 heart attacks. He was also hospitalised in May 2016 for high fever and again in June 2017 after a car accident in Las Vegas. Family members took a turn for the worse in the past 2 weeks.
The Jackson family patriarch was a notoriously harsh manager to his kids but successfully launched his sons in Jackson 5 – Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Michael, and Marlon – into stardom. Michael went on to earn the title as the “King of Pop”. Both Joe and Katherine have been living apart, following a tumultuous 69-year relationship where he fathered a love child, had numerous affairs, in addition to abusing his children.
Despite the controversy, Janet spoke warmly about her father when receiving the Radio Disney Music Awards first-ever Impact Award. “My mother nourished me with the most extravagant love imaginable. My father, my incredible father drove me to be the best I can,” she said. Michael’s daughter, Paris, also took to Instagram to post a touching tribute to her grandfather.
Joe Jackson, father and early manager of the Jackson family, has passed away #BillboardNews pic.twitter.com/HJomtKnZxn
— billboard (@billboard) June 27, 2018
Rest in peace, Joe Jackson.
Sources: Daily Mail, Rap-Up.
