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King of Pop: The highly anticipated Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, arrives in theatres this week covering roughly 22 years of his life from performing as part of the Jackson 5 to touring to promote the album Bad.

‘Michael’ plays the hits but avoids the hard questions

The long-awaited ‘Michael’ biopic dazzles with iconic recreations and a star-making performance but struggles to uncover the man behind the legend

Memories: PJ Morton of Maroon 5, who recently put out an autobiography titled Saturday Night, Sunday Morning, performs at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in Louisiana in May. Photo: Erika Goldring/Getty Images

PJ Morton: Listening to his authentic artist’s voice

Singer-songwriter and Maroon 5 band member PJ Morton has just published his autobiography. This is an edited extract

Night fever: Mr Shakes (above) headlined at the Godfather, a club in the northern areas of Port Elizabeth, in the Eighties. (Facebook)

Say goodbye to 80s disco in PE? Never!

Fifty years ago, disco started having an impact. Its influence was felt even in apartheid South Africa

anye West speaks onstage during the 2022 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 26, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.   (Photo by Leon Bennett / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

Can you separate art from the world’s greatest artists?

Has the notion of separating art from the artist evolved? The answer is personal and lies in the eyes, ears, and actions of audiences.

Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars of music group Silk Sonic perform onstage during the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards broadcast on March 14, 2021. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

The refreshing nostalgia of Silk Sonic

Silk Sonic’s adventurous nostalgia is not a testimony to older music being better but rather the artists offer a listening experience that is refreshing because it is so…

Ted on arrival: Teodoro Nguema Obiang
Mangue suits up for his 41st birthday in
2013, when he still had all his loot.

Africa in brief: 18-25 September

In the round-up: Covid-19; the obscenity of Western countries; closing schools for the rest of the year; and Samuel Eto’o declares his candidacy

Manu Dibango, alto saxophone, performs on October 31st 1994 at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Frans Schellekens/ Redferns)
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The Cameroonian rhythm that set the world on fire

How Manu Dibango’s hit became the most sampled African song in history

The documentary Leaving Neverland has audiences split on whether the latest revelations about his alleged sexual abuse of two boys are valid or a public lynching of a successful black figure. (Dave Hogan/Getty Images)
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I just can’t stop lovin’ you

Michael Jackson’s fans worshipped him even after his death — until Leaving Neverland. Bongani Madondo writes about dealing with a fallen god

(Reuters)

Doccies don’t lie. Or do they?

In Leaving Neverland two men make allegations refuted by the family of a dead man unable to defend himself

Bill Cosby maintains he gave Andrea Constand an over-the-counter antihistamine to relieve stress. He said their relations were consensual.

US prosecution builds ‘serial predator’ case against Cosby

The now frail 80-year-old could spend the rest of his life behind bars if convicted at his retrial for drugging and molesting Andrea Constand.

Posthumous Michael Jackson album due in May

A new Michael Jackson album has been named "XSCAPE" and will be released five years after the star’s death, says a record label.

Quincy Jones has worked on Michael Jackson’s three biggest solo albums – Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad. (AFP)

Quincy Jones sues Michael Jackson estate over royalties

Music producer Quincy Jones is suing for millions of dollars in royalties he says were generated from some of Michael Jackson’s biggest hits.

A file photograph of star Michael Jackson and his father Joe Jackson in 2005. (AFP)

Tax disputes plague Michael Jackson estate

The estate of music legend Michael Jackson has been fighting the US Internal Revenue Service over taxes and penalties levied on the star’s assets.

Michael Jackson’s ex-wife said doctors took advantage of him. (AFP)

Doctors ‘competed’ to treat Michael Jackson, claims ex-wife

Various doctors were "competing" to treat Michael Jackson, each offering even-stronger painkillers before his death, claims the star’s ex-wife.

Michael Jackson’s teen daughter Paris attempts suicide

Paris Jackson, the 15-year-old daughter of the late Michael Jackson, has been rushed to a Los Angeles hospital after an apparent suicide attempt.

Paramedic: Michael Jackson looked emaciated when he died

The first paramedic on scene at Michael Jackson’s home the day he died said the singer looked emaciated, like someone at the end of a chronic illness.

Jury in Michael Jackson trial hears promoter ignored ‘red flags’

Attorneys for Katherine Jackson have outlined the case in opening statements accusing concert promoter AEG of contributing to the singer’s death.

Conrad Murray.

Michael Jackson’s doctor Conrad Murray files appeal

Michael Jackson’s jailed former doctor has filed an appeal against his conviction for involuntary manslaughter over the star’s 2009 death.

Michael Jackson’s family seeking billions in wrongful death lawsuit

Michael Jackson’s family is suing concert promoter, Anschutz Entertainment Group for his death in 2009.

Michael Jackson’s ex-wife said doctors took advantage of him. (AFP)

Promoters voiced Jackson doubts before death

The promoters of Michael Jackson’s ill-fated 2009 comeback concert series feared he was unstable, with one describing him as a "mess".