Nation of Islam take over MJ's life

Michael Jackson Forum

Farrakhan's group is running Michael Jackson's life, associates say - Sharon Waxman, New York Times

LOS ANGELES -- Officials from the Nation of Islam, a separatist black Muslim group, have moved in with entertainer Michael Jackson and are asserting control over the singer's business affairs, friends, employees and business associates of Jackson said.

Efforts to reach Jackson through his spokesman were not successful but his lawyer, Mark Geragos denied the claim.

The Nation of Islam issued a statement Monday strongly denying that it has taken over any of Jackson's business affairs or that it was taking a central role in his defense strategy.

"The Nation of Islam, in response to several inquiries, has said today that it has no official business or professional relationship with Mr. Michael Jackson," the group said a statement issued by The Final Call, the group's newspaper. "The Nation of Islam joins thousands of other people in wishing him well."

Initially invited to the Neverland Ranch several weeks ago to provide security for Jackson, members of the Nation of Islam are now restricting access to him and have begun making decisions for him related to the news media, his business affairs and even his legal strategy, Jackson's friends and associates said. Jackson faces charges of child molestation in Santa Barbara and recently moved into a rented house in Los Angeles, where Nation of Islam officials have accompanied him.

Leonard Muhammad, chief of staff and son-in-law of the Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, now works out of Geragos' Los Angeles office, the Jackson associates said.

In a telephone interview Monday, Geragos denied that the Nation of Islam is running Jackson's affairs. "The idea that there is some takeover by the Nation of Islam -- someone is spinning you," he said. "Nobody has told me what to do and what not to do. Leonard, I believe, is someone Michael consults with, just like in excess of 25 people."

Reached in Los Angeles, Muhammad declined to comment for this story.

Jackson's official spokesman, Stuart Backerman, resigned Monday to protest the group's presence, said a Backerman colleague, who could not be reached for comment.

"The Nation of Islam and Louis Farrakhan's son-in-law have taken over completely and are in full and total charge," said one senior Jackson employee, speaking on condition of anonymity. "They are working out of Geragos' office; in essence, they're telling him what to do."

The employees said Geragos and Muhammad together negotiated Jackson's interview by the CBS program "60 Minutes," which was aired Sunday, in exchange for an agreement by the network to broadcast a still-incomplete Michael Jackson special, for which Jackson would be paid $5 million.

The interview was negotiated last week by Les Moonves, chief executive of CBS, over the objections of Jackson advisers who said they thought it was a bad idea to put Jackson on TV while he faced felony charges.

According to the Associated Press, two of Jackson's advisers, Charles Koppelman and Alan Whitman, said they remain in charge of his music and finances.

Asked about the Nation of Islam's reported role in directing Jackson's affairs, Koppelman said, "It's not the case as to his music, finances and assets. I think it's primarily in security."

Koppelman, a former chief of EMI Records, said he negotiated with CBS for the broadcast of a Jackson TV special, which is set to air Friday. He said he has not talked to Jackson about the Nation of Islam.

"If he gets involved on a spiritual basis, that's his business," he said.

Whitman, an accountant, said he continues to be Jackson's financial manager. "I receive his bills and write his checks. . . . Anything else I relate to Mr. Jackson is confidential," he said.

Jackson was introduced to the Nation of Islam through his children's nanny, Grace Rwarmba, who is a member of the group, and through Jackson's brother, Jermaine, several people close to Jackson said.

Michael Jackson met Farrakhan in Las Vegas last month, and the Nation of Islam leader "talked like a father to him," said someone present at the meeting. "They prayed together." Around Thanksgiving Muhammad moved to Neverland and is said to have begun asserting control.

It's true that Farrakhan came to Jacko's rescue and the Nation of Islam (NOI) has assisted the Jackson family in supplementing his traditional security assistance at Neverland. This story broke two weeks ago when Rita Cosby of Foxs Network was able to announce on her Big Weekend Story just now that the Nation of Islam (NOI) has provided two body-guards to Jacko and that they have stepped in to help the Jackson family with spiritual assistance and providing prayers during the time of trial conflicts. The Muslim played a role in communicating among the family members. Back almost ten years ago, NOI also provided successfully security and prayers for OJ Simpson's legal counsel Johnnie Cochran.

http://www.foxnews.com/images/1285/9_31_100_rita_cosby.jpg Rita Cosby invited former NOI Quanell X to express his views on the Jackson arrests and continued prosecution of Jackson based on flimsy evidence for which had he not been black, Jacko will not have been mistreated and pursued with such ten year vengence. Rita didn't think race is an issue and disagreed. Quanell X was composed, articulate and raised some interesting issues of "sham trials against blacks." I saw Defense Attorney Geragos on CNN Larry King last week saying the same thing:

Im sorry.....but the LAST thing MJ needs at this point is Louis Farrakhan....

People are getting pretty sick of the race card being played.....and Farrakhan is usually (not always...but usually if he is involved, the race card is also) at the heart of these claims.

The sad part is that race is can be a major issue, and when people start screaming it every second, it leaves the people that it REALLY happens to harder on them.

Shame on MJ if he decides to go this route....oooops...but he already did years ago with Tommy M. and we saw that was a load of bull.....

If a person wants security...do they need Louis F? Hardly....Mr. Farrakhan isnt well known for doling out security...he is there for one reason and one reason only.

I don't think Geragos needed to play the race card to win the MJ molestation case at all. I do see the Jacksons need to get second opinions and outside help, other than relying on same who provided earlier advice and security around Jacko. The effective thing about NOI is that no "riff-raffs" will try to driff into Jacko's midsts anymore such that of these cases that are giving him heartburns. Had NOI stepped in 10 years ago, we never will have seen Jacko surrounded by this allegation.

The NOI has a harsh way of getting a point across...hey, it just might help as well as hurt at the same time. I wonder if it offends blacks as much. What do you think?

Race not an issue when the Jackson family was on the rise in the 70's and 80's, making them multi-million. The music industry and traditional institution were wooing them, dining them, showering them with gifts and entertainment. Jacko became the undispute King of Pop, raking in platinum records each and every release. Race has no color when everyone was green with envy and the going was great. Jacko was spreading the wealth the last three decades.

http://www.mjshouse.com/webthumbs_app/servlet/com.acme.weisse.webthumbs.SRV_Thumb?picture=mjshouse.com/pictures/living_with_mj/21.jpg&width=150&height= Just as fast as he rose to the top of the charts, his stock now is plummeting because of media saturation over some flimsy charges. People turn to religion during crisis. Perhaps being a Jehova witness isn't as compatible as finding new religion with the Nation of Islam. It seems the Jackson family finds comfort and spirituality with the black religion. Who are we to criticize what religion is good for Jacko. Last I read, NOI has virtually no molestation crimes as compared to the Catholic Church and homicide of Rabbi spouses. That religion seems to stabilize black family, bring dignity back to black figureheads and perform many charitable acts for the black community.

It's difficult for many to understand and raising noise in the media unjustifiably.
So where is their beef? Let them take care of their own kind, for themselves and lead them out of temptation as most religion.

I had my fun with the media in the SP forum...you'll see my comments about the media all over the place and how I feel about them...its not good....but it was fun to take shots at them....

Not so fast there Mystic, I said Race shouldn't be an issue; but if you put your feet into Jacko's shoes, he normally doesn't see race an issue in good times, but only get to understand it better when "the chips are down." Those who now see Race a subtle issue are the very same ones to have originally and inadvertantly played the race card first. For instance, if they don't raise the NOI issue, then no one would even bring up the race issue. If they don't bring up the bleaching with Jacko's changing faces, then on one would even bring up the race issue.

I know you said race shouldnt be an issue...I was just stating it because of Farrakhan. I took this course in college that had alot of African Americans in it...and we started talking religion, and somehow or another Farrakhans name came up eventually...I was going to say negative things about the guy but I chose to stay quiet because I didnt want to offend anyone....I saw soon enough that I could say all I wanted..if I wanted. I didnt realize how many African Americans in that class said he gained more bad publicity for their race than good....I was shocked at some of the things said about him.

I see your point but the race issue was brought up by his own mother when she stated that he is being treated this way because he is black....


Please dont bible thump to me.....PLEASE!!!! Im not a real religious person....I have nothing against people who are religious...Im just not one of them!

Gee, as we peel those layers one by one.....the issues are clearer and clearer.
We're running out of things to debate over.

Next class objective - get you to see the real world from Mother Jackson's POV.
I'm impressed you attended a black history course.

Ever see the Federal Express TV ad?...... Ooooh, so you're an MBA! LOL
(The black Momma obliges to the new corporate worker on-the-job) get the picture?

Being a celebrity with such a superstar status as Mike has/had I wouldn't give much weight to this story myself. Michael denies it as well as the NOI.

We all know how the media is. We've all heard stories about Mike like his buying of the Elephant Man's bones and all sorts of weird things. I don't believe most of them and I give this story the same weight.

I guess when Mike changes his name to "Jacko X" then I might believe it.

You're right. I watched Whoraldo's Saturday night special yesterday (Geraldo At Large) where he reported about the NOI participation. The German security chief was on vacation and during his absence, the Jackson family father Joe Jackson had lent a hand in temporarily filling in during Jacko's away from Neverland, in requesting backup help for security assistance from the NOI. Jacko pays about $250,000 per month for security 24/7 with a large payroll there to run an empty house he no longer calls his home.

The media is overblowing this private matter for the Jacksons and have no business in telling them what to do or not to do. It's his money. If his highly paid security had done their job right, Jacko wouldn't have been in this do-do. They should have eliminated from those entering with any intentions of a shakedown. So far with NOI as a double-check, there is NO such reported instances of mismangement and abuse.