You don’t have to be born in the 20th century to hear about the name Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson is a name heard by all. But do we really know about him? Know The Fact brings to you some lesser-known but surprising facts about Michael Jackson.

“The Legend Himself” Michael
Joseph Jackson, the eighth child of the Jackson family, was an African-American singer, songwriter, and dancer. He was given the title of “King of Pop” and is considered one of the most significant figures of the last century. Michael Jackson is credited with bringing down racial barriers at a time when art by African-Americans was restricted and could not be displayed to the world.

Michael Jackson was whipped in his childhood.
Michael Jackson’s father, Joseph Walter “Joe” Jackson, was said to be strict during rehearsals. When he made mistakes, Michael was whipped with a belt by his father.

Michael Jackson suffered from vitiligo.
One of the most notable and controversial things about Michael Jackson was his skin tone. This created controversy among people, some even suggesting that he was ashamed of his heritage. This was not the case as he suffered from a skin condition called Vitiligo. Vitiligo is a skin condition in which a person suffers from the loss of skin colour. After Michael Jackson passed away, an autopsy was conducted, which revealed the fact that he did suffer from vitiligo.

Michael Jackson’s hair caught fire
Michael Jackson’s hair caught fire on January 27, 1984, while he was on set filming a Pepsi commercial. The pyrotechnics present on the set accidentally set his hair on fire. This led to Michael Jackson suffering from second-degree burns on his scalp. The issue was settled with Pepsi out of court with a $1.5 million settlement. He donated the amount to the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California. It was the hospital that treated him for his burns. It was renamed “Michael Jackson Burn Center” in his honour but is now closed.

Michael Jackson did not invent the moonwalk.
Contrary to what many people might believe, Michael Jackson, in fact, did not invent the moonwalk. He performed what he called the “Moonwalk” during the TV special Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever in 1983. It was such a hit that “Moonwalk” became associated with Michael Jackson.

Michael Jackson’s near-impossible lean
Michael Jackson is also famous for his 45-degree lean, which is nearly impossible for humans to achieve. This was made possible thanks to his gravity-defying shoes, which he used in his 1988 video Smooth Criminals. In order to achieve this tilt, Jackson and his team invented gravity-defying shoes that could make it possible. Michael Jackson’s patent on the design expired in 2005 when he failed to make a payment.

Scream is the most expensive video ever created.
A Video of Michael Jackson Scream, the first single from the 1995 HIStory album, is the most expensive video ever created and holds the record to this day. The cost of making the video was $7 million. The video was made in collaboration with Michael Jackson’s sister Janet.

Michael Jackson’s association with the Jehovah’s Witness
Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine, became a follower of the controversial Jehovah’s Witness in 1963. He, along with his siblings, was raised on the religion of their mother.

Michael Jackson’s estate
Michael Jackson’s estate earned a whopping $825 million in 2016, which according to Forbes is the highest yearly amount for a celebrity ever recorded.

Michael Jackson made history.
Michael Jackson is the most awarded individual music artist in history. He is considered one of the best-selling musical artists
ever. He had 13 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles (more than some other male artists in the Hot 100 period). His distinctions include 15 Grammy Awards, 6 Brit Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and 39 Guinness World Records, including “Best Entertainer of All Time.” Jackson’s enlistments incorporate the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (two times), the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Dance Hall of Fame (the only recording artist to be drafted), and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.