The sudden loss of the King of Pop has been a devastating event amongst the industry and the world. Many artists are feeling the grief and heartache as it is slowly hitting them. Jackson inspired a whole generation of artists in Hip-Hop, Pop, and R&B. As an icon, many people looked up to him as their reason and inspiration for pursuing a career in the music industry.

A collection of artists have either tweeted or spoke to MTV News about the sudden loss of a legend. Their feelings are mutual with ours. Here are all their comments:

R&B superstar, Usher, has always spoken highly of Michael and has looked up to him as a role model for as long as he can remember. These were his comments to MTV News:

“This loss has deeply saddened me! It is with a heavy heart I composed this statement. May God cover you, Michael. We all lift your name up in prayer. I pray for the entire Jackson family, particularly Michael’s mother, children and all his fans that loved him so much. I would not be the artist, performer and philanthropist I am today without the influence of Michael. I have great admiration and respect for him, and I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to meet and perform with such a great entertainer, who in so many ways transcended the culture. He broke barriers, he changed radio formats! With music, he made it possible for people like Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama to impact the mainstream world. His legacy is unparalleled. Michael Jackson will never be forgotten.”

R&B starlet, Mariah Carey, also felt the loss as she also tweeted her heartfelt comments to her fans and the world:

“I am heartbroken. My prayers go out to the Jackson family and my heart goes out to his children. Let us remember him for his unparalleled contribution to the world of music, his generosity of spirit in his quest to heal the world and the joy he brought to his millions of devoted fans throughout the world. I feel blessed to have performed with him several times and to call him my friend. No artist will ever take his place. His star will shine forever.”

The same goes for Chris Brown, who also looked up to Michael as a great inspiration for his reason for being in music:

“Michael Jackson is the reason why I do music and why I am an entertainer. I am devastated by this great loss, and I will continue to be humbled and inspired by his legacy. My prayers are with his family. Michael will be deeply missed, but never forgotten. He’s the greatest … the best ever. No one will ever be better.”
Beyonce even added her own touching comments about the loss of the one of greatest icons in music:

This is such a tragic loss and a terrible day, the incomparable Michael Jackson has made a bigger impact on music than any other artist in the history of music. He was magic. He was what we all strive to be. He will always be the King of Pop! Life is not about how many breaths you take, but about how many moments in life that take your breath away. For anyone who has ever seen, felt or heard his art, we are all honored to have been alive in this generation to experience the magic of Michael Jackson. I love you, Michael.”

The Mayor of Miami, Trick Daddy, added his sorrowful comments about Michael, as even Thugs cry to:

“MJ made black folks proud, he influenced our music and our style of dress. He taught us what it meant to be a ‘performer.’ He was our beloved icon, and we’ll hold him in our hearts forever. We’ve just lost the most loved, talented and famous African-American in the world. Everyone from the age of 25-80 should be saddened by this loss, and if you’re younger and you don’t know the history, you need to learn it. Michael paved the way for blacks into the mainstream.”

Frontman of Fall Out Boy, Patrick Stump, added his comments about Michael as the King of Pop was also a inspiration for him, he makes a valid mutual points:

I feel like John Lennon got shot. This is sad like ‘On the Waterfront,’ sad like ‘Raging Bull,’ sad like ‘The Wrestler.’ Music rarely gets hits like this; this is almost unparalleled. Even people who didn’t enjoy his music have to acknowledge his influences. He was to pop what Davis and Coltrane were to bop. He was to R&B what Neil Armstrong was to the moon: an explorer who discovered a whole world unto itself. He was the Nikola Tesla of dance moves.”

Murder, Inc. CEO Irv Gotti provided his comments to MTV News about the sudden loss. These were his heartfelt words:

The Best Entertainer! He made the best records, videos, everything. I’m saddened by the world’s loss. For a brief time he considered working with me and having me produce his album. In that brief time, I got to know him fairly well. And he was just the coolest person. My prayers go out to the whole Jackson family and especially his children.”

TV persona, Ellen DeGeneres, tweeted her comments about Michael after hearing about his passing:

“So sad to hear about Michael Jackson, his music changed our lives. The world has lost an amazing singer and dancer. I will miss him.”

Songwriter Keri Hilson looked up to him as a role model as well, she saddened by not being able to tell him how powerful his music and his persona was to her. These were her comments:

Just like many other artists, I have always been inspired by Michael Jackson. He’s the only idol I’ve ever had and I’m saddened that I never got to tell him how much he and his music mean to me. I’ve met many stars in my life but I would have been completely satisfied just to have laid eyes on MJ himself. The closest I’ve come was hearing him and his band rehearsing right next door to me here in L.A. last month, while he was rehearsing for his tour abroad. I will be overseas at the same time the tour was scheduled so yet again I looked forward to being in the same place.”

Pop icon, Britney Spears, mourned the loss of an icon. This was her statement to MTV News:

“I was so excited to see his show in London, we were going to be on tour in Europe at the same time and I was going to fly in to see him. He has been an inspiration throughout my entire life and I’m devastated he’s gone!”


Madonna, who has collaborated with Michael, expressed her sorrowful and tearful comments to People.com after hearing about his sudden loss:

“I can’t stop crying over the sad news. I have always admired Michael Jackson. The world has lost one of the greats, but his music will live on forever! My heart goes out to his three children and other members of his family. God bless.”

Justin Timberlake also added his statement to MTV News about his role model he grew up listening to:

“I can’t find the words right now to express how deeply saddened I am by Michael’s passing. We have lost a genius and a true ambassador of not only pop music, but of all music. He has been an inspiration to multiple generations, and I will always cherish the moments I shared with him onstage and all of the things I learned about music from him and the time we spent together. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones.”

The sudden loss hit one Hip-Hop artist quite hard. Harlem MC Juelz Santana expressed his shock to MTV News as he is still in disbelief:

This is … damn! Wow! Unexpected. A shock. A low blow. All that right there.” The Diplomat member said he woke up around 4:45 p.m. to the news of the icon’s death.

“I’m getting myself together, walking in the living room [when] they said Mike died, it was breaking news at 5. I put it up on Twitter and people were saying his death was still pending. I couldn’t believe it. … I just woke up and they said, ‘Mike is dead.’ The first thought in your mind is, ‘That’s Michael Jackson. He can’t be dead.’ That just shows you everybody is human, nobody is immune to nothing — especially death.”

Lil Wayne added his condolences to the Jackson family, as he himself is still shocked by the loss:

“I personally can’t believe it, but it’s more unfortunate for the world of music. … My love goes out to his family. … A sad day in history, not [just] music.”

West Coast Hip-Hop star and TV personality, Snoop Dogg, called in to MTV News yesterday to express his sorrowful thoughts on the loss of the King:

“I feel like his music will never die and his spirit will never die, because he influenced so many of us. He gave us a lot of hope that we feel like we can be big. He was very inspiring and up close and personal with his fans. That to me was special. That’s one of the things that I loved about Mike. When I got a chance to meet him, that’s the feeling and spirit that I got from him.”

Reverend Run has always been one for heartfelt words and who knew Michael on a personal level. He expressed his comments to MTV News via phone as well:

The thing that went through my mind was that he lived so big. He just worked it so hard. He was such a big imagination. He danced, he sang, he pushed so hard to entertain us, he was so driven that it was really amazing. I think the best thing that Michael will leave is his ability to captivate people. He captivated us.”

The whole industry is mourning the loss of such a prolific icon that had so much respect and admiration for. It’s amazing how a whole generation was inspired and influenced by such a great musical genius. We will all miss you, Michael!