Michael Jackson is known the world over for his music and entertainment legacy — he isn’t named the “King of Pop” for nothing. His long career full of hit songs, show-stopping performances, and celebrity collaborations has made him a household name.
The artist’s personal life sparked interest with the public, including his marriage to Elvis’ daughter Lisa Marie Presley, but for the most part, he was an intensely private person who kept his work and personal life separate. That extended to his other relationships and the children that he had.
Perhaps something that many people weren’t aware of is that Michael fathered three children, including a son named Michael Joseph “Prince” Jackson Jr., a daughter named Paris Jackson, and another son named Prince Michael “Blanket” Jackson II. For most of their lives, the Jackson children were kept out of the spotlight, except for the rare occasion when they joined their father publicly. They were thrust into the spotlight for a brief moment upon their father’s death before retreating away again.
But in recent years, Paris has begun a career in the entertainment industry, which has, in turn, shed some light on the Jackson children. And now Prince Michael, who went by the nickname “Blanket” for much of his youth, has grown up. The young man is truly moving into adulthood, as he just bought his own multimillion-dollar home and has even eschewed his former nickname for a name he now prefers to go by, Bigi.
All three children attended the Broadway production “MJ: The Musical” in 2022. They have each ventured into their own creative and heartfelt endeavors, proving that their father’s memory is still alive.
Read on to learn more about the Jackson children and what they are up to now that they are older.
The three children appeared in public at their father’s funeral in 2009, with Prince, aged 12, Paris, 11, and Bigi, just 7 years old at the time of Michael’s death. The following year in 2010, the two elder Jackson children accepted a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award for their dad at the Grammy Awards. But for the most part, all three spent the next years staying out of the public eye.
But as Michael’s children have begun to grow up into young adults, it seems they’re choosing to follow in their father’s footsteps in some ways. Paris was the first to begin her career in the spotlight, working as a model and actress. She’s been very vocal in the last years about how she struggled as a teenager in the wake of her father’s death but is in a much better place now.
Prince has also appeared in a public capacity on numerous occasions, telling the “Los Angeles Times” that “music is a big part of (his) life.” He added: “It shaped who I am because of my family, but I’ve always wanted to go into production. My dad would ask me what I wanted to do and my answer was always producing and directing.”
Prince also said, “Because I’m the oldest, you know, my father would always tell me I have to make sure that the group is taken care of and that I have to be the leader and lead by example. But, after his passing, and us being thrown into the ‘real world,’ my siblings honestly — they picked up the slack that I unfortunately left behind.”
Following Michael’s death, Bigi was raised by his grandmother, Michael’s own mother, Katherine Jackson, who had become his legal guardian, as well as Prince and Paris’ too. The youngster made headlines when “Radar Online” announced in 2015 that Blanket had changed his name to Bigi, following years of bullying he had undergone due to his original nickname. A source had told the publication: “He always thought that the name Blanket sounded so stupid and resented his father for calling him that.”
The insider added: “Growing up, his schoolmates have always been slightly mean to him because of their jealousy over who he is and going by Blanket made him a much easier target for ridicule.”
The name change came as Bigi was starting at The Buckley School in Sherman Oaks, California. Although it might seem like a minor detail, the move was no doubt a big deal for Bigi, who was beginning to make decisions for himself.
In 2017, People reported on how the Jackson children were doing, with a family friend telling the publication: “The kids live like Michael is constantly looking down upon them,” while Bigi “has had the most problems adjusting after Michael died. He acted very lost and extremely upset.”
It surely wouldn’t have been easy for him as a child at 7 years old. Thankfully, however, he seems to be doing better now. In the same article, the family friend said that Bigi was “shy around people he doesn’t know” but that he was confident at his high school and mostly focused on his grades, sports, movies, and socializing with his friends and many cousins.
Michael’s only daughter Paris has found success in the entertainment industry. She signed a contract with IMG Models in March 2017 and made her acting debut with a guest-starring role on the television show “Star” around the same time. Paris made her film debut in 2018 with a role in “Gringo.” She feels “very lucky and blessed” for her career.
During an interview with Rolling Stone in January 2017, Paris opened up about how she coped with losing her father when she was 11 years old and how she carries his legacy with her today. At the time, Paris had 50 tattoos, with nine dedicated to her late father. “He’s brought me nothing but joy,” Paris explained, “so why not have constant reminders of joy?”
Paris was interviewed by Naomi Campbell in March 2021 for Campbell’s segment, “No Filter with Naomi.” They talked about Paris’ career and activism and what it was like being raised by Michael. Paris explained how she was raised all over the world. “It was a blessing and privilege to be able to experience so much at such a young age,” she said. “My dad was really good about making sure we were cultured, making sure we were educated, and not just showing us the glitz and glam.”
Paris explained how Michael raised her and her brothers to work for what they wanted. “If we wanted five toys from FAO Schwarz or Toys “R” Us, we had to read five books,” she said. “It’s about earning it, not just being entitled to certain things.”
Paris has brought this mindset into her current work ethic. “I’m also a full believer that I should earn everything,” she explained. “I go to auditions, I work hard, I study scripts, I do my thing.”
Michael’s children have certainly followed in his footsteps. Bigi has called on world leaders to tackle climate change, similar to how his Michael cared so much about the earth. Bigi explained how that’s what Michael “was all about,” and elaborated:
“That’s what each of us want to do — make things that people enjoy but also benefit their lives.”
In January 2023, Paris announced she was embarking on a tour to share her music with others. However, she previously spoke with Entertainment Tonight about living in Michael’s shadow, explaining how “pressure” and “shadows” prevented her from reaching that next level in her career.
Prince celebrated his 5-year anniversary with his girlfriend in March 2022. He also runs a YouTube channel dedicated to his love of motorcycles. However, it’s proven to be a dangerous hobby, as Us Weekly reported that in 2017 Prince lost control of his Harley Davidson and was rushed to the ER. Fortunately, he was quickly released afterward and even given the go-ahead to attend class.
As for class, Prince devoted his time to his studies at Loyola Marymount’s school of business “with a focus on entrepreneurship,” according to an Instagram post. He graduated in May 2019. He thanked many people for helping him get to this point in his life, including TJ Jackson, Taryll Jackson and Taj Jackson. He said the school inspired him to “change the world for the better.”
Speaking about his siblings, Prince said there’s no “hierarchy.” He continued:
“It’s more (that) we’re all siblings and we’re kind of all on that same level where my sister has her strengths, and my brother has his strengths, and where I’m not as strong in certain areas, they complement me in that way.”
There’s no doubt that Michael would be proud of his grown children.
What do you think about the Jackson kids now that they are grown up? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your friends and family.
