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Some may think Harry Styles is worthy of the title of ‘King of Pop’… but Michael Jackson’s son Prince Jackson isn’t among them.
Throughout his career, the late Michael went down in music history with timeless songs including Beat It, Thriller, Billie Jean and Man in the Mirror, having first grown to prominence as a child in his family group The Jackson 5.
Following his death at the age of 50 in 2009, the singer is still widely known by the regal moniker bestowed upon him – but earlier this year, Rolling Stone magazine sparked controversy after labelling Watermelon Sugar singer Harry the ‘new King of Pop’.
On Friday’s Good Morning Britain, co-hosts Adil Ray and Charlotte Hawkins spoke to Michael’s son Prince, whose mother, Debbie Rowe, was married to the Smooth Criminal singer from 1996 to 2000.
The 25-year-old, who was born Michael Joseph Jackson Jr, was asked by Adil: ‘Can I just ask you very quickly? Rolling Stone have labelled Harry Styles – we all love Harry Styles – but they’ve labelled him “the new King of Pop”. It’s caused a bit of controversy among fans. What do you think of that?’
Prince responded by saying that ‘we’ve come in the situation before’, before praising Harry, 28, as an ‘incredible artist’.
‘He’s got his own genre and he’s definitely an amazing artist. But, the “King of Pop” was a moniker that really my dad earned,’ he said.
Prince does not agree that Harry deserves the moniker (Picture: Getty/ITV)
Prince outlined how the ‘access to information’ and ‘the access to popularity and fame wasn’t as easily accessible as it is today’.
‘With so many other social factors that you have to take into consideration at that time, I do feel that my father is the King of Pop, will always be the King of Pop, and it’s not something that you can ever take away, because we’ve just evolved so much as a society that those same factors will never be the same,’ he continued.
Prince was 12 years old when his father died (Picture: Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
Harry has become one of the most sought-after artists on the planet (Picture: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for ABA)
‘So when you look at the… from where my father started to where he ended, versus where all these other people started to where they ended, it’s just night and day of a difference.’
Earlier this year, Michael’s nephew Taj Jackson also spoke out against the claim that Harry was the new ‘King of Pop’, writing in a strongly-worded tweet: ‘There is no new King of Pop. You don’t own the title @RollingStone, and you didn’t earn it, my uncle did. Decades of dedication and sacrifice. The title has been retired.
‘No disrespect to @Harry_Styles, he’s mega talented. Give him his own unique title.’
He also referred to Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Presley, pointing out that they ‘never crown someone “The new boss” or “the new king”’.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV.
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‘My father is the King of Pop and will always be the King of Pop,’ he said.