Michael Jackson's son Prince gives rare interview about growing up with his famous father

19 March 2021, 11:01

Michael Jackson's oldest son, Michael 'Prince' Joseph Jackson, Jr. has given a rare interview about growing up with his famous father.
Michael Jackson's oldest son, Michael 'Prince' Joseph Jackson, Jr. has given a rare interview about growing up with his famous father. Picture: FOX/Getty

By Giorgina Ramazzotti

Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr – also knowns as Prince – has given an interview about his famous father, Michael Jackson, revealing what MJ taught him and insights into their lives behind closed doors.

Michael Jackson's oldest son, Michael 'Prince' Joseph Jackson, Jr. has given a rare interview about his father.

The 24-year-old has two younger siblings, sister Paris, 22, and brother Prince Michael 'Blanket' Jackson II, 19, who lost their dad aged 50 in 2009 when the oldest, Prince, was only 12-years-old.

See more: Who are Michael Jackson's children and where are they now?

Speaking to Fox Soul, Prince has revealed how he dealt with his father's fame and that he only realised Michael Jackson was a superstar after seeing fans fainting at a concert.

Prince said they were relatively sheltered from his father's fame, however there were "little seeds growing up and getting older" until a "single a-ha moment" changed everything.

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Speaking to Fox Soul, Prince has revealed how he dealt with his father's fame and that he only realised Michael Jackson was a superstar after seeing fans fainting at a concert.
Speaking to Fox Soul, Prince has revealed how he dealt with his father's fame and that he only realised Michael Jackson was a superstar after seeing fans fainting at a concert. Picture: Fox
Prince said they were relatively sheltered from his father&squot;s fame, however there were "little seeds growing up and getting older" until a "single a-ha moment" changed everything.
Prince said they were relatively sheltered from his father's fame, however there were "little seeds growing up and getting older" until a "single a-ha moment" changed everything. Picture: Fox
Prince he and his brother and sister were relatively sheltered from his father's fame. Pictured, Michael Jackson in 1988.
Michael Jackson often had fans faint at his concerts. Pictured, performing in 1988. Picture: Getty

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"I saw that people would follow us around," he said, "people would just want to reach out and touch my dad.

"But it was really when I was around 10 or 11, when I was watching a video of my father performing...he was performing outside, and you see this sea of people.

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"There were people fainting in the audience, and I asked my dad, 'Why are people fainting? I see you everyday and I don't faint.'

"That had that resonation that people really loved my father."

See more: Beautiful moment Michael Jackson and Princess Diana shyly first met - video

Growing up up MJ as a dad, Prince revealed that "music just echoed through the halls of the house"
Growing up up MJ as a dad, Prince revealed that "music just echoed through the halls of the house". Picture: Getty
Prince Michael (left) has fond memories of growing up with his siblings, Paris (right) and Prince &squot;Blanket&squot; Jackson (bottom) in a house "filled with music".
The 24-year-old has two younger siblings, sister Paris, 22 (right) and brother Prince Michael 'Blanket' Jackson II, 19 (bottom) who lost their dad aged 50 in 2009 when the oldest, Prince, was only 12-years-old. Pictured in 2011. Picture: Getty
Prince said he didn't realise how famous his father was growing up. Pictured, Michael Jackson signs autographs for fans in 2002.
Prince said he didn't realise how famous his father was growing up. Pictured, Michael Jackson signs autographs for fans in 2002. Picture: Getty

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Growing up up MJ as a dad, Prince revealed that "music just echoed through the halls of the house", adding he would listen to his father's own music growing up.

"One of my favourite memories is my sister and I were doing a protest about saving the animals, and we walked around my room pretesting and listening to 'They Don't Care About Us'".

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"I don't have the voice for singing...and I can't dance" he revealed, laughing.

As the interview evolved, Prince was asked what lessons his father had given him which had held on to.

Watch the full interview with Michael Jackson's oldest son Prince below from 14:50 minutes:

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"You know, there are so many nuggets there that are just so close to my heart that I feel like they're applicable at all times," Prince explained.

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"But the one that is my guiding principle is that you never stop learning. I graduated, and that doesn't mean that I stopped learning.

"And my father also would say something along the lines of, 'The minute that you stop learning is the minute that you're going to start dying'."

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Prince graduated in 2019 cum laude from Loyola Marymount University with a business degree, so clearly his father's words had a big impact.

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