MICHAEL JACKSON - AKON: 'JACKSON WANTED COMEBACK CONCERTS FOR KIDS'

AKON: 'JACKSON WANTED COMEBACK CONCERTS FOR KIDS'

MICHAEL JACKSON was determined to electrify the stage for his comeback concerts so his children could finally witness the legacy he was preparing to leave behind, according to R&B singer/producer AKON.
The King of Pop had two children with his ex-wife Debbie Rowe - Prince Michael, 12, and Paris, 11 - in addition to their younger brother, seven-year-old Prince 'Blanket' Michael II, who was delivered by an unknown surrogate.
Jackson was scheduled to begin his 50-date This Is It concert series at London's O2 Arena later this month (Jul09). The star has already silenced critics suggesting he wasn't fit to take the stage, appearing in good form in a recently released rehearsal video shot just two days before his sudden death on 25 June (09).
And Akon, who teamed up with Jackson for an unreleased record entitled Hold My Hand, remembers the singer confiding how he hoped the performances would connect his family.
He says, "He was excited for his new tour. He didn't realise how much people were into him when he sold out those tour dates... This is something he really wanted to do for them (his kids). He really wanted them to experience what they'd been hearing about and thinking about forever. He wanted them to be able to see the performance first hand. He motivated me to become a better father."
Jackson's mother Katherine was granted temporary guardianship of all three children last week (begs29Jun09).
A hearing on Monday (06Jul09) to determine a more longterm custody agreement has been postponed until next week (13Jul09) at the request of attorneys for Katherine Jackson and Rowe.