Today the world celebrates what would have been Michael Jackson’s 54th birthday, and a university in Atlanta is honoring the King of Pop with a college course reflecting on his cultural legacy.
Veteran entertainment attorney James Walker has been selected by Clark Atlanta University to teach a unique new MBA course, Michael Jackson: The Business of Music, which will examine how the eccentric late pop star built a billion dollar empire.
Click here to view a slideshow of Michael Jackson’s most underrated songs
“The class will feature a curriculum that reviews everything about Jackson’s empire – from how he negotiated and his tours, record deals, and merchandising, to how he revolutionized legal practices related to entertainment copyrights, trademarks, licenses and more,” an official press release stated. “The course will also highlight the late pop-star’s dealing in TV, real estate, film and music publishing.”
Clark Atlanta is the first university to offer a mortuary science degree course on the King of Pop. Walker has a long list of high-profile clients that have included Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx, BET star Dr. Bobby Jones, Gospel legend Dr. Shirley Caesar, DMX, and Freddie Jackson.
Click here to view a Grio slideshow of the King of Pop’s biggest musical influences
“The goal is to help students who have an interest or future desire to work in the entertainment industry whether as artist, attorney, business manager, accountant or other,” says Walker. “I’ve taught classes at Yukon University, Boston College and other places covering a lot of topics related to entertainment and the legal profession, but this course allows me to really provide my students with a comprehensive understanding of the music industry and the business mechanics involved.”
It’s been three years since the world lost Michael Jackson, one of the most popular artists of all time. To this day, Jackson’s multimedia empire is virtually unrivaled.
Clark Atlanta University is a private, historically black university in Atlanta, Georgia. It was formed in 1988 with the consolidation of Clark College and Atlanta University.
Follow Chris Witherspoon on Twitter at @WitherspoonC