By Abubakar D. Sani, Esq.

In the pantheon
Of legends of popular music
Few match the stature
And pedigree

Of a pair who were
Born the same year:
Prince Rodgers Nelson
And Michael Jacksoon

Both generated such prolonged buzz
And adulation
That they remain icons
Long after their transitions

So much, in fact, that one
Was called ‘The King of Pop’
While the other's equally regal (albeit, real) name
Showed that he was born great

However, whilst both - as individuals
Bestrode and dominated
Pop culture – particularly music charts,
They were not equally blessed
In terms of talent, that is
Because, whilst ‘the King’
Was (along with his brothers)
A precocious child-star

He was more reputed
For his singing
And dancing skills
Than anything else

By contrast, the other
Was a consummate musician
Who arranged, composed
Produced and wrote

Virtually all his own songs
Sometimes playing every instrument
So profound was his talent
That he also wrote songs for

Other artists – a long list, in fact:
The likes of Sinead O’Connor, Chaka Khan
Celine Dion, Alicia Keys
Madonna and Stevie Nicks

Kenny Rogers, Tevin Campbell
Sheena Easton, Vanity 6
The Bangles, Sheila E
And, Patti Labelle

A showman extra-ordinaire
Few before – and since
Matched his flair
For crossing musical boundaries

With the same effortless ease
With which he played instruments
Particularly strings
Like the guitar – and pretty much everything else

As for his body of work
At his death, in 2016
He had released 39 albums in all
Earning him an entry in the U.S. Film Registry

For his movie “Purple Rain”
For whose soundtrack - and others
He won 7 Grammy Awards
And a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

As well as an Academy Award,
An Honorary Doctor of Letters
From the University of Minnesota
And, oh, selling 150 million records

His list of honours
Is as long
As that of his songs
With reportedly 500 in his vault

By contrast, his supposed rival
Pales considerably
In all the relevant indices -
Apart from being more controversial

Yes, he may have sold more records
About 350 million (including ‘Thriller’
The Best-selling album ever);
He may have won more Grammy Awards

13 in all
Among other milestones
Such as 39 Guinness World Records
And trend-setting music videos

Which are credited with
Breaking racial barriers
And transforming the medium into an art
With the help, it must be said, of MTV

Among his accolades
Are also being the only recording artist
To be inducted into the
Dance Hall of Fame

Not to mention those of
Rhythm and blues
Rock and Roll
And Vocal Group

For all of these, however,
He was never far from controversy
Arising from his ever-changing physical appearance
Behavior, lifestyle and relationships

Not least of which were
Two cases
In which he was accused
Of child sexual abuse

These indiscretions
And shenanigans
Tarnished his reputation
Among all but his hard-core fans

As a result,
If it was asked:
Who was the bigger star -
Prince or the 'Weird One'?

Not only is the answer obvious
(It is Prince, of course!)
It is with good reason
(Still in doubt? Go back to the beginning . . .)

But, seriously, it bears repeating
That Prince was blessed, amongst others, with
Natural good looks:
He didn't need plastic surgery

To enhance them
As well as natural, chocolate/milk-colored skin
Unlike Mike, whose (fairness) was the subject
Of much speculation – if not controversy

The official explanation
Was medical – a reaction of sorts.
Tellingly, he played no musical instruments
Unlike Prince - as aforesaid

Indeed, it is arguable
That Mike was merely a vessel -
In musical terms –
For record producers

Like Quincy Jones
Who, more than any one else,
Was the pivot for his success
As Jones' genius in the studio

Spawned Michael’s biggest hits:
Such as “Thriller”, “Bad” and “Off the Wall”
Little wonder that the end of that relationship
Signaled a downward spiral

From which he only sporadically recovered
Until his sudden death
From a drug overdose – similar to that of Prince
Seven-odd years later

So, whoever prefers a ‘King’ to a 'Prince'
Will, at least, agree
That, in musical terms
Our two heroes are poles apart

I concede that the foregoing scenario
Might spur the notion
That comparisons are odious
In this particular case, however, it is not otiose

In case you still wondering,
I say: "Perhaps, we can
Agree to disagree"
So much for being a fan!

Written By Abubakar D. Sani, Esq.
9th February, 2021