Prince Jackson shared how Michael Jackson scared his kids using one of his music videos: "Very traumatic..."
Michael Jackson may have been the King of Pop to the world, but to his three children—Paris, Prince, and Bigi Jackson—he was simply a devoted father. Known for being fiercely protective of his children, Jackson also knew how to create joyful moments with them. In a surprising twist, he even incorporated his own iconic music videos, but instead of making fun memories, it was all about frightening them.
The music video in discussion is 'Thriller,' which remains one of the most iconic music videos in history, as per HotNewHipHop. Jackson's eldest son, Prince, recalls how his father used the song to prank his children. While visiting Fox Soul's The Mix, Prince reminisced about his father's iconic 'Thriller' video and its impact on him as a child. Speaking about his first time watching it, he joked, "That’s a very traumatic moment for me."
He described the experience, saying, "We were young; we were at Neverland, and we watched it on the big screen at the theater that we had there." He remembered being particularly frightened by a specific moment in the video, explaining, "The moment—not the full werecat—but in between the transformation when he's like, 'Get away!' The teeth and the eyes, it just terrified me." Prince further shared how his father, Jackson, playfully continued the 'Thriller' scare even after they finished watching the video. He recalled, "After we finished the music video, he said, 'You guys should be careful. You know you can't be around me when the full moon comes up because that's real.'"
Jackson died on 25 June 2009 of cardiac arrest in Los Angeles, California, at age 50. Prince was just 12 years old at the time and has since spent much time on the devastating loss. Prince also reflected on his father's lasting impact during the 'Thriller Night Halloween Party' back in October 2022, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the iconic album.
Speaking to PEOPLE, the son of the legendary singer shared how much he still misses Michael. "I think about him every day," Prince said. "There are a lot of complexities in life that I feel parents teach their children [about], so without that, there's some confusion there. And also, it's a big legacy to uphold, you know? It would be great if I knew how he would like it to be upheld. So, in that way, I think about him every day."
Prince also shared how he stays connected to his father through music, noting that so much of Michael's personality lives on in his songs. "So much of his personality, so much of him, is in his music, and what I miss probably the most about him, I was talking to somebody about it, are his hands. He had really strong, really big hands. Firm, but they were gentle. It's tough to explain." The Jackson family continues to honor his legacy with their annual 'Thriller Night Halloween' event, raising funds for the Heal Los Angeles Foundation and the DeeDee Jackson Foundation.