Rebbie Jackson: Michael Jackson trial verdict will provide some closure
Michael Jackson's eldest sister Rebbie Jackson, 61, talks to Metro about the trial of his doctor Conrad Murray, her own musical career and bringing up a family.
I was the oldest in the family so was like a second mum to them growing up. There’s 16 years between me and the youngest. My mother and father left me in charge when they weren’t at home and told the children they had to do what I told them. They knew they’d be in serious trouble if they didn’t. Michael and Jackie were the most disobedient. I was firm but not overly so.
I didn’t pursue my music career as actively as some of my siblings. It was important to me and I’m a little disappointed it didn’t go better. I didn’t go for it 100 per cent because I was trying to raise my kids. It would have meant a lot of time away. My first album came out before my youngest was born, which is hard to believe. He’s 25 now and performs in Las Vegas.
My father was a disciplinarian. He wouldn’t take any nonsense, which made my brothers walk the straight and narrow. There were a lot of young people getting in trouble in our city [Gary, Indiana], although the crime today is worse, and he made my brothers careful about who they associated with.
Sometimes you can go too far. Experts say you’re not supposed to even spank your children. There’s lots of ways to discipline: you can use force, do it verbally or ground them. They might think you’re doing it to be mean, but when you love them, you express it by disciplining them.
My brothers think I’m strict but I tried to be balanced and think of my upbringing when disciplining my children. I would try to find a medium. I’d take a deep breath before saying anything. I was no-nonsense though, they knew they were wrong.
Michael’s fame never changed us. I viewed him as my brother and that was it. He was still the little boy I’d pick up from school.
It was never difficult to express my concerns about the medication he was taking. There were many attempts at intervention. In order to have success though, the person has to work with you and if they’re in denial that will never happen. If you love a person, you sometimes need to tell them things they don’t want to hear. It’s difficult when there are people serving as a barrier. I couldn’t get close enough to talk sense to him. It wasn’t easy but we often got together as a family and tried to help. That brings me consolation because I did as much as I could. There are times I wish I could have done more.
When you lose someone you never really come to terms with it. You can’t bring them back. I went to the trial every day, for myself and for him. Hopefully the verdict will provide some closure.
The biggest misconception of my family is we’re all weird. I’ve heard so much crazy stuff. People don’t know us. Whenever you have a large family you have varying personalities. People can sit and nit-pick but life goes on. I feel good about myself, I try to keep myself balanced and have a wonderful family. I live each day the way I think I should, with my relationship with my creator, my family and my work.
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