Rakesh rajani biography of michael jackson

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After leaving HakiElimu, in 2008 and 2009 Rakesh worked as a consultant with Hivos, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Google.org and other agencies.

Rakesh Rajani

Rakesh Rajani is president of JustSystems, which supports government and civil society leaders in the Global South to make public systems more effective, inclusive, and dignity affirming.

Michael’s groundbreaking creativity and stardom was shadowed by a controversial personal life. Jackson died of cardiac arrest at his home on June 25, 2009 at the age of 50. 

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The single “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” landed Michael his first Grammy Award for best male R&B vocal performance.

His earliest musical influence was James Brown, known for his mesmerizing dance moves on stage. For a few years, Rakesh was a member of the Catholic Worker movement through Haley House in Boston, MA, which worked with homeless people.

From 1991 to 1998 Rakesh co-founded and served as the first executive director of the Kuleana Centre for Children's Rights in his hometown of Mwanza, Tanzania.

The black-and-white style featured on the cover of “Off the Wall” helped brand his image that would lead to global fame. These include:

  • the Hewlett Foundation,
  • International Budget Partnership (IBP),
  • the Open Government Partnership,
  • Making All Voices Count,
  • Foundation for Civil Society in Tanzania (FCS) and
  • Twaweza.
  • In the past he has advised and/or served on other boards including

  • Tanzania Media Fund (TMF),
  • the Governance Notice-board at REPOA (TGN),
  • the Media Council of Tanzania ,
  • the Hewlett/Gates Foundations initiative on Quality Education in Developing Countries (QEDC),
  • Revenue Watch, and
  • Aidspan – a watchdog of [The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria|The Global Fund]
  • Rajani was born into a Hindu family and converted to Christianity.

  • WorldCat search (21 Book listings, authored or coauthored by Rakesh Rajani)
  • Co-author, A “Socio Economic” Policy Case Study in Tanzania, Joint Learning Initiative on Children and HIV/AIDS (2008)
  • Are our Children Learning?

    He joined his brothers’ musical group in the 1960s, which became The Jackson 5. 

    Once Michael joined as lead singer and performer of The Jackson 5, they were on the fast track to fame and fortune. He won eight Grammy Awards for “Thriller,” including Album of the Year and Record of the Year.

    He fulfilled his dream as “Thriller” launched him into superstardom. Michael’s voice, combined with his signature dance moves, entertained and thrilled audiences. However, Michael’s talent was evident from a very young age and with his father’s encouragement, Michael started his career at the age of five. The organization worked with street children and advocated for children's interests across the country.

    He then married Debbie Rowe with whom he had two children, Michael Joseph Jackson II (known as Prince Jackson) and Paris Jackson. Its release was the first time an album by a solo artist had ever struck four hits in the top 10 Billboard Hot 100 charts. Ever since he was young, he studied composition and was inspired to create “Thriller” like Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker suite, where every song was a massive hit.

    rakesh rajani biography of michael jackson

    He started his solo artist career in 1971, but it wasn’t until 1979 when he teamed up with Quincy Jones to record his solo album “Off the Wall” that he earned entry into the level of influential R&B singer/songwriters. They divorced in 1999 and Michael fathered a third child in 2002 known as Blanket Jackson.

    For secondary school he went to Moshi, Tanzania Tanzania, on the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. His father worked as a crane operator in a steel mill and his mother at a Sears department store. Rakesh stepped down as executive director at the end of 2007 but continued some work with the organization through its Board until 2009.