>but i think MJ's case may have been different,
>because he was a child start that black folks "grew up with"
>that had morphed into a young star that was relevant.

...which may bias them.

>he was a veteran and he was hot at the same time.
>this isn't unprecedented

key point.

Thriller MJ accomplished unprecedented feats - that's part of what made him a legend.

>i think there may be an argument that MJ was a legend to black
>folks
>with OTW, and the sales don't necessarily tell the full story.
>
>
>but again, i wasn't there.
>i'm just going off of the way i heard my parents friends talk
>about MJ when i was little. they all seemed to have a special
>fondness for OTW.

all mine were dismissive of MJ's adult work until Thriller. and they weren't really into Thriller but did acknowledge it. 'they' = my mother and her siblings.

i hadn't heard of OTW until well after Thriller was out. i bought it myself b/c i wanted to hear 'Heartbreak Hotel' and didn't know the song wasn't on OTW (i thought it was 'Burn This Disco Out').