New Delhi: The world was in for a rude shock on June 25, 2009, when the ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson breathed his last due to drug overdose in Los Angeles in the United States and today is his 11th death anniversary today.

Jackson’s style and choice of music have inspired music artists across generations. Starting from performing with his brothers in the band named ‘Jackson 5’ to be the father of the ‘moonwalk’ dance step and producing belters like ‘Thriller’, ‘Billie Jean’, ‘Black and White’, ‘Beat It,’ he was loved by every generation.

Very few people have the ability to create such a vast and significant legacy in their lifetime the way Michael Jackson did. Despite the controversies around him, there is no doubt that man created some incredible music and his work cannot be overshadowed by any single person.

However, as the world observes the death anniversary of the ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson.

Here are some lesser-known and interesting facts about him:

1. Michael Jackson fancied himself as Spiderman! When Marvel Comics filed for bankruptcy in the 90s, Michael tried to buy the company so he could fulfil his dream to play the leading role. However, it didn’t go to plan and Tobey Maguire stepped up to play Peter Parker instead.

2. It is not known to many people that more than 1.5+ million people had applied for tickets to his memorial service in Los Angeles. However, only 8,750 were randomly picked, and given two tickets each.

3. Michael Jackson happens to be the first (black) artist to air on MTV for his music video ‘Billie Jean’.

4. Remember the incredible costumes in the Thriller music video? They were all thrifted from the Salvation Army!

5. Did you know that Michael Jackson was the 8th child in the 10-children family?

6. In 1983, Michael Jackson introduced the world to ‘moonwalk’ while performing ‘Billie Jean’. The rest they say is history.

7.  Remember *that* story about Michael Jackson living in an oxygen changer to defy ageing? It was actually a made-up story that Michael himself had leaked to the press.

8. It’s said that during the filming of a commercial with Pepsi-Cola, Michael Jackson burnt a major portion of his face and scalps. This incident and the process of recovery made him experiment with plastic surgery.

9. A lot is said about the colour of his fair skin too. Well, not many people know that Michael Jackson suffered from vitiligo – a disease that causes a person to lose skin colour, and turn pale.

10. Michael Jackson was fond of pets. He had birds, mice, tigers, dogs, snakes, cats, etc. as his pets. Do you know his favourite pet? Well, it was Bubbles (a chimpanzee).