The King of Pop, Michael Jackson is one of the legends of the music industry. People consider him to be one of the most influential cultural icons of the twentieth century, and one of the greatest artists in the history of music.
Music Career
Michael first appeared in the public as one of the Jackson 5‘s members together with his other brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon. With his unique personality, Michael stood out among all his siblings, and Motown Records offered him to start a solo career in 1971.
Custom-Built Ferrari Testarossa
In 1987, five of his singles in the album Bad made it to the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. With his popularity, he received numerous endorsement deals including the 1987 Pepsi commercial where Ferrari produced a custom-built Ferrari Testarossa especially made for the advert.
The sole model 1986 Ferrari Testarossa convertible only had fleeting screen time, but that was enough for the black beast to make it to the stardom. It has been bought several times over the years, and it reportedly sold for $73,700 in the 2014 Barrett-Jackson auction in Arizona. The famous Ferrari reappeared in the market at the Motor 1 website with a price-tag of $799,900 in 2017.
For a solid Michael Jackson fan, the black Testarossa may be one of the rarest memorabilia a collector could possess. It isn’t an official Ferrari Testarossa Spider, given the fact that the main purpose for customizing the vehicle is to have a less than a minute appearance in the commercial ad, which probably makes it even more valuable.
Pepsi Commercial
In the Pepsi commercial, Michael tried to escape a group of paparazzi and fans crazily running towards him. The action-filled moment of the Ferrari includes Michael sliding down to it via zip line and drifting the vehicle as he gets away from the crowd.
Based on the reports, the California-based R. Straman Company shouldered the cost to modify the vehicle. They replaced the roof of the car with a convertible top for that perfect getaway moment. They also heightened the side mirror on the driver’s seat, giving it a rebel vibe to complement the chorus part of the song Bad.
Michael Jackson’s Legacy
Aside from the television advertisement, Michael Jackson’s other music videos are also remarkable. The songs Beat It, Billie Jean, and Thriller, for instance, symbolize the breaking of racial barriers. In fact, its artistic style gave the music channel MTV a ticket to fame.
Michael Jackson was clearly very powerful and influential. His legacy echoes loudly in the music world up until the present time. He also popularized several dance signatures such as the moonwalk.