Jackson family patriarch Joe Jackson dies aged 89
Joseph Jackson, the patriarch of the musical Jackson family, has died, according to a source.
The 89-year-old father of Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson and their talented siblings took his family from poverty in Gary, Indiana, and launched a musical dynasty.
Five of his boys - Michael, Jermaine, Marlon, Tito and Jackie - made the clan an instant sensation with the arrival of the Jackson 5 in 1969.
Over the following decades, millions would listen to recordings by the Jacksons, and Michael would become one of the most popular entertainers in history before his death in 2009.
Taj Jackson, the grandson of Joe Jackson, has said the hearts of his "entire family" are in pain following the death of the patriarch at the age of 89.
Taj tweeted: "Disgusted by some of the comments I'm reading about my grandpa Joe by those who didn't even know him. Please don't just regurgitate what you were spoon fed by the press.
"Joe was loved by our ENTIRE family and our hearts are in pain. Let us grieve without the nastiness. #ripthehawk."
Disgusted by some of the comments I’m reading about my grandpa Joe by those who didn’t even know him. Please don't just regurgitate what you were spoon fed by the press. Joe was loved by our ENTIRE family and our hearts are in pain. Let us grieve without the nastiness.#ripthehawk
— Taj Jackson (@tajjackson3) June 27, 2018
Taj also thanked Ebony magazine for their tribute to Joe, adding: "We see the love and support and appreciate it."
His tweets came after US gossip site TMZ reported that Joe had died in a US hospital in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Thank you @EBONYMag . We see the love and support and appreciate it. 🙏🏽 https://t.co/cFs6vPimLd
— Taj Jackson (@tajjackson3) June 27, 2018
