Earlier this month I found myself digging through the collection of “Sample Maps” that Ethan Hein has been creating. I was mesmerized to say the least. It is truly amazing to see where the musical samples come and go, and the intricate web they weave. If you know me then you know how stoked I am every single time I open up a new CD. Reading through the CD inserts and playing connect the dots with artists, writer, composers, and producers, is one of my favorite pastimes. You also know I have quite the list of songs that I someday want to sample to create my own music. As you can imagine, discovering Ethan Hein’s sample maps was comparable to tasting Sour Patch Kids for the first time.

Little did I know at the time, that I would be revisiting the site as part of mourning the King of Pop’s unfortunate passing. Michael Jackson’s influence will never truly be known in my lifetime, it so far beyond comprehensible. The man sold out tours nearly instantly with outrageous prices priceless tickets. No culture, no location, no country, was exempt from his popularity. From groundbreaking videos, to sold out tours, to dance moves that every artist emulates, he not only was the King of Pop, he defined pop. All aspects of it.

Musically however, he was and always will be on a level of his own. The whole world has been revisting his music for the past few days. Listening to songs from his time as a child leading the Jackson 5, to his disco influenced “Rock With You”, to songs like “Scream”, where he was finally able to speak his mind more freely. One thing about EVERY Michael Jackson song that most artists need to strive for, they are truly timeless. No matter what era they come from, they lose no quality of impact listening to them today. That is what makes him the best ever, that is what makes him the King of Pop.

Wherever Michael is now, I am sure he is finally enjoying the childhood that he so longed for, and all the while singing tunes that those around him will be singing from now until eternity, just like he did in his time here with us.