Jackson's Children To Become Jackson 3?

07/13/09 2:22pm

by Kate Harper (CHARTattack)

Joe Jackson, Michael Jackson's father, reportedly wants to turn the late pop star's three children into a supergroup and send them on a world tour next year.

Jackson is said to have asked "Prince" Michael Jackson, 12, Paris Katherine Jackson, 11, and "Prince" Michael "Blanket" Jackson II, seven, to tour together as The Jackson 3, according to British tabloid The Sun.

Michael Jackson biographer and Canadian journalist Ian Halperin told The Sun a source who's said to be "close" to the Jackson family told him Joe Jackson has already offered two of the children recording contracts. Michael Jackson died on June 25.

"One of the family members is livid," Halperin told the tabloid. "He is saying Joe seems intent to do this no matter what.

"He wants to exploit the kids the same way he did Michael."

Michael Jackson accused his father of beating him while he was a child and member of The Jackson 5, which also included his brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Randy Jackson. In the 2003 Living With Michael Jackson documentary, the pop star told journalist Martin Bashir he would "regurgitate" because he feared his father.

Joe Jackson denied he beat his son, but told BBC in 2003 he "whipped him with a stick and a belt. I never beat him. You beat someone with a stick."

According to The Sun, Joe Jackson reportedly said he wanted joint custody of Michael Jackson's three children with Katherine Jackson, his wife and Michael Jackson's mother.

But Katherine Jackson and Debbie Rowe, Michael Jackson's second wife, have reportedly "struck a secret deal" to exclude him from any role in bringing up the children, The Sun reports.

La Toya Jackson, Michael Jackson's sister, told Britain's Daily Mail tabloid she — like her father — suspects foul play in her brother's death.

La Toya Jackson told the publication she believes her brother was murdered as part of a conspiracy by a group of handlers who were also responsible for giving her brother drugs and who exploited him until he died.

"I believe Michael was murdered, I felt that from the start," La Toya Jackson said. "Not just one person was involved, rather it was a conspiracy of people.

"He was surrounded by a bad circle. Michael was a very meek, quiet, loving person. People took advantage of that. People fought to be close to him, people who weren't always on his side.

"Less than a month ago, I said I thought Michael was going to die before the London shows because he was surrounded by people who didn't have his best interests at heart.

"Michael was worth more than a billion dollars. When anyone is worth that much money, there are always greedy people around them. I said to my family a month ago, 'He's never going to make it to London.' He was worth more dead than alive."

Jackson's cause of death has still not been determined, since the Los Angeles County coroner's office is awaiting toxicology reports which could take weeks to complete.