The question is at least 30 years old. The question of who's bad, or who's baddest has varying answers depending on who you ask. Lets examine the situation a little more closely....

Michael Jackson, born in Gary, Indiana August 29th, 1958 as Michael Joseph Jackson.

Started as a professional singer and had a record deal with a major record company (Motown Records) by the age of 9. Jackson was raised as a Jehovah's Witness. Michael Jackson was the seventh of nine children. His father occasionally played guitar in local blues bands; however, he worked in a steel mill as a day job.

Michael Jackson was a talented singer and dancer. In his career he released ten albums as a solo artist; twelve albums as part of the Jackson 5, and seven albums as part of The Jacksons. He also recorded songs with his brothers prior to signing with Motown on Steeltown Records in 1967.

Michael Jackson and his brothers were part of soft ball and basketball teams as children. His musical influences include James Brown and Jackie Wilson.

"Thriller" was Jackson's best selling album and the best selling album of all time being certified for 28 million shipments and achieving Double Diamond status. "Billie Jean", a single from the Thriller album was the first video by a black person to appear on MTV.

Michael Jackson made his debut as an actor in the movie "The Wiz" as The Scarecrow in 1978. He also starred in the 3D film Captain EO, Moonwalker, Ghosts, Men in Black II, Miss Castaway and The Island Girls; Michael Jackson's "This Is It" (posthumously) as well as his 14 minute video/movie for "Thriller" and his 18 minute video/movie for "Bad".

Michael Jackson owned and resided at Neverland Ranch in Encino, California. This ranch contained an amusement park and several zoo type animals.

Michael Jackson had been married twice. First to Lisa Marie Presley (daughter of Priscilla and Elvis Presley), secondly to Debbie Rowe. Michael was also the father of three children: Paris, Prince Michael, and Michael Joseph Jr.

Known as the King of Pop, Jackson also created a record label called MJJ. Brownstone was an act on this label.

Jackson encountered trouble with Sony Music (his recording label) after recording his tenth album "Invincible". Michael Jackson never received the masters to his albums, and learned that the lawyer who was representing him was also representing Sony, creating a conflict in interest. As a result of the lawsuit, Sony stopped all promotions, releases, and video shoots involving "Invincible". Jackson went public and called Sony Music, as well as the music business "racist". He also alleged the Tommy Mottola (head of Sony Music) used the n word.

Michael Jackson died from Cardiac Arrest on June 25th, 2009.

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Michael Jackson often changed his appearance and there were people who questioned his sexuality. I don't support those inquiries and I intend to keep this article clear of negative press and allow MJ to rest in peace.

Prince was born on June 7, 1958 as Prince Rogers Nelson in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He showed musical abilities at a young age by teaching himself to play the piano. The first song he taught himself was the theme from the "Batman" television series. Prince's parents were both musicians. His father, John L. Nelson, was a pianist and his mother Mattie Della Shaw, was a jazz singer. They were both part of a jazz combo called "The Prince Rogers Trio". Prince was named after this band. Prince was raised as a Seventh Day Adventist. He later become a Jehovah's Witness.

Prince is a very talented singer, dancer, and band leader. He plays 27 instruments including: guitar, bass, piano, and drums. In his career he has released 30 albums. Six of those 30 were released by Prince and The Revolution and four of that 30 was released by The New Power Generation.

His musical influences include: James Brown, Sly and The Family Stone, Larry Graham and Graham Central Station, and George Clinton and Parliament/Funkadelic.

Prince started playing in local bands while in high school. These bands included 94 East, Grand Central Corporation, and Champagne. He also briefly attended Minneapolis Dance Theater Company a school for the arts, majoring in dance. He also played basketball in high school.

In 1978, Prince recorded and released his first commercially offered album, "For You" on the Warner Brothers label. The credits contain the legend, "Produced, Arranged, Composed and Performed by Prince". He plays all 27 instruments on "For You". Soft and Wet was the first release from this album.

The Revolution was Prince's first backing band. Members included: Dr. Fink- keyboards, Brown Mark- bass, Lisa Coleman- keyboards, Wendy Melvoin- guitar, Dez Dickerson- guitar, Bobby Z- drums. The band was officially introduced as The Revolution on the 1999 album. Although Prince had a backing band, he still played most instruments on his albums. The Revolution mostly performed during stage shows.

His second backing band was called The New Power Generation. Members included: Sonny T- bass, Tommy Barbarella- keyboards, Levi Seacer- guitar, Rosie Gaines- keyboards, The Game Boyz- rappers, and a brass section called Hornheadz.

Prince introduced many acts including: The Time,Sheila E., Vanity 6, Tamar, Taja Seville, Jill Jones,and Apollonia 6. He has also written and produced for several acts, such as: The Bangles, Chaka Khan, Mavis Staples, and Larry Graham.

The motion picture "Purple Rain" is where Prince made his theatrical debut as The Kid. "Purple Rain" won an Oscar for it's soundtrack. Other film roles include: "Under The Cherry Moon", "Graffiti Bridge", and "Sign O' The Times"

Little Red Corvette was one of the first videos by a black person to be shown on the MTV music network.

Prince has been married twice. First to Mayte Garcia, a dancer from his stage show. Secondly to Manuella Testolini, an intern at Paisley Park.

While married to Mayte Garcia, he fathered a son, Boy Gregory, who was born with Pfeiffer Syndrome and died shortly after birth. Prince is not known to have fathered any other children.

Prince created a record label called Paisley Park. Paisley Park Studio is located in his home town of Minneapolis, Minnesota.  It contains several recording studios as well as motion picture studios. Mavis Staples, Larry Graham and Chaka Khan have recorded on the Paisley Park label.

Warner Brothers and Prince had major dispute in 1993 over monetary and artistic control over Prince's material. One result of this dispute was that Prince started performing in public with the word "Slave" written on his face in large letters. He also changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol O(+>,called "The Love Symbol". Since the symbol did not translate into an actual word or name, he became known as "The Artist Formerly Known As Prince" or "TAFKAP".

Prince still performs and releases albums regularly. He uses an assortment of record labels and distributors, even resorting to YouTube and other Internet sources for distribution.

*Prince has been known to wear elaborate costumes and dress in an "androgenous" manner. He has also used sensuality in his stage performances, songs, and dance moves. Because of these things, his sexuality has often been questioned. Again, as a fan of Prince I am not going to subscribe to airing bad press in this article

Okay now you have some of the more important details of the lives of both of these men. Now let's compare!

• Both showed musical interest as children
• Both were born in the Mid-West
• Both are great dancers and singers
• Both have been in movies
• Both have been married
• I had to add disclaimers on both articles
• Both have had disputes with their labels
• Both created monuments (MJ- Neverland, Prince-Paisely Park)
• Both have been Jehovah's Witness's
• Both idolize James Brown
• Both owned record labels
• Both tend to be "introverted and eccentric" off stage
• Both have fathered children
• Both had fathers who were musicians
• Both broke racial barriers on MTV
• Both played sports as children
• Both were born in 1958

Michael Jackson is a Virgo, and Prince is a Gemini. Virgo's and Gemini's have like tendencies.

Now it's up to you!!!

VOTE!!!!!