Paris Jackson Inherited Michael Jackson’s Name — But Her Life Today Is Nothing Like You Imagine Author: Rodgers Mangwela There are famous surnames, and then there are surnames that seem to carry an entire history with them. For Paris Jackson, simply introducing herself can bring the same reaction that follows almost every mention of her father: Michael Jackson. For much of the world, Michael Jackson was the King of Pop, an extraordinary performer whose music, dancing and image became part of global popular culture. For Paris, however, the story has always been more personal. He was not simply the man behind Thriller , Billie Jean and Beat It . He was her father. That difference is important because Paris Jackson's life cannot really be understood by looking only at the fortune connected to her father's estate. When Michael died in 2009, Paris was just 11 years old. Overnight, the private tragedy of losing a parent became a global news story, and her family life beca...