On what would’ve been Michael Jackson’s 68th birthday, his son Prince pays tribute

On Aug. 29, Prince Jackson, 29, stepped onto the stage at Michael Jackson ONE in Las Vegas, joining the Cirque du Soleil show’s annual birthday salute to his father. The tribute unfolded inside Mandalay Bay, where Jackson’s music anchors high-flying choreography and video design built around his most famous visuals, according to People, which first reported Prince’s appearance.

The family moment landed as his father’s story reaches a new commercial peak: the biopic Michael, led by Jackson’s nephew Jaafar, has now topped $1 billion at the global box office, People reports. Prince served as a producer on the film and has said watching Jaafar transform into his dad on set was an emotional jolt.

Michael has passed $1 billion worldwide, per People.

A family handoff

Prince was just 12 when Michael Jackson died, a loss that pushed him, sister Paris and younger brother Bigi into an intense spotlight far earlier than most. Now, with Jaafar Jackson embodying his uncle in a hit movie and Prince helping steer it behind the scenes, that next generation is carrying the legacy from the stage to the screen.

The Vegas celebration underscores why those efforts connect: the music still fills rooms. “Off the Wall” redefined the pop album; Thriller remains the best-selling album ever, per the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, credited with reshaping pop through sound, dance and long-form music videos.

• “Billie Jean”
• “Beat It”
• “Thriller”
• “Smooth Criminal”
• “Black or White”
• “Man in the Mirror”
• “Earth Song”
• “You Are Not Alone”

Those songs became a kind of pop shorthand that “ONE” translates into flips, projections and laser-precise dance breaks. Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, but each Aug. 29, the Mandalay Bay production marks his birthday with a tribute performance — the same stage where Prince spent this year’s milestone with fans.