An Interview With Jael

We welcome you back to an amazing conversation with 31 year old Atlanta native, Jael Rucker, about her writing and passion for MJ. Jael, an entertainment and sports journalist, is the author of “How Come Nobody Ever Apologizes to Michael Jackson” and is currently working on “Righting History” with Taj Jackson.

and for an extra treat this interview has been conducted by a new face here, Jamilla! like Jael, Jamilla is an extremely talented author and passionate MJ fan. Please enjoy their conversation with excitement and gusto!

Pictured: Jael Rucker

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JK: Let’s take it way back and start at the beginning. Can you let us know when your journey as an MJ fan began?

JR: My journey really begins from childhood. The unique thing about Michael Jackson is that he is truly generational. My grandparents were introduced to him as children with The Jackson 5 and introduced their kids to him. Of course, my dad was included in that, who in-turn introduced Michael to me as a baby. My mother also became a big MJ fan as a teenager in the 1980s. The cool thing about my parents is that they got to witness “Thriller” dropping in real time, and they got to see the premiere of the “Thriller” short film, along with all of his other films. It was only natural that I would be a fan.

JK: When did you first become interested in writing? What led you to pursue a career in sports and entertainment journalism, and currently, what is leading you to become an aspiring author, screenwriter, and director?

JR: I first became interested in writing as a child. It actually started in the first grade when my teacher, Mrs. Downing, made us all do a writing assignment about what we did over our weekend. I chose to do my assignment on a video game I was playing, and I remember her telling me that it was very descriptive. She told me to keep writing, which I did. Separately, I got my start in journalism as a sports reporter, and sports has always been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up playing tennis, basketball and softball. When it became clear that playing professional sports wasn’t going to be my path, I figured writing about sports would be the next best thing. From there, my career has just evolved.

Jael reporting with ESPN

JK: You published your article, “How Come Nobody Ever Apologizes to Michael Jackson” in February 2024. There was an immediate sense of relief that came over me after seeing someone point out something that’s so long overdue! What was the motivating factor(s) behind the creation of your first article/series?

JR: Believe it or not, I’ve been wanting to write a book about Michael’s innocence since I was 15 years old, which was the same year he passed away (2009). It was just all about timing, honestly. I wanted to reach a certain point in my career first, where I could say I had built a resume, interviewed high-profile subjects like Steph Curry and Snoop Dogg…etc., because I knew that those experiences would give me a certain amount of credibility. By the time February 2024 rolled around, I felt it was time. Of course, the original date of the biopic premiere has been pushed, but at the time it was set for April 2025. I figured there would be a good amount of interest regarding Michael and, specifically the allegations, and the goal was to have a good bank of articles before the premiere, with people being able to look forward to the book soon afterwards. Ironically enough, the dates being pushed has given me more time to perfect the book than initially imagined. The articles serve as a reference point for the materials (videos, for example) that cannot be included in the book. I’m excited!

JK: Knowing that positive MJ articles are few and far between, how have your journalistic peers handled your unbiased approach towards the MJ allegations, and have you witnessed firsthand the opposite behavior (i.e., biased approach to writing/discussing the MJ allegations) throughout your journalistic career

JR: I’ve surprisingly had way more support than what I could have ever imagined from my journalistic peers. If there’s people who don’t and won’t even take the time to read the series/book, then I really don’t want them in my life or as a connection anyway. I’m honestly not trying to sound cocky when I say this, but if you read the series/book…there’s really no way you could or should walk away still thinking Michael was guilty. I have meticulously broken down and peeled back every single layer, while answering every single question you could possibly have. To still get “guilty” once you’re done with it, would mean you want to believe Michael was guilty…to the point where you are willing to disregard the basic common sense you were born with. I don’t have time for people like that.

JK: Has Michael Jackson, his artistry, and/or his experiences in life inspired the way you approach journalism and writing? And do you foresee him and/or his art impacting the way you maneuver screenwriting and directing in the future?

JR: Michael is my biggest inspiration. He’s the reason why I became a journalist…I entered this field because I wanted to do my part to clear his name. As for the future, I’m not sure how you can be a creative and not be inspired by Michael. He was the ultimate innovator and broke through so many different mediums. His short films are only just one example of this. He was so many different things in one package…the ultimate singer, dancer, songwriter/writer in general. He was an artist that could draw phenomenally, a visionary that came up with his own creative concepts, a fashion icon…he was everything.

JK: What do you want people to take away from all the information you’ve gathered during your research on the 1993 allegations and 2005 trial?

JR: That it’s one of, if not the biggest injustices in the history of mankind.

JK: Excluding the allegations, what do you want people to know about MJ?

JR: I, unfortunately, never got to meet MJ, but it doesn’t take much to see he was a beautiful and painfully misunderstood human being inside and out. I hope more people realize that in the future.

JK: You’re also working with Taj on “Righting History.” On the “Righting History” YouTube channel, it’s clear how passionate you are about correcting the image of Michael. Do you prefer or find it easier to use writing or imagery to tell stories and convey messages, particularly when it comes to MJ, or use both together?

JR: As much as I enjoy the writing component, I feel like these allegations are best broken down using a visual/audio element, which is exactly why I’m planning to expand the series to other mediums.

JK: Speaking of imagery, the “Michael” biopic is currently underway. Many fans feel this would be the best opportunity for Michael’s voice to be “heard” regarding the allegations. What do you hope to see in the biopic? Are you excited about it?

JR: I am excited about the biopic for sure! However, I have always maintained that the complexities in regard to these allegations make them hard to address in a movie that is also covering other elements of Michael’s life. You have to leave things out if other things are being incorporated, and, frankly, if things are left out, you won’t get the full picture.

JK: Congratulations on your upcoming debut book! I know firsthand how challenging it can be to write a book, so kudos to you! What can we, as fans and the general public, look forward to seeing you talk about in your book that will be published on August 29th, 2026, a very special day for all those who love MJ?

JR: Thank you so much! What people can expect is one cohesive place where everything is in one spot. While I’ve received a lot of positive feedback from the articles, there are a lot of them, and for some, that can be overwhelming…especially in a written format. You wouldn’t believe how many people have told me they’re interested in the series but would rather wait for it to be a book so they can have it “organized” to say the least, which I completely understand. So, I can’t wait to be able to give that to them.

We thank Jael for speaking with us and hope you continue to support her endeavours. she's only just getting started!