Jermaine Jackson's Bahrain Move: A Royal Mystery

Michael Jackson's brother, Jermaine Jackson, is associated with Bahrain because he converted to Islam and moved to the Middle East in 1989. He has close links with Bahrain's royal family, particularly Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the second son of the king of Bahrain. Jermaine introduced his brother Michael to the sheikh, who invited Michael to Bahrain and helped him pay off his court charges.

Jermaine Jackson's conversion to Islam

In 1989, Jermaine Jackson, brother of pop star Michael Jackson, converted to Islam after a trip to Bahrain. Since his conversion, Jackson has been a regular in the country.

Michael Jackson was invited by the Bahraini prince, Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad al-Khalifa, to stay in one of the royal palaces. The prince, a fan of Michael Jackson, hoped to play a part in reviving Jackson's career and hosted him and his three children as guests of the royal family. During this time, Jackson was able to work on his mental health, plan for a comeback album, and stave off bankruptcy.

The prince's generosity towards the Jackson brothers was significant. He provided financial support, covering legal fees, utility bills, and the purchase of a Rolls-Royce for Jermaine. He also collaborated with Michael on music, including a charity single to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina.

However, the relationship between Michael Jackson and the Bahraini royal family eventually soured. Jackson walked away from their collaboration in 2006, and the prince sued him for breach of contract, claiming that Jackson owed him money. The dispute was eventually settled out of court.

His connection to Bahrain's royal family

Jermaine Jackson, brother of Michael Jackson, has close links with Bahrain's royal family. Jermaine Jackson reportedly converted to Islam after a trip to Bahrain in 1989 and has been a regular in the country since.

Jermaine Jackson's connection to Bahrain's royal family was instrumental in Michael Jackson's visit to the country in 2005. At the time, Michael Jackson was facing child molestation charges in the US, and his brother suggested he come to Bahrain. Jermaine Jackson had a friend in Bahrain who had connections with the Bahrain Prince, Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad al-Khalifa. The prince decided to help Michael Jackson, who was going through a difficult time and facing financial troubles.

Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad al-Khalifa paid off Michael Jackson's court charges, which amounted to around $4 million, and invited him to Bahrain as a guest in one of the royal palaces. The prince, a fan of Michael Jackson, also wanted to collaborate with him on music. Michael Jackson accepted the invitation and spent time in Bahrain as a guest of the royal family.

Jermaine Jackson's connection to Bahrain's royal family was not limited to facilitating Michael Jackson's visit. In January 2005, Jermaine Jackson and Sheikh Abdulla announced plans to launch a charity theme song written by the royal. Additionally, the Sheikh spent $450,000 on Jermaine Jackson in late 2004 and early 2005 and even bought him a Rolls-Royce car in California.

His role in Michael Jackson's move to Bahrain

Michael Jackson's decision to move to Bahrain was influenced by his brother Jermaine Jackson, who had converted to Islam and lived in the Middle East. Jermaine Jackson had connections in Bahrain through a friend who knew the Bahrain Prince, Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad al-Khalifa. At the time, Michael Jackson was facing child molestation allegations and financial difficulties, and his brother suggested he go to Bahrain for support.

Sheikh Abdulla, a fan of Jackson's music, wanted to help him recover from his struggles and offered to pay off his court charges, which amounted to around $4 million. The prince also wanted to collaborate musically with Jackson and invited him to Bahrain. Jackson accepted the invitation, and in June 2005, he flew to Bahrain with the prince, who was celebrating his 30th birthday.

During his time in Bahrain, Jackson stayed in a luxury villa near the prince's quarters and received a chauffeured Rolls-Royce and security detail. He struggled with his mental health and rarely left his home, except to dine alone at the China Garden restaurant inside the Gulf Hotel Bahrain. Jackson also began therapy sessions for the first time to deal with the trauma of the court case.

Jackson's friendship with the prince ultimately ended in a lawsuit. The prince had wanted to collaborate on a charity single for Hurricane Katrina victims, but Jackson was not in the right headspace to record. Despite the efforts of the prince and music producers, Jackson was not able to record consistently.

Jackson's time in Bahrain ended in June 2006, and he left for an undisclosed location in Europe. The prince sued Jackson for $7 million, claiming he had reneged on their contract for an album, autobiography, and stage play. The case was settled out of court, but Jackson passed away in Los Angeles just 11 months after leaving Bahrain.

His collaboration with Sheik Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa

Jermaine Jackson's collaboration with Sheik Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa began when Jermaine, a regular in Bahrain since converting to Islam in 1989, introduced his brother Michael Jackson to the sheikh. At the time, Michael was facing charges of intoxicating and molesting 13-year-old Gavin Arvizo in California. Abdulla, a long-time fan of Michael's, loaned him $2.2 million to assist with his legal fees. After Michael was acquitted of all charges, Abdulla invited him to vacation in Bahrain, which he accepted on 30 June 2005.

In the following 11 months, Abdulla and Michael became close friends, listening to music and coming up with song ideas. Abdulla wanted to help revive Michael's music career and suggested he record a song to benefit the victims of Hurricane Katrina, which had recently devastated New Orleans. The song, titled "I Have This Dream", was co-written by Abdulla and recorded by Michael in London. However, the single was never officially released through Abdulla's record label, 2 Seas Group.

In addition to "I Have This Dream", Abdulla and Michael co-wrote two other songs: "Light the Way" and "He Who Makes the Sky Gray". Michael also recorded his parts for the Hurricane Katrina single in Los Angeles, with other artists such as James Ingram, Ciara, Snoop Dogg, and Shirley Caesar. However, the song was never completed as Michael did not show up for the final recording session, despite Abdulla claiming to have spent $2.2 million on it.

In April 2006, Michael signed a contract with Abdulla's Bahrain-based label, 2 Seas Records, for an album, a memoir, a stage musical, and a Cirque du Soleil show. The deal was expected to raise millions. However, Michael left Bahrain in May 2006 for Ireland and, in November 2008, Abdulla sued him in London's High Court, claiming that Michael had reneged on their recording deal and refused to sing his songs. Michael claimed that the money he received was a gift and that he did not owe Abdulla anything. The case was eventually settled out of court.

His residence in Bahrain

Jermaine Jackson, brother of Michael Jackson, has close links with Bahrain's royal circle. He reportedly converted to Islam after a trip to Bahrain in 1989 and has been a regular in the country since. Jermaine's connection to Bahrain proved instrumental in Michael Jackson's visit to the country in 2005.

Jermaine Jackson has close ties with Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad al-Khalifa, the second son of the king of Bahrain. Sheikh Abdulla is believed to be a friend of Jermaine and a fan of Michael Jackson. In 2005, Michael Jackson was facing charges of intoxicating and molesting Gavin Arvizo, who was 13 years old at the time of the alleged abuse. During this time, Jermaine introduced his brother to Sheikh Abdulla, who invited Michael Jackson to Bahrain and offered support.

Michael Jackson accepted the invitation and arrived in Bahrain in June 2005, accompanied by his three children. They were guests of Sheikh Abdulla and resided in a luxury villa near the royal quarters. During their stay, they were provided with a chauffeured Rolls-Royce and security detail. Jackson's visit was intended as a retreat to relax and enjoy the calmness of Bahrain after the court trial and the negative publicity surrounding the charges.

While in Bahrain, Michael Jackson gradually emerged from his reclusive shell and began interacting with locals. He ventured out to malls, often disguised in a woman's abaya. He also explored business opportunities, signing a contract for a collaborative album with Sheikh Abdulla. However, Jackson's friendship with the Sheikh ended in a lawsuit, with Jackson walking away from the collaboration in 2006.

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