Michael Jackson, a figure synonymous with unparalleled fame, artistic genius, and global mystique, lived a life largely shielded from the public eye. His existence was a carefully curated performance, one where every move, every gesture, and every appearance was designed to maintain his untouchable, otherworldly status. But beneath the glittering costumes and behind the gates of Neverland Ranch lay a life of surprisingly ordinary, and at times, tragically human moments.

Among the most fascinating and little-known aspects of his life was his complex and often chaotic relationship with cars. The King of Pop, a man who commanded an entourage of drivers and a personal fleet of 75 luxurious vehicles, could, in fact, drive. Yet, his story behind the wheel is a tale of mishaps, strange encounters, and one fateful event that would forever change his life.

The first and perhaps most astonishing detail is that Michael Jackson, despite his fame, didn’t learn to drive until he was 23 years old. In 1981, he finally obtained his driver’s license. While he loved cars, he preferred to be chauffeured, a habit that made perfect sense for a global icon. Why bother with the mundane task of navigating traffic when you have a team of professionals to handle it? But there was a time he chose to drive himself, a decision that led to one of the most bizarre and embarrassing incidents of his early career.

Cruising in his first car, a Mercedes-Benz, Jackson was pulled over by a police officer. The officer, seeing a young Black man in a fancy vehicle, assumed it was stolen. The pop star, at the height of his fame, was escorted to a police station and held in jail. It was only after his head of security arrived to verify his identity that he was released. The story, a humiliating echo of the racial profiling that persists to this day, serves as a poignant reminder that even the King of Pop was not immune to the realities of the world outside his bubble. This Mercedes, a witness to his early struggles with celebrity, remained his car for a decade, eventually finding its final resting place as a birthday gift to his aunt before being auctioned off for a staggering $100,000 after his death.

Jackson’s driving skills, it seems, were not on par with his musical talents. He was, by all accounts, a terrible driver. The most famous example of his distracted driving occurred in the early 1980s while he was writing the iconic hit “Billie Jean.” So engrossed was he in his creative process that he failed to notice his car’s engine was on fire. It was only when another driver flagged him down that he became aware of the dangerous situation. It’s a surreal image: a creative genius, lost in the world of melody and rhythm, oblivious to the fact that his vehicle was about to be engulfed in flames.

However, the most pivotal and tragic car-related incident occurred in May 1992. Jackson was driving along Wiltshire Boulevard in Los Angeles when his car broke down. A passing car rental agency, “Rent-a-Wreck,” came to the rescue. The man who came to his aid was David Schwartz, the stepfather of a young boy named Jordan Chandler, a self-professed Jackson fan. In a moment of seemingly innocent human connection, Schwartz asked the superstar to call his stepson instead of paying for the service. We all know how this seemingly innocuous encounter would spiral into a public spectacle of sensational accusations, a civil trial, and a settlement that would forever be a stain on his legacy. The simple act of a car breaking down set in motion a chain of events that would haunt him for the rest of his life, turning a moment of vulnerability into a catalyst for immense personal pain and public scrutiny.

Beyond the dramatic events, Jackson’s love for cars was undeniable. He was a notorious spendthrift, and his collection of 75 vehicles was a testament to his extravagant tastes. His fleet included a diverse range of cars, from six Rolls-Royces to several Mercedes-Benzes and even tour buses valued at over two million dollars. His collection also included some fascinating oddities, such as a retro replica of a 1909 T tambul Model B roadster, an electrified horse-drawn carriage, and even a police Harley-Davidson motorbike. The collection was a reflection of his personality: a mix of classic elegance, childlike wonder, and a touch of the eccentric.

But of all the cars in his extensive collection, his favorite was a 1999 Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph. The interior was exclusively designed by Jackson himself, transforming it into a “palace office” adorned with crystals and 24-karat gold. This car was more than a vehicle; it was a sanctuary, a mobile expression of his unique vision and an extension of his private, inner world.

Michael Jackson’s journey behind the wheel was a microcosm of his life. It was a mix of the extraordinary and the mundane, of public spectacle and private misfortune. His story of getting his license, the humiliating police encounter, his terrible driving, the fateful breakdown with David Schwartz, and his extravagant car collection all paint a picture of a man who, despite his best efforts to control his narrative, was ultimately at the mercy of life’s unpredictable turns. His cars were a symbol of his wealth and power, but they also served as a stage for some of his most human and vulnerable moments, reminding us that even the King of Pop was, in the end, just a person trying to navigate the road.