Michael Jackson, king of pop, is dead. Paramedics were called to the singer's home around midday local time on Thursday after he stopped breathing. He was pronounced dead two hours later after arriving at hospital in full cardiac arrest, said Fred Corral of the LA County Coroner's office. The star, who had a history of health problems, had been due to begin a series of comeback concerts in the UK on 13 July. Concerns were raised last month when four of the concerts were postponed, but organisers insisted the dates had been moved due to the complexity of staging the show. A spokeswoman for The Outside Organisation, which was organising the publicity for the shows, said she had no comment at this time. Broadcaster Paul Gambaccini said: "I always doubted that he would have been able to go through that schedule, those concerts. It seemed to be too much of a demand on the unhealthy body of a 50 year old. "I'm wondering that, as we find out details of his death, if perhaps the stress of preparing for those dates was a factor in his collapse. "It was wishful thinking that at this stage of his life he could be MJ again." Uri Gellar, a close friend of the star, told BBC News it was "very, very sad". Hip hop star P Diddy wrote on Twitter: "Michael Jackson showed me that you can actually see the beat. "He made the music come to life! He made me believe in magic. I will miss him!" Speaking outside the UCLA medical centre in Los Angeles, civil rights activist Rev Al Sharpton paid tribute to his friend. "I knew him 35 years. When he had problems he would call me," he said. "I feel like he was not treated fairly. I hope history will be more kind to him than some of the contemporary media." Musical icon Paramedics were called to the singer's house in Bel Air at 1221 following an emergency phone call. They performed CPR on Jackson and rushed him to the UCLA medical centre, where crowds have since gathered. A spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department said the robbery and homicide team was investigating Jackson's death because of its "high profile", but there was no suggestion of foul play. Jackson began his career as a child in family group The Jackson 5. He then went on to achieve global fame as a solo artist with smash hits such as Billie Jean and Bad. Thriller, released in 1982, is the biggest-selling album of all time, shifting 65m copies, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. He scored seven UK number ones as a solo artist and won a total of 13 Grammy awards. Neil Portnow, president of the Recording Academy, which awards the Grammys, also paid tribute: "Rarely has the world received a gift with the magnitude of artistry, talent and vision as Michael Jackson. "He was a true musical icon whose identifiable voice, innovative dance moves, stunning musical versatility, and sheer star power carried him from childhood to worldwide acclaim." "For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don't have the words," said Quincy Jones, who produced Thriller, Bad and Off The Wall. "He was the consummate entertainer and his contributions and legacy will be felt upon the world forever. I've lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him." Family The singer had been dogged by controversy and money trouble in recent years, becoming a virtual recluse. He was arrested in 2003 on charges of molesting a 14-year-old boy, but was found not guilty following a five-month trial. The star had three children, Michael Joseph Jackson Jr, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince Michael Jackson II. He is survived by his mother, Katherine, father, Joseph and eight siblings - including Janet, Randy, Jermaine and La Toya Jackson. Share your memories of the King of Pop and his music below. Reprinted from bbccaribbean.com