"2. BEAT IT: March 31, 1983. Michael Jackson becomes the first black artist with a video on MTV. The segregation was MTV's early shame, ironic considering its later role in popularizing rap. And the early snub wasn't forgotten: "You don't have all of music television when you are leaving things out," says Los Lonely Boys singer Henry Garza."
I would dispute this. I remember seeing Ray Parker Jr.
(Raydio) singing "You Can't Change That" much before '83.
They forget Musical Youth (Pass the Dutchie, 1982) and Eddy Grant (Electric Avenue, 1982) and Prince (Little Red Corvette, 1999 both 1983) and Herbie Hancock (Rockit, 1983)...
But then commies love to revise history.
Remember that the MTV/VH-1 Concert For New York had the police officers and firemen boos for Hillary Clinton overdub by Viacom with CHEERS. And that it the only version available from Sony.
"The segregation was MTV's early shame" - IRONIC considering Viacom is behind the black only BET. And where would one find the modern ROCK & ROLL bands with black singers like The Dirtbombs and The Bellrays? Oh wait, those are integrated bands (and Lisa Kekaula has a white husband). Unwelcome at MTV OR BET.
Actually, "Billie Jean" debuted in December 1982.