(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Michael Jackson’s father gave him a strict upbringing so he wouldn’t become involved in gangs, he has claimed.

The ‘King of Pop’ alleged his father Joe Jackson beat him as a child during an interview with Martin Bashir, broadcast as part of 2003 show Living with Michael Jackson. He also discussed his upbringing with talk show host Oprah Winfrey, saying Joe was “very strict” and he was sometimes so scared of him he felt ill.

Joe has always denied hurting his son. Michael died of acute Propofol intoxication by intravenous injection of another in June last year, and since then Joe has often discussed how he raised him.

In an interview shot by jacksonsecretvault.com, Joe has talked about his parenting style. The dialogue will be included in a movie about Michael’s life which his mother Katherine Jackson is producing with Howard Mann, according to website TMZ.

“I had to be like that because when raising him, in those days, so many gangs out there getting into trouble, going to jail,” Joe says, when asked how he felt about Michael saying he was too strict. “Most of them are dead now. He didn't have to worry about that.”

In the clip featured on the website, Joe is then asked if he has any regrets about his parenting style. He insists he has none, and calls much of what has been reported about that time into question. “No! They tried to make a big issue when I spanked Michael or some of the kids, ya know? Just like they didn't spank their kids when they did wrong. The media twists everything,” he says. (C) Cover Media