Madonna called Michael Jackson a "hero," a "king" and a "human being" as she paid tribute to the King of Pop at MTV's "2009 Video Music Awards," prior to Janet Jackson's anticipated performance.

"When I was six, my mother died. I think he got the shorter end of the sick," she says of the music legend. "I never had a mother but he never had a childhood."

Madonna said when she learned of Michael's death while preparing for her tour, she felt as if she had "abandoned him."

"I know his pain," she said, referring to the constant media attention the King of Pop received.

Madonna said his legacy lives on, starting with her two sons who are big fans of the late singer. "There's a whole lot of crotch grabbing and moon-walking in my house," Madonna joked.

She concluded her tribute saying, "He was a king, but he was also a human being. ... Long live the king."