His Wikipedia "early life" entry contains no clue -- well-to-do parents even in the days just after WWII, private school, university (London School of Economics), sang in church choir as a kid. I've heard he even has Tory leanings because he is educated. To what abuse and hard life are you referring? I have never read any in-depth biographies, so I have no idea.
Just realized MJ could be Mick Jagger just as easily as Michael Jackson, which is actually who I was commenting upon. Sorry for the confusion.