Michael Jackson's Estate Claims Ownership of Songs in Controversial Auction With Casette Tapes Up to $200,000
The estate of the late Michael Jackson is challenging a New Jersey auction house's attempt to sell three cassette tapes containing what it claims are unreleased and unedited songs by the King of Pop.
The auction, set to begin on Wednesday, has been criticized by the Jackson estate, which described it as a "sad attempt by an auction site to mislead the public."
Gotta Have Rock and Roll is selling cassettes that contain tracks Michael Jackson recorded with music producer Bryan Loren in the late 1980s and early 1990s before the release of his 1991 album Dangerous.
The auction house has listed the cassettes with a starting bid of $85,000 and estimates the final sale price will range between $150,000 and $200,000, TMZ said.
The tapes include previously unheard versions of songs like "7 Digits" and "Truth on the Youth," and are described as providing rare insight into Jackson's creative process.
However, Jackson's estate disputes the authenticity of the tapes. The estate insists it owns the rights to the original master recordings and asserts that the tapes being sold are merely copies.
The estate warned that whoever purchased the tapes would not have the legal right to reproduce or publicly play the songs without violating copyright laws.
The estate's statement called the sale of these tapes a "misleading" effort to capitalize on Jackson's legacy.
Michael Jackson's estate has issues with an auction house planning to sell his unreleased music to the highest bidder. pic.twitter.com/yN4SNERpBW
— TMZ (@TMZ) February 19, 2025
Dylan Kosinski Hits Back at Michael Jackson's Estate
Dylan Kosinski, the CEO of Gotta Have Rock and Roll, responded to the estate's criticism, arguing that the scarcity of the tapes adds to their appeal.
Kosinski told DailyMail that the tapes are valuable because they cannot be reproduced or publicly released.
"What we are selling is an artifact only," he said. Kosinski also pointed out that the Jackson estate has been keeping the original master recordings "locked away," which makes the auctioned tapes even more special to collectors.
The cassettes feature demo versions of songs like "7 Digits" and a never-before-heard version of "Truth on the Youth," with rapper LL Cool J performing Michael Jackson's parts. Another track, "Work," includes vocals by Jackson's sister, Janet Jackson.
Gotta Have Rock and Roll further emphasizes that the tapes are "copies straight from the original DAT tapes" and are unique because they offer glimpses into Jackson's songwriting and recording process.
The auction's timing is significant, as it coincides with ongoing conversations in the music industry regarding copyright, artists' rights, and the protection of unreleased material.
While the Jackson estate asserts its ownership, the auction house is pressing forward with the sale, which is expected to draw significant attention from collectors and fans of the late pop icon.
