Michael Jackson’s legacy as the King of Pop continues to make waves, even after his passing, as a collection of his rare, previously unheard music has recently resurfaced. This treasure trove of cassettes and DAT tapes was discovered by Gregg Musgrove, a 56-year-old former California Highway Patrol officer turned stay-at-home dad, who stumbled upon the tapes while checking out an abandoned storage unit. The unit had once been rented by music producer and singer Bryan Loren.
Musgrove, who is now looking to sell the tapes through a major auction house, shared that he initially came across the storage unit after being contacted about an unpaid bill. The tapes are currently in the care of his attorney, awaiting their fate.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Musgrove explained, “I’ve gone to all the fan sites. Some of [the songs] are rumored to exist, and some of them have been leaked a little bit. A couple aren’t even out there in the world.” The tapes include 12 unreleased tracks Jackson recorded before his Dangerous album was released. Some of these tracks have been whispered about in the music world, with bits and pieces of them leaked over time, while others are completely unknown to the public.
Musgrove described listening to the tapes as a surreal experience. “I would get goosebumps because nobody’s ever heard this stuff before,” he said, adding that it was incredible to hear Jackson speaking and joking on the recordings, a side of him few had ever experienced.
Among the rare finds, one song titled Don’t Believe It is said to address rumors surrounding Jackson, while another track, Truth on Youth, features a rap duet with rapper LL Cool J. Despite the thrill of discovering these hidden gems, it’s unlikely they will ever be made public.
Musgrove and his attorney reached out to the Jackson Estate, which reviewed the tapes and confirmed that they were not the master recordings, but simply copies. The Estate declined the offer to purchase the tapes and emphasized that all rights to Jackson’s music remain with them, meaning these songs cannot be released commercially.
While this discovery might excite fans, it seems these rare recordings will remain locked away, with the public possibly never hearing the full extent of what Jackson recorded during those years. Still, Musgrove’s find adds another fascinating chapter to the ongoing legacy of the King of Pop.