When former California Highway Patrol officer turned stay-at-home dad Gregg Musgrove began his treasure-hunting hobby, he never expected to stumble upon a treasure trove of material belonging to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.
Musgrove discovered a collection of unreleased Michael Jackson tapes in a storage unit in the San Fernando Valley. The storage unit, which once belonged to Bryan Loren, a music producer and singer, contained 12 unreleased tracks that Jackson worked on between 1989 and 1991, during the lead-up to his iconic Dangerous album.
Musgrove, 56, explained that his journey to the tapes began when an associate contacted him about the unit in Van Nuys. “I’m listening to this stuff, and I would get goosebumps because nobody’s ever heard this stuff before,” Musgrove shared, describing the thrill of hearing Jackson’s voice discussing the creative process and joking around with Loren.
The tapes include remarkable unreleased tracks such as “Don’t Believe It,” a song seemingly addressing rumors about Jackson in the media, and “Seven Digits,” referencing identification numbers assigned to bodies in a morgue. Another standout track, “Truth on Youth,” is a rap duet with LL Cool J, confirming the long-rumored collaboration between the two artists.
However, despite the undeniable rarity and historical significance of the tapes, Michael Jackson’s Estate declined to purchase them. Musgrove revealed that the estate conducted its own investigation into the tapes but ultimately decided not to make an offer. Some fans speculate that the estate may already have access to these recordings or similar material in their archives.
In their response, the estate provided Musgrove with an official letter affirming that it does not claim ownership of the physical tapes. However, the letter also clarified that the copyrights for the recordings and compositions remain exclusively with the estate. This means that while the tapes can be sold as collectibles, they cannot be publicly released or monetized without authorization.
For diehard fans, the news is bittersweet. The tapes represent a tantalizing glimpse into Michael Jackson’s creative process, but their contents are likely to remain under lock and key, accessible only to a future private collector. Musgrove plans to auction the tapes at one of the four major auction houses, with estimates placing their value in the seven-digit range.
Whether they end up in the hands of a devoted fan or a high-profile collector, these tapes remain a fascinating chapter in the legacy of Michael Jackson—a reminder of the depth of his artistry and the ongoing intrigue surrounding his life and work.
It would be great to hear what’s on these tapes. How can the estate claim copyright on recordings they may not have in their archive? If someone was to release them the estate would sue. Even though they didn’t care enough to rescue and restore or release something the fans would actually like to hear. Once again we lose out on hearing unheard tracks because the estate always think they know what’s best for us. They don’t. I look forward to hearing unreleased music as artists leave them, you get a glimpse into the artists mind and appreciate the chance to hear things that didn’t make the final cut. Michael was amazing, we deserve to hear more unheard stuff.