Michael Jackson fans will rejoice to hear there is more never-before-heard music from the superstar – and it’s going on sale. However, there’s one catch – whoever buys it is not allowed to play it to the public.
The new music is being auctioned off by Gotta Have Rock N Roll – an auction house planning to sell his unreleased music to the highest bidder. According to TMZ, Gotta Have Rock N Roll is auctioning off some cassette tapes with never-before-heard songs of Michael, who died aged 50 in 2009, and the late singer’s estate is blasting the sale as a “sad attempt by an auction site to mislead the public.”
The auction item features two cassette tapes with 12 unreleased tracks Michael Jackson worked on in the late 1980s and early ’90s. Gotta Have Rock and Roll is putting the tapes on the auction block with an $85,000 starting bid, and they expect the sale price to land between $150K and $200K – but there is one catch.
TMZ writes: “Thing is, Michael Jackson’s estate tells us the cassettes are just copies of the original master recordings, which are owned by the estate, and whoever buys the tapes will be unable to reproduce them or play them publicly because the estate owns the rights.”
(Image: Getty)
Meanwhile, Michael Jackson’s former bodyguard has given extraordinary insight into the star’s heartbreaking final days. His last bodyguard, Bill Whitfield, has shed light on the extreme pressure he feels led to the superstar’s untimely demise.
Although Michael was just 50 years old when he passed away on June 25, 2009, which would have marked his 66th birthday this week, it is said that he faced significant struggles.
His final guardian, Whitfield, described witnessing a “frail” and stressed Jackson as he geared up for a tour that never happened due to his abrupt death.
Whitfield pointed out that the heavy burden of child sexual abuse allegations was a contributing factor to a serious downfall in Jackson’s health, leaving him a “shadow of his former self.”
Sadly, Jackson’s death was ultimately brought on by a fatal concoction of sedatives and propofol, with the official ruling of homicide. Hired in December 2006, right after Jackson had fought off dreadful accusations, bodyguard Bill Whitfield initially harbored skepticism towards the pop icon.
Despite his reservations, Whitfield soon discovered that the circulating rumors didn’t match up with Michael’s genuine nature and identified profound misery within him.
“He was sad a lot,” declared Whitfield in a conversation with The Sun, identifying a noticeable shift following the ordeals Michael went through.
Bill expressed sorrow over the fact that Michael left this world without seeing his name fully cleared, remarking that the claims ultimately marred his legacy.
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