Cassette tapes containing approximately 15 unknown songs by the late American singer Michael Jackson were found in an abandoned storage unit in northern Los Angeles, according to "The Hollywood Reporter." However, these songs may never be released.
The specialized magazine explained that former police officer Greg Musgrove discovered these recordings, including a duet with rapper LL Cool J, in a storage unit owned by music producer Brian Loren, who had collaborated with the late star and whose current whereabouts are unknown.
The recordings date back to 1989-1991, before the release of the "Dangerous" album, which featured the song "Black or White" in 1991.
Musgrove told "The Hollywood Reporter" about the discovered tapes, "I was listening to those recordings and felt chills because no one had ever heard them before. It was truly amazing to hear Michael Jackson talking and joking.
However, the magazine noted that Michael Jackson fans will likely not be able to hear these songs as they may not be released, given that the "Jackson Estate," which manages the late star's legacy, believes that owning the cassette tapes does not mean owning the rights to them.
A spokesperson for the "Jackson Estate" told "The Hollywood Reporter" that these tracks are not "new" and that "the estate's vaults" contain original recordings of them.
Musgrove hoped to make more than a million dollars from the discovered tapes, which he plans to offer to auction houses, according to "Agence France-Presse..
Around 350 million copies of Michael Jackson's albums have been sold, including "Thriller," which is the best-selling album of all time. Jackson won 13 Grammy Awards and died at the age of 50 on June 25, 2009, in the Los Angeles area.