Michael Jackson’s death on June 25, 2009, at 50 years old, didn’t end his story. It only opened the vault. Since then, we’ve learned everything from his million-dollar library late fees to the fact that he secretly worked on Sonic the Hedgehog music with Brad Buxer. In 1985, St. Vincent and the Grenadines even put him on a postage stamp, while in the late ’90s he auditioned for X-Men’s Professor X, only to lose out to Patrick Stewart. But, surprisingly, these aren’t even the most surprising things we learned about Michael Jackson after his death. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest reveals over the years.
Michael Jackson faked his high-pitched voice
For decades, Michael Jackson’s soft, high-pitched voice became as recognizable as his moonwalk. But that actually wasn’t his real voice. Friends and colleagues admitted the King of Pop often spoke in a much deeper register behind closed doors. Actress Liza Minnelli once said, “When he talked normally, it was the most masculine sound you’d ever hear.” Listen closely to tracks like “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough” or his live shows, and you’ll catch glimpses of it. The truth is, Michael’s carefully crafted public persona didn’t always match the man offstage. He was a lot tougher than people believed.
Michael Jackson said the sinner’s prayer two weeks before he died
Michael Jackson’s faith has always been a topic people debated, but producer Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins cleared some of that mystery. He recalled how Michael often asked him to pray, even once inviting Jerkins and his family over for a personal prayer session. At Jackson’s funeral, gospel legend Andraé Crouch confirmed something even more intimate. Two weeks before his death in June 2009, the King of Pop prayed the Christian sinner’s prayer. Michael had even spoken about making his music more spiritual, with the Crouches talking to him about “the anointing of the Holy Spirit” and the message of Jesus.
The King of Pop was worth a lot more money than we thought
Before his death in 2009, rumors swirled that Michael Jackson was drowning in debt and forced into the This Is It tour. The truth is he was sitting on one of music’s biggest treasures. Back in 1995, Jackson sold half of his ATV catalog to Sony for $95 million, creating Sony/ATV, which included classics from Bob Dylan and Marvin Gaye. That catalog later ballooned to over $1 billion in value. No wonder Forbes still lists him as the highest-earning dead celebrity. Jackson’s estate reportedly pulled in $600 million in 2024 alone, outpacing nearly every living star on the planet.
MJ was a great businessman
Michael Jackson may be remembered as the King of Pop, but behind the sequins and moonwalk was a sharp businessman. Sure, he wasn’t the best at holding onto cash, but he knew how to make it multiply. From scooping up entire music catalogues to buying Neverland Ranch (now worth four times what he paid), Jackson always thought ahead. He surrounded himself with billionaires like David Geffen and Ron Burkle for advice. Entertainment attorney Donald David summed it up perfectly: “He would play the game and use that high squeaky voice. Underneath it all, he was a very intelligent, very savvy individual.”
Michael predicted the MCU’s success
Back in the ’90s, long before Disney turned Marvel into a $22 billion juggernaut, Michael Jackson actually tried to buy the company. His nephew Taj recalled, “It was Marvel and I remember that… He wanted to do that with Stan Lee. They had been talking and discussing that. Unfortunately that didn’t happen.” At the time, Marvel was bankrupt, and Jackson was obsessed with Spider-Man. He even wanted to play the hero himself and wanted to turn the characters into live-action adaptations. The deal never took off, but imagine an alternate universe where the King of Pop owned Iron Man, Thor, and the X-Men.
Michael Jackson nearly fought 2Pac
It sounds impossible, but according to industry chatter, Michael Jackson once nearly threw hands with Tupac Shakur. On a radio show, Wack 100 claimed Jackson “whooped [Pac’s] a**” after the rapper disrespected Quincy Jones’ daughter, Kidada. “Mike said, ‘I watched that girl grow up’ and flighted him. Whooped him,” Wack insisted, pointing to an interview where the story was first told. At the time, Pac was dating Kidada, while Jackson had long been close with Quincy. Whether fists actually flew or not, the idea of the King of Pop checking Pac still feels like one of music’s strangest moments.
The King of Pop was a womanizer
For someone often painted as shy and reserved, Michael Jackson had a side most fans never saw: he loved women, a lot. Former bodyguards and staff revealed that the King of Pop frequently entertained ladies in his bedroom, sometimes so loudly that workers admitted they’d cover their ears. Even stranger, Jackson had a nickname for the women he fancied: he called them “fish.” In behind-the-scenes footage, he can be heard pointing out which “fish” he wanted backstage or introduced after shows. It’s a far cry from the soft-spoken public image, showing a much more flirtatious side of Michael in private.
Michael Jackson was not gay
Those closest to Michael Jackson insist he wasn’t gay. Friends and family described him as playful and openly flirtatious, with an interest in women. Pharrell Williams once recalled the singer strolling into the studio with two women on his arms, something he apparently did often. His family also confirmed he never showed interest in men. Over the years, stories have surfaced about his romantic gestures toward Diana Ross and even Whitney Houston.
The Billie Jean singer didn’t invent the moonwalk
Michael Jackson may have made the moonwalk legendary during his 1983 Motown tribute performance of Billie Jean, but he didn’t invent it. Rolling Stone points out that James Brown had been gliding backwards years earlier, and the move itself stretches even further back to performers like Bill Bailey and Cab Calloway in the mid-20th century. The moonwalk wasn’t born from one person. It evolved over time. What Jackson did was take the slick step, reportedly taught to him by Shalamar’s Jeffrey Daniel, and blast it onto the global stage.
Michael and Prince might have been friends
Michael Jackson and Prince were often painted as bitter rivals, and to some extent, they were. Jackson even called Prince “a meany.” But behind the scenes, things were more complicated. The two reportedly met several times, sometimes to talk, sometimes to toy with the idea of music together, though no track was ever released. Those close to Prince say he took Jackson’s death in 2009 hard, isolating himself and later honoring him on stage with covers like Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough. For all the rivalry talk, it seems they might have found common ground before Michael’s passing.
Priscilla Presley was appalled with Lisa Marie’s marriage to Michael Jackson
Priscilla Presley never hid how she felt about her daughter Lisa Marie’s marriage to Michael Jackson. In her new book, she admits, “I was appalled by the marriage,” even asking Lisa point-blank if the relationship was physical. Lisa’s answer was “Yeah.” The pair first connected in 1992 and married in May 1994, but Priscilla believed Jackson’s motives had little to do with love. “Michael was a manipulative man… he was marrying the Presley dynasty,” she wrote, calling his innocence a mask. When Lisa Marie filed for divorce two years later, Priscilla confessed she “could practically hear Elvis sigh with relief.” So, yes, even Michael Jackson had problems with his mother-in-law.
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