‘Enough Is Enough’ say Representatives to Latest Attempt
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
As we reported earlier this month, Michael Jackson’s legacy continues to dominate the entertainment industry, with his various projects collectively surpassing $2 billion in global ticket sales. The King of Pop’s influence remains unmatched, from groundbreaking concert films to sold-out Broadway shows, making his the most successful celebrity estate ever. Ironically, the greater its success the more it has faced attempts from those seeking to shake down the Estate for money.
The most recent case resulted in the Michael Jackson Estate having to go so far as to contact law enforcement officials while filing an arbitration claim in response to threats from a few longtime friends and former associates of the pop icon.
We have learned that they are now demanding $213 million from the estate threatening to release false damaging information about Jackson if their demands are not met, even though for decades they have stated Michael did nothing to them. Co-Executor of the Estate John Branca has described their actions as a blatant attempt to exploit Jackson’s legacy for financial gain at no risk of defamation because those laws don’t protect the deceased. These threats come amidst the Estate’s enormous financial success, having generated $3 billion for beneficiaries.
For 25 years these associates have steadfastly maintained Michael’s innocence. In his book, one member of the group defended Jackson, writing, “Michael had never acted in any way even approximating inappropriate toward us. Michael was being attacked by liars. There was nothing ambiguous about the whole thing. These people were after Michael’s money. But he was innocent.”
He reiterated this stance in numerous media appearances, including interviews with Oprah Winfrey and Wendy Williams. “I’m gonna tell you what sleepovers were like,” he told Williams. “Everybody in a room, me, and others, we would just sit up talking, us on the floor, talking until four o’clock in the morning; let’s go raid the kitchen.” In a group sit down with Oprah, another member insisted, “Michael couldn’t harm a fly. He’s such a kind and gentle soul. Michael was a target.”
Despite their public support for Jackson, the person is engaging in the very behavior he once condemned. In 2019, following HBO’s release of the controversial documentary “Leaving Neverland,” the Jackson estate, was under significant pressure due to the media frenzy that spawned calls to cancel Michael. Representatives sought the group’s support given they for years vouched for Michael’s character, and that’s when they turned. As fiduciaries, the executors’ mission is to generate income for Michael’s beneficiaries. So, they had two goals: preserve the upcoming projects, while shielding his loved ones from further pain of having to endure another round of salacious, unproven allegations. The estate reached a private settlement with the group including $3 million for each of the five individuals. Both sides mutually agreed to keep the agreement under wraps to where even its existence couldn’t be divulged.
“In 2019, there was ‘Leaving Neverland,’ which was a complete surprise hit job,” Branca said in an exclusive interview with the Black Press of America’s Let It Be Known. “We didn’t know it was coming and weren’t asked for comment. And the media didn’t want to hear Michael’s story. MGM was threatening to cancel the Cirque show. We wouldn’t have been able to mount a Broadway show. There were a lot of things that would have gone south. We have a fiduciary responsibility to maximize the income of the estate, and our counsel insisted we sign the agreement. So, we did it with a mutual nondisclosure. And they didn’t want it disclosed either because Michael’s fans would have gone after these people,” Branca said.
The estate’s mutual nondisclosure agreement with the associates was vital in keeping the matter private and allowing the estate to move forward with projects that that would ensure that future generations could share in Michael’s musical and creative legacy and that could prove lucrative for Michael’s three children, the King of Pop’s heirs. “We and they signed this nondisclosure agreement, and the nondisclosure said you can’t even tell people there’s an agreement,” Branca explained. “It was awkward because we were making a movie with Antoine Fuqua and Graham King. And we couldn’t tell anybody about it, including the filmmakers.”
The recent demand for $213 million and the threat of making salacious claims have pushed the estate to take legal action. Branca commented, “The associate’s lawyer even said to us, if you don’t meet our demands, we’re going to have to share these allegations with a wider group of people. It was a shakedown. Enough is enough.”
The estate has reported the extortion attempt to authorities and is filing an arbitration proceeding against the associates for civil extortion. Branca noted the challenge of protecting Jackson’s legacy after his death, as libel laws that protect the living do not extend to those who have passed away.
When asked, Branca addressed the racial element in the treatment of Jackson, pointing out the media’s bias. “I definitely believe there’s a racist element in the media coverage of Michael Jackson since the 1980s. I was there. Michael got so big many were jealous, especially when he bought the Beatles catalog. I remember James Baldwin having that famous quote: ‘Michael will forever pay the price for his success.’”
Jackson himself was acutely aware of the racial undertones in how he was perceived. Branca recalled Jackson saying, “Sinatra’s the chairman of the board. Elvis is the king. Springsteen is the boss. But what do they call me? They call me the Gloved One. And he says, you know that’s racist. They’re trying to keep me down.” Branca added, “I don’t think they would do this to Bruce Springsteen, John Lennon or Elvis for that matter.”
Branca has played a pivotal role in Jackson’s legacy, including his involvement in the 1985 acquisition of the vaunted ATV catalog that included the Beatles and music from other artists. “The music catalog was something that carried him through good times and bad,” Branca noted. “Michael was somewhat of a visionary because some of his advisers were saying it was too expensive. And Michael said, ‘Branca, get that catalog.’” This move proved to be one of the most strategic decisions in Jackson’s career, solidifying his financial future and expanding his influence in the music industry.
The partnership between Branca and Jackson extended beyond financial dealings. They shared a mutual appreciation for creativity and entertainment. Branca recalled attending a Cirque du Soleil show with Jackson. “He and I attended a Cirque du Soleil show together in Santa Monica. And he said, ‘Branca, we gotta go backstage and meet everybody.’ So, Cirque was an easy one,” Branca remembered. This shared vision later led to successful collaborations, including the Cirque shows centered around Jackson’s music.
Despite vast challenges and unproven allegations, the executors have transformed Jackson’s estate into a financial powerhouse. Following Jackson’s death in 2009, the estate was nearly half a billion dollars in debt. Through strategic deals and projects, they turned it into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise. This included a blockbuster $600 million sale of 50% of Jackson’s music catalog to Sony wherein the Estate maintained control and the success of projects like “Michael Jackson’s This Is It,” the highest-grossing concert film in history. Upcoming endeavors, such as the Antoine Fuqua biopic MICHAEL starring Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson, aim to solidify Jackson’s enduring influence in popular culture.
The estate has also diligently ensured the well-being of Jackson’s family. Branca confirmed that Jackson’s mother, Katherine, is well cared for. Earlier reports suggested that Katherine has received more than $60 million from the estate since her son’s tragic death in 2009. “She’s well taken care of. She’s got two beautiful homes,” Branca stated, “full-time security and a private chef. Mrs. Jackson, as she should be, is well taken care of.”
Branca reflected on the estate’s role in maintaining Jackson’s vision, saying, “We’re not Michael. We would never pretend to be. But we know what he loves. A lot of it is trying to execute Michael’s vision.” Despite the hurdles, he remains steadfast in his commitment to protecting and preserving Jackson’s legacy. “We will continue to manage the estate with the integrity and dedication that Michael deserved,” Branca affirmed. “Attempts like this to tarnish his memory for financial gain will not succeed.”
____________________________________________________________
Excerpt:
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Despite vast challenges and unproven allegations, the executors have transformed Jackson’s estate into a financial powerhouse. Following Jackson’s death in 2009, the estate was nearly half a billion dollars in debt. Through strategic deals and projects, they turned it into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise. This included a blockbuster $600 million sale of 50% of Jackson’s music catalog to Sony wherein the Estate maintained control and the success of projects like “Michael Jackson’s This Is It,” the highest-grossing concert film in history.
Website Tags and Keywords:
Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire, Michael Jackson’s legacy, entertainment industry, various projects, surpassing $2 billion, global ticket sales, The King of Pop’s, groundbreaking concert films, sold-out Broadway shows, most successful celebrity estate ever, Ironically, shake down the Estate, contact law enforcement officials, filing an arbitration claim, threats, longtime friends, former associates, pop icon, demanding $213 million, release false damaging information, John Branca, blatant attempt, exploit Jackson’s legacy, financial gain, no risk of defamation, laws don’t protect the deceased, Estate’s enormous financial success, generated $3 billion, beneficiaries, Michael’s innocence, attacked by liars, Oprah Winfrey, Wendy Williams, public support for Jackson, behavior, condemned, HBO’s release, controversial documentary, “Leaving Neverland”, Jackson estate, significant pressure, media frenzy, cancel Michael, Representatives, sought the group’s support given they for years Michael’s character, fiduciaries, te executors’ mission, generate income, Michael’s beneficiaries, two goals, upcoming projects, loved ones, further pain, salacious, unproven allegations, private settlement, $3 million, five individuals, keep the agreement under wraps, surprise hit job, exclusive interview, Black Press of America, Let It Be Known, Michael’s story, MGM, Cirque show, Broadway show, fiduciary responsibility, income of the estate, counsel, sign the agreement, mutual nondisclosure, Michael’s fans, estate’s mutual nondisclosure agreement, associates, keeping the matter private, projects, future generations, Michael’s musical, creative legacy, Michael’s three children, King of Pop’s heirs, nondisclosure agreement, nondisclosure, Antoine Fuqua, Graham King, filmmakers, $213 million, salacious claims, legal action, associate’s lawyer, allegations, wider group of people, shakedown, Authorities, arbitration proceeding, civil extortion, protecting Jackson’s legacy after his death, libel laws, protect the living, racial element, treatment of Jackson, media’s bias, racist element, media coverage of Michael Jackson, Beatles catalog, James Baldwin, racial undertones, Sinatra, chairman of the board, Elvis, king, Springsteen, the boss, Gloved One, Bruce Springsteen, John Lennon, pivotal role, Jackson’s legacy, 1985 acquisition, ATV catalog, music catalog, something good times and bad, visionary, advisers, too expensive, strategic decisions, Jackson’s career, financial future, influence in the music industry, financial dealings, creativity, entertainment, Cirque du Soleil show, Santa Monica, shared vision, successful collaborations, Cirque shows, Jackson’s music, vast challenges, unproven allegations, executors, financial powerhouse, Jackson’s death, half a billion dollars in debt, strategic deals, projects, multi-billion-dollar enterprise, blockbuster $600 million sale, 50% of Jackson’s music catalog, Sony, “Michael Jackson’s This Is It”, highest-grossing concert film in history, endeavors, Antoine Fuqua biopic MICHAEL, Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson, Jackson’s enduring influence, popular culture, well-being of Jackson’s family, Jackson’s mother, Katherine, $60 million, son’s tragic death, two beautiful homes, full-time security, private chef, Mrs. Jackson, estate’s role, Jackson’s vision, hurdles, steadfast in his commitment, integrity, dedication, tarnish his memory
Twitter Tags/Handles:
@StacyBrownMedia @NNPABlackPress @DrBenChavis @FuquaFilms_ @Sony
Discover more from InnerCity News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
