Michael Jackson was the most powerful artist in the music industry. He owned half of Sony Music Publishing. He held the rights to the Beatles catalog.
And according to those closest to him, he believed that power was going to get him killed.
This wasn’t paranoia without context. It was a belief Michael repeated — to his sister, to his bodyguards, to anyone he trusted enough to say it to.
La Toya Jackson revealed in 2011 that before his death, Michael told her: “I’m going to be murdered for my music publishing catalogue and my estate.”
“La Toya – They Are Going To Kill Me” – Michael Repeatedly Said
His bodyguard Matt Fiddes also stated that Michael intended to wear a bulletproof vest during his This Is It shows, as he feared there would be an attempt to assassinate him on stage.
The tension with Sony had been building for years. Back in 1995, Sony had brought Jackson’s valuable ATV Music Publishing catalog — which included the rights to many Beatles songs — in as an equal partner, giving him $110 million for a 50% stake in the resulting Sony/ATV joint venture.
That made Michael one of the most financially powerful figures in the music business. AND WHEN HE TRIED TO LEAVE SONY AND TAKE THAT POWER WITH HIM, THINGS ESCALATED FAST.
In a 2002 public address, Michael declared, “I’m leaving Sony, a free agent — owning half of Sony! I own half of Sony’s Publishing. I’m leaving them, and they’re very angry at me, because I just did good business. So the way they get revenge is to try and destroy my album!”
“Sony Never Thought That I’d Outhink Them” – Says Michael
Matt Fiddes, his former bodyguard, later spoke publicly about the emotional toll the Invincible era had on Michael, claiming he was deeply affected by what he saw as deliberate sabotage.
These are Michael’s own words and the accounts of those who were with him. No verdict has ever been reached on what he feared. But he feared it loudly, and repeatedly, and right up until the end.
Whether or not you believe the industry went after him — Michael Jackson clearly believed it. And that alone changes how you look at his final years.