Faking Michael

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Latest Episodes:

Episode 13 – The Confession Oct 24, 2024

In the gripping finale of Faking Michael, the remaining pieces of the puzzle fall into place—including the biggest smoking gun of the entire series, as the actual vocalist on the Cascio tracks, Jason Malachi, offers to come clean in the middle of an explosive fraud lawsuit.

DISCLAIMER: Faking Michael is an investigative true crime podcast series co-produced by Damien Shields and Dan Villalobos, and published by Oath! Media. Research, writing and narration by Damien Shields. Original score, sound design and mixing by Dan Villalobos. Additional research by James Alay and Jamon Bull, and the teams at The MJCast and A Truth Untold. Artwork by Stephen Ward with creative direction from Samar Habib. Faking Michael is an independent piece of investigative reporting. All source material is used in a limited and transformative way, for the purpose of commentary, criticism, demonstration and education in accordance with Fair Use guidelines. Some of that material has been edited for clarity and time. If you’d like to contact the Oath! Media team, support our cause, or register your interest in the upcoming book edition of Faking Michael, please visit fakingmichael.com.

Episode 12 – Witness Intimidation Oct 07, 2024

Between late 2010 and early 2011, when fans spoke out against the release of the Cascio tracks, the powers that be behind the scenes tried to silence them. In this episode we hear about the extraordinary lengths that Sony and the Estate went to in an effort to control the narrative, and how two fans found themselves on the wrong side of the law amidst their quest to expose the truth.

Episode 11 – Forensics Sep 27, 2024

Forensic evidence can be crucial in identifying whether or not a crime has been committed. In this episode we hear from several top experts regarding the forensic evidence in the case of the Cascio tracks, including a leading forensic musicologist, a veteran forensic audiologist, and a world-renowned vocal coach.

Episode 10 – Connoisseurship Sep 27, 2024

A connoisseur is someone with expertise in a particular subject, especially an area of art. In this episode we recap the most important testimony we’ve heard from connoisseurs of Michael Jackson’s music, while diving further even down the rabbit hole of expert opinion regarding the vocals on the Cascio tracks. Meanwhile, my research team and I give Eddie Cascio, Jason Malachi and others several opportunities to tell their side of the story.

Episode 9 – Provenance Sep 27, 2024

In this episode we examine the provenance of the Cascio tracks, tracing them back to their origins by examining a decade’s worth of copyright registrations, handwritten notes and insider testimony before following their evolution into so-called “Michael Jackson” songs to establish whether or not Michael ever recorded the vocals.

Episode 8 – Can’t Confirm or Deny Sep 27, 2024

In this episode we go over the build-up to the release of the Cascio tracks again, this time through the actions of Eddie Cascio, James Porte and their team. Then, after their release, the alleged singer of the tracks, Jason Malachi, is confronted by his longtime producer regarding the vocals.

Episode 7 – Mamacita Explosion Sep 27, 2024

When Jason Malachi's song “Mamacita” was mistaken for a new Michael Jackson song, Jason shot to fifteen minutes of fame. In this episode we detail Jason’s backstory, and how his career intersected with the life and death of the King of Pop.

Episode 6 – Meet the Family Sep 27, 2024

Eddie Cascio and James Porte are the creators of the Cascio tracks. In this episode we break down each of their stories, including how they ended up working together on songs for Michael Jackson.

Episode 5 – Weitzman’s Statement Sep 27, 2024

Eddie Cascio and James Porte are asked to explain the issues with the vocals on the Cascio tracks, but their response raises more questions than answers. Despite this, the Estate and Sony each issue statements asserting the authenticity of the vocals.

DISCLAIMER: Faking Michael is an investigative true crime podcast series co-produced by Damien Shields and Dan Villalobos, and published by Oath! Media. Research, writing and narration by Damien Shields. Original score, sound design and mixing by Dan Villalobos. Additional research by James Alay and Jamon Bull, and the teams at The MJCast and A Truth Untold. Artwork by Stephen Ward with creative direction from Samar Habib. Faking Michael is an independent piece of investigative reporting. All source material is used in a limited and transformative way, for the purpose of commentary, criticism, demonstration and education in accordance with Fair Use guidelines. Some of that material has been edited for clarity and time. If you’d like to contact the Oath! Media team, support our cause, or register your interest in the upcoming book edition of Faking Michael, please visit fakingmichael.com.

Episode 4 – Listening Session Sep 27, 2024

After questions are raised over the authenticity of the Cascio tracks, several of Michael Jackson’s former collaborators attend a listening session and offer their opinion on the vocals.

Episode 3 – Making Michael Sep 27, 2024

A team of researchers, led by Faking Michael host Damien Shields, make it their mission to uncover the truth regarding the Cascio tracks by conducting an independent investigation, starting with uncovering what really happened during the production of the album.

Episode 2 – The Aftermath Sep 27, 2024

The plot thickens when Sony streams one of the Cascio tracks online. Upon hearing the vocals, thousands of Michael's fans reject them as fake, joining the Jackson family in demanding that the Cascio tracks be removed from the album. But will their concerns be taken seriously?

Episode 1 – Breaking News Sep 27, 2024

Controversy consumes the release of Sony’s first posthumous Michael Jackson album when the pop star’s family accuse the record company of including “fake” songs, with vocals sung by an impostor. The songs in question, known as the Cascio tracks, were provided by Jackson’s friend Eddie Cascio and his collaborative partner James Porte.

Trailer – Faking Michael Aug 27, 2018

Following the death of Michael Jackson, an album of the pop star's unreleased songs made headlines around the world when his family and fans claimed that some of the songs on the album were fakes. Packed with explosive new evidence, Faking Michael uncovers the inside story of the music industry scandal you were never meant to hear about.

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