One April 2026 Instagram post spreading the story read, "How Michael Jackson outsmarted Eminem in their back and forth."
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Another version of the claim that circulated for years on social media read, "when Eminem did a diss on Michael Jackson in 2005, Michael made no comments. He went and bought Eminem's whole catalogue and then got paid every time Eminem performed." The story spread on social media platforms, including X, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and Reddit.
In short, the claim was a mixture of accurate and inaccurate information. Eminem's "Just Lose It" appeared to mock Jackson, and Sony/ATV later acquired publishing rights connected to some Eminem songs. But Jackson did not personally buy Eminem's entire catalog. We also found no evidence the deal was revenge for the song, and Jackson publicly objected to the video soon after its release.
How 'Just Lose It' referenced Jackson
The rumor centers on Eminem's 2004 song "Just Lose It," from the album "Encore." The song and its music video appeared to reference Jackson.
The references related to allegations Jackson had faced before and during the period when "Just Lose It" was released. In 1993, the family of Jordan Chandler filed a lawsuit accusing Jackson of abuse. Jackson settled the case, and no criminal charges were filed. In 2003, Jackson was criminally charged in a separate case involving Gavin Arvizo. That trial ended in June 2005 with Jackson's acquittal on all counts.
In "Just Lose It," Eminem rapped about "little boys," then said it was "not a stab at Michael." The music video featured Eminem dressed in costumes resembling Jackson's signature looks, and it appeared to parody parts of Jackson's personal and professional life, including the 1984 Pepsi commercial shoot in which Jackson's hair caught fire.
Whether the song and video amounted to a "diss" is partly subjective, but Jackson's public comments showed he took issue with the video.
Jackson did not stay silent
One key part of the rumor was false. Jackson did not stay silent. Contemporary reports show he publicly criticized the "Just Lose It" video shortly after its release.
The Los Angeles Times reported in October 2004 that Jackson called in to Steve Harvey's show on Los Angeles radio station KKBT-FM and said he had admired Eminem as an artist but was shocked by the video. The Irish Examiner, citing a transcript provided by Jackson's publicist, reported that he called the video "outrageous and disrespectful." The Guardian reported that Jackson asked U.S. cable music channels to stop showing the video and that his spokesman said legal action was being considered. However, the Los Angeles Times reported that Jackson's publicist disputed reports that he planned to sue.
These reports therefore contradict the idea that Jackson stayed silent for years before seeking revenge.
Who bought what
So, was it true that Jackson bought Eminem's "whole catalogue" as revenge for "Just Lose It" and then got paid every time Eminem performed? Not quite.
The real event behind the rumor was a 2007 business deal involving Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Jackson did not personally buy Eminem's catalog. Rather, Sony/ATV acquired Famous Music, a music publishing company owned by Viacom. Music publishing rights are not the same as owning an artist's entire catalog. In a 2007 SEC filing, Viacom described Sony/ATV as "co-owned by Sony and trusts formed by Michael Jackson."
Famous Music was not centered on Eminem. The same filing said Famous Music's catalog included 125,000 songs and sound cues, including movie themes from "The Godfather," "Forrest Gump" and "Mission Impossible," as well as songs such as Eminem's "The Real Slim Shady," Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" and Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful."
In other words, Eminem's songs were only one part of a much-larger publishing deal. The Guardian reported at the time that Sony/ATV acquired rights to Eminem's back catalog through the Famous Music deal, but it also described Sony/ATV as Jackson's "partnership company," not Jackson acting alone.
Sony/ATV was established in 1995 as a joint venture between Sony and Jackson, with each side holding a 50% stake. Therefore, it was misleading to say Jackson personally bought Eminem's "whole catalogue." More accurately, Sony/ATV, a music publishing company co-owned by Sony and trusts linked to Jackson, acquired Famous Music, whose catalog included publishing rights to some Eminem songs.
We found no evidence that the deal was made as revenge for "Just Lose It" or because of Jackson's feelings about Eminem. The 2007 announcement framed the deal as a business move to expand Sony/ATV's music catalog, not as a response to Eminem.
We also could not verify the claim that Jackson was paid every time Eminem performed. The sources we reviewed showed only that Sony/ATV acquired publishing rights connected to some Eminem songs. They did not show the royalty terms for those songs or whether Jackson personally received money from Eminem's live performances.
Jackson's connection to Sony/ATV later ended. In 2016, Sony bought the Jackson estate's interest in Sony/ATV for $750 million, giving Sony full ownership of the company.
Bottom line
All in all, the rumor was based partly on real events, but it distorted the details. Eminem's "Just Lose It" appeared to mock Jackson, and Jackson was connected to a company that later acquired publishing rights to some Eminem songs. But Jackson did not personally buy Eminem's "whole catalogue," the claim that he stayed silent was false, and we found no evidence the Sony/ATV deal was retaliation for the song.
For further reading, we previously fact-checked a rumor that Jackson owned the rights to the Beatles' songs.