If you’ve spent any time in the deeper corners of music forums or late-night YouTube rabbit holes, you’ve seen him. The resemblance isn’t just "kinda" there; it’s haunting. The high cheekbones. The soft, airy speaking voice. That specific way of snapping his fedora. Brandon Howard, known professionally as B Howard, has spent the better part of two decades walking in a shadow that isn't even his.
Honestly, it’s one of the weirdest sagas in pop culture history. It’s not just about a guy who looks like the King of Pop. It’s about a messy intersection of 80s R&B royalty, "Terminator" movie logos, and a song everyone thinks they understand but probably doesn't.
People want it to be true. They want the "Billie Jean" narrative to have a face. But the reality of the Michael Jackson and B Howard connection is way more complicated than a simple paternity claim.
The 2014 "DNA Reveal" That Wasn't
Let’s talk about that press conference. You remember it, or at least the headlines. In 2014, Alki David and a Beverly Hills dental surgeon named Dr. Joseph Goodman stood in front of cameras claiming they had the "smoking gun." They said they’d tested a 30-year-old dental device once worn by Michael Jackson.
The result? A supposed 99.9% match.
The internet went nuclear. For about six hours, it felt like the world had finally found MJ’s long-lost son. Then, TMZ did what TMZ does. They started looking at the actual document shown on the livestream.
The lab's logo at the top of the paper? It was a "DNA Lab" logo that looked suspiciously professional. A quick reverse image search revealed it was literally a logo from the promotional materials for the movie Terminator Salvation. You can’t make this up. The "DNA Lab" in Ireland listed on the document didn't even exist.
Why the Rumors Stick Like Glue
If the DNA test was a total bust, why are we still talking about this in 2026? Because the circumstantial evidence is actually pretty wild.
Brandon’s mother is Miki Howard, a powerhouse R&B singer who was huge in the 80s. Here’s where the "lore" gets interesting: Miki was managed by Joe Jackson. She was in the inner circle. She reportedly went by the nickname "Billy" back then.
Michael Jackson releases "Billie Jean" in 1982.
Brandon Howard is born in 1981.
The math is just close enough to make people squint and go, "Wait a minute." Even Akon, who worked with both MJ and B Howard, went on Larry King and said he believed Brandon was Michael’s son. When you have industry heavyweights and family friends whispering, it’s hard for the general public to just let it go.
The Joe Jackson Theory
There is another theory that’s even messier. Some sources, including those close to the Jackson family, have suggested that if Brandon is a Jackson, he might not be Michael’s son—he might be his brother.
The rumor is that Joe Jackson, not Michael, had the affair with Miki Howard. If that were true, it would explain why Brandon is so close to the Jackson siblings like La Toya and Jermaine. They aren't treating him like a nephew; they’re treating him like a brother. Miki Howard has always been incredibly protective of this, once telling Essence that she "is Brandon's father," essentially saying she raised him alone and the rest is nobody's business.
B Howard’s Own Stance
The most interesting person in this whole thing is Brandon himself. Usually, when someone is accused of being a secret celebrity love child, they’re chasing a check. They’re suing the estate. They’re doing tell-all interviews on Extra.
Brandon has done the opposite.
He’s consistently distanced himself from the "circus." After the 2014 fiasco, he released a video saying he never self-proclaimed to be Michael’s son and has no intention of suing the estate. He’s a successful producer and artist in his own right. He’s worked with Ne-Yo, Omarion, and Lupe Fiasco.
"I've never self-proclaimed to be Michael Jackson's son... I make my own cash." — B Howard
It’s a weird spot to be in. You want to be your own artist, but you were born with the literal face of the most famous man on earth. He uses the Jackson aesthetic in his music videos—the dancing, the outfits—which some people see as "leaning into it," while others see it as a natural expression of someone who grew up around that influence.
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What We Actually Know for Sure
To keep this grounded in reality, let's look at the hard facts versus the "fan-fiction" that populates TikTok:
- The Resemblance: It is undeniable. The facial structure and vocal timber are nearly identical to Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall era.
- The Miki Howard Connection: Miki was definitely managed by Joe Jackson and was around the family during the peak of MJ's fame.
- The DNA: There is no verified, peer-reviewed DNA evidence linking Michael Jackson to Brandon Howard. The 2014 test was a documented hoax.
- The Paternity Alternative: A man named Augie Johnson, a former backup singer for Michael, has publicly claimed to be Brandon’s biological father. He says he has the records to prove he was there in the delivery room.
Why This Still Matters in 2026
We live in an era of "deepfakes" and AI, where truth is harder to pin down than ever. The B Howard story survives because it represents the ultimate pop culture mystery. It’s the "What If" that never dies.
If you're looking for a definitive answer, you probably won't get one from a lab. You get it from looking at the behavior of the people involved. The Jackson estate doesn't sue Brandon. The Jackson family hangs out with him. Whether it's blood or just a deep, lifelong bond from being raised in the same orbit, the connection is real.
What you should do next:
- Watch B Howard's "Don't Say You Love Me" video. Look past the MJ comparisons and listen to the production. He’s a legitimate talent regardless of his DNA.
- Check out Miki Howard's discography. If you haven't heard "Love Under New Management," you're missing out on some of the best 80s R&B ever recorded.
- Stop looking for "New DNA results." Every few months, a "new" test surfaces on YouTube with a clickbait thumbnail. Unless it's reported by a primary news outlet with a verified lab report, it's 100% fake.
The truth about Michael Jackson and B Howard is that they are two artists whose lives crossed in the most public, scrutinized way possible. One is a legend; the other is a man trying to find his own voice while sounding exactly like one.
To dig deeper into the Jackson family history, you can look into the verified biographies of Joe Jackson or watch Miki Howard's "Unsung" episode on TV One, which touches on her time in the industry during the 80s.