EXCLUSIVE
A man has come forward claiming he's the real father of 31-year-old Brandon Howard -- NOT Michael Jackson -- telling TMZ, Howard warned him earlier this week the DNA story would be breaking ... and told him it was phony baloney.
65-year-old Augie Johnson tells us, he fathered Brandon during his relationship with Brandon's mom, Miki Howard in the 80s -- and has remained a central figure in Brandon's life.
He tells us, he was in the delivery room when Brandon was born and even brought Brandon to recording studios as a child. We've seen multiple family photos of them together.
Augie says they're so close ... Brandon called him days before TMZ broke the story about the DNA test , telling him, "Don't worry about this stuff. You are my dad."
Augie insists his son had nothing to do with the DNA stunt -- telling us the "greedy people" around Brandon are the masterminds.
As for Brandon resembling MJ -- Augie says it's purely a coincidence. If anything, Brandon resembles Michael AFTER surgery -- so there's actually no resemblance at all.
