Aaliyah finds herself at the center of a family legal war that is tearing apart her uncle’s relationship with his own son, and the accusations flying around involve her tragic 2001 plane crash. According to reports, Barry Hankerson, Aaliyah’s uncle and longtime manager, has filed a lawsuit against his son, Jomo Hankerson, and Blackground Records. The legal filing claims that his son was paid to coordinate travel for the singer’s music video shoot in the Bahamas but failed to fulfill his professional obligations.
Barry Hankerson alleges that the fatal crash, which claimed the lives of Aaliyah and eight others, might have been prevented had Jomo properly managed the travel arrangements for which he was compensated. This represents a significant and painful accusation within the family, marking a deep fracture in their personal and professional history.
The lawsuit further reveals that the relationship between father and son has been strained since the tragedy, and the current legal battle extends beyond the crash to include disputes over music rights and publishing deals. The conflict involves the catalogs of several high-profile artists, including DMX, Toni Braxton, and Timbaland, all managed through Blackground Records.
Jomo Hankerson has responded with his own claims, alleging that his father breached a settlement agreement intended to provide him with 12 percent of the revenue generated from these music assets. Jomo further alleges that his father utilized the record label to obscure income and fabricate expenses, effectively pressuring him to accept a lower payout than he is contractually owed. He is currently seeking over $1.2 million in damages.
In his defense, Barry Hankerson has denied these allegations, asserting that the settlement agreement is invalid due to fraud. Furthermore, he has accused his son of threatening to release unreleased Aaliyah music if his financial demands were not met, adding another layer of complexity to this ongoing legal dispute.
