Aaliyah’s Uncle Blames His Own Son for Singer’s Fatal Plane Crash
Aaliyah’s family feud has gotten ugly, with her uncle accusing his son of failing to arrange the travel that preceded the singer’s death.
Black News 
More than 25 years after Aaliyah’s death, a bitter family feud has resurfaced with a stunning allegation: The late singer’s uncle says his own son bears some responsibility for the plane crash that killed her.
According to a lawsuit obtained by TMZ, Jomo Hankerson is suing his father, Barry Hankerson, and his record label, Blackground Records, over a dispute involving Aaliyah’s music and other artists’ catalogs.
Barry was Aaliyah’s uncle and longtime manager, while Jomo is his son and Aaliyah’s cousin.
In court documents, Barry claims Jomo was paid to coordinate travel for Aaliyah’s music video shoot in the Bahamas in August 2001—the trip that ended with the singer and eight others dying when their plane crashed shortly after takeoff.
Barry alleges that Jomo “failed in his responsibility” to handle the travel arrangements, claiming the tragedy “may have been avoided” if his son had completed the job he was paid to do.
According to the lawsuit, Aaliyah’s death permanently damaged the relationship between father and son.
But the legal battle isn’t solely about the singer’s death. Jomo claims his father violated a settlement agreement concerning music rights and owes him 12 percent of money generated from recording masters and publishing copyrights connected to Aaliyah, Toni Braxton, DMX and Timbaland.
Jomo alleges that Barry used Blackground Records to conceal money and manufacture unrelated expenses in an effort to pressure him into accepting less than he was owed. He is seeking more than $1.2 million in damages.
Barry denies the allegations and argues that the settlement itself is invalid because, he claims, it was obtained through fraud.
He also alleges that Jomo once threatened to release unreleased Aaliyah recordings if his financial demands weren’t met.
Jomo has denied wrongdoing.
The allegations have not been proven in court, and the case remains ongoing.
For fans who have spent decades mourning Aaliyah, the lawsuit adds another painful chapter to the singer’s already complicated legacy—and turns a dispute over music money into an extraordinary family reckoning.
