A bitter family battle surrounding Aaliyah has taken a stunning turn.

Just days after the 25th anniversary of the R&B icon’s tragic death, her uncle and former manager Barry Hankerson has claimed that his own son, Jomo Hankerson, bears some responsibility for the circumstances that preceded the fatal 2001 plane crash.

The allegation forms part of an escalating legal war between the father and son over money and valuable music rights.

Full story below…

According to TMZ, Barry claims Jomo was paid to coordinate travel for Aaliyah’s Bahamas video shoot for ‘Rock the Boat’.

He alleges that Jomo “failed in his responsibility” and maintains that the crash:

“may have been avoided had [Jomo] followed through on his compensated task of travel coordination.”

The starlet died alongside eight others when their aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from the Bahamas on August 25, 2001. She was just 22.

The explosive accusation surfaced in response to Jomo’s lawsuit against his father and Blackground Records.

He claims Barry breached a settlement concerning recording masters and publishing copyrights connected to Aaliyah, Toni Braxton, DMX, Timbaland, and others, and is seeking more than $1.2 million.

The dispute adds another complicated chapter to the handling of the late star’s catalog.

After years off major digital platforms, her music was finally released to streaming in 2021, a move that itself arrived amid tensions surrounding Blackground and Aaliyah’s estate.

Barry denies wrongdoing in the current case and disputes the validity of the settlement. Jomo has also denied the allegations leveled against him.

The case remains ongoing.

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