An Atlanta-based events company is taking legal action after what it calls a brazen scam involving one of Baltimore’s largest cultural celebrations. Blackout Management LLC says it wired $187,500 in December 2024 to New Jersey booking agent Christopher Young to secure performances by Doechii and SiR for the AFRAM Festival. Court filings allege Young claimed his connections with Top Dawg Entertainment gave him direct access to both artists.
AllHipHop reports that by March 2025, the plan began to fall apart when Young allegedly told Blackout both artists had scheduling conflicts. After months of limited communication, Blackout reached out to TDE directly and learned that Doechii had never been booked, while talks for SiR never progressed beyond a brief conversation. The company says no contracts, promotional materials, or official booking documents were ever produced. According to the lawsuit, the initial payment never went to TDE and was instead kept by Young and his business, Sacrifice Management LLC.
Blackout says it demanded its money back and that Young twice agreed to refund the payment, signing settlement agreements in May and July 2025. The lawsuit claims those promises were never honored. Blackout is now suing for fraud, negligent misrepresentation, conversion, unjust enrichment, and other damages, seeking repayment of the full amount with interest, attorney’s fees, and punitive damages.
AFRAM, Baltimore’s official Juneteenth celebration, draws crowds of more than 150,000 people daily and is one of the city’s most important cultural gatherings.
The case comes as the live events industry faces other costly booking disputes. Esmail Entertainment is suing Shaw Management Enterprises for $2.5 million over a canceled Cleveland show that was set to feature GloRilla, Moneybagg Yo, and Skilla Baby. That lawsuit claims Shaw forged contracts and held onto most of a $280,000 deposit. Both disputes highlight how fraudulent booking deals can jeopardize high-profile events and drain promoters’ resources.
Whelp, as they say, that’s show business.