An Atlanta event company says it was scammed out of nearly $200,000 in a bogus booking deal for one of Baltimore’s biggest festivals. Blackout Management LLC claims it paid New Jersey agent Christopher Young $187,500 in December 2024 to lock in performances by Doechii and SiR for the AFRAM Festival. Young allegedly assured the company that his ties to Top Dawg Entertainment gave him direct access to the artists.
According to AllHipHop, things started to unravel by March 2025 when Young reportedly told Blackout that both acts had scheduling conflicts. The company says that after months of unanswered questions, it reached out to TDE directly and learned that Doechii had never been booked and that there were only brief talks about SiR. No contracts, promotional materials, or official documents were ever provided. According to the lawsuit, the deposit never reached the label and was instead kept by Young and his business, Sacrifice Management LLC.
Blackout says it pushed for a refund and that Young twice agreed to pay it back, signing settlement agreements in May and July 2025. The lawsuit claims neither payment was made. Now, the company is suing for fraud, negligent misrepresentation, conversion, unjust enrichment, and other damages, asking for the return of the full deposit along with interest, attorney’s fees, and punitive damages.
AFRAM, which serves as Baltimore’s official Juneteenth celebration, draws over 150,000 attendees each day and is a major cultural event for the city.
The case mirrors another messy booking dispute. Esmail Entertainment is suing Shaw Management Enterprises for $2.5 million over a canceled Cleveland concert featuring GloRilla, Moneybagg Yo, and Skilla Baby. That complaint accuses Shaw of forging contracts and keeping most of a $280,000 deposit. Both lawsuits point to how shady deals can derail major shows and cost promoters big money.
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