#barryhankerson

[aaliyahunleashed]

#OnThisDay January 22, 1999

Aaliyah attends the Enrique Iglesias Party (date of party and photo from Patrick Mcmullan /PMC). In this photo is Aaliyah with her cousin Jomo Hankerson (son of Blackground Records CEO, Barry Hankerson).

There is little to no other information about this party, or any other images of Aaliyah at this event.

[aaliyahunleashed]

Happy Blessed Birthday to seven-time Grammy Award-winner and "Empress of Soul", Gladys Knight (born May 28, 1944).

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DID YOU KNOW: Gladys is Aaliyah's aunt. She married Barry Hankerson in 1974 and they divorced in 1979. They had a very heated custody battle with their son (Aaliyah's cousin) Shanga Ali. Hankerson. "I had gone through a nasty divorce, I spent over a million dollars looking for my son after he got kidnapped. And I was broke." Knight shared with LA Tines back in 2011. Barry doesn't stop the show for Gladys. She'd go on to win countless music awards and do tv programs.

She has been honored by numerous organizations for her dedication and selflessness to help those less fortunate. Some of these include NAACP Legal Defense Fund- Black Women Of Achievement; Congress Of Racial Equality- Creative Achievement; Shaw University- Honorary Doctorate Degree; and B’Nair B’Rith- Humanitarian Award.

Fast-Foward, Knight marries William McDowell in 2001 and are very much still together and happy.

[aaliyahunleashed]

Happy Blessed Birthday to Diane Haughton born January 11, 1951.

Diane (born Diane Deborah Hankerson) is the mother of R&B legend, Aaliyah, and screenwriter Rashad Haughton. She is the widow of Michael Miguel Haughton and sister of Blackground Records founder, Barry Hankerson.

Unfortunately, there is very little information about Diane. This includes her past history and her being a singer herself at one point (before giving it up to support her daughter's singing career). There is also no information of how she is today and any projects she is doing behind the scenes for herself.

The Haughton family have always and continue to remain very private about their personal lives and continue to ask for privacy as they are still to this day grieving the loss of Aaliyah. The only details we have researched is that Mrs. Diane still lives in NY, close to Aaliyah's grave.

From one human to another, I do hope and pray that Ms. Haughton is ok and well mentally, spiritually and physically. Sincerely, #TeamAaliyah

Photo Credit: Detroit Public Library Digital Collections: Portrait of singer Diane Haughton. Handwritten on back: "Diane Haughton, 'The rhythm and the blues.'"

[aaliyahunleashed]

Barry Hankerson, the devil himself, born August 3, 1947. *throws tomatoes*

- I wonder if Barry has ever sent any flowers to Aaliyah's grave ... ???? You see flowers and cards from her old school principal and others she worked with and interacted with, but.. what about Barry?

- It must be hard to work for Blackground Records knowing Team Aaliyah comes for their throat 365 days a year.

- Who remembers when he got on Billboard back in 2020 sharing images of Aaliyah that weren't his images?

- Who remembers when he used his finances under Blackground Records to purchase a company just to fire his then ex girlfriend?

- Who remembers when he gave Aaliyah a 100K scholarship (via Blackground) to collage after completing high school? I guess 100K is a lot but that's it?

- I wonder how many times he truly held Aaliyah back?

[aaliyahunleashed]

Aaliyah was interviewed by 'The Raft' back in 2000. They discussed her role in Romeo Must Die, why she was featured on do many soundtracks (and if she preferred soundtracks) as well as her being listed as executive producer of the Romeo Must Die soundtrack. Here is her response to the executive producer comment. I'll post the soundtrack response later. I think she would have been an executive producer on a whole lot of other things given the chance 😢 .. and I think there would be some faces in music that she would have helped put in the spotlight that are sadly unknown today.

[aaliyahunleashed]

Today in #AaliyahsHistory * December 6th 2007 “It was set on fire, totaled, and all charred up,” - Kyme Dang against Barry Hankerson in court. WHO REMEMBERS THIS? -------------------------------------- Shortly after Aaliyah’s passing, Blackground associates revealed that Hankerson fell into a mega deep depression and just “wouldn’t come out of it”. Until he met a 22 year old California Hairstylist, Kyme Dang (of Frank Grecko Salon), and the two fell in love and continued a 5 year relationship before things went sour and Dang ended the relationship. -------------------------------------- December 6. 2007, Dang (now age 27) files a wrongful termination lawsuit against Hankerson and also includes details of his extreme, petty and even reckless break-up revenge tactics to support her case. In the lawsuit, case#BC381837 Dang explains to the court that he would spread false rumors that she had HIV. Evidence presented at trial showed the source of the HIV rumors was an IP address connected to Hankerson. -------------------------------------- The court was even able to obtain Hankerson’s business records which showed he even purchased the company she worked for (paid $400,000) just so he could fire her. Because Hankerson would not settle, Dang was awarded 5.8 million dollars by the jury in damages. She might have gotten more if she could prove he set her car on fire. -------------------------------------- Years later she would go back to court to file another complaint that she never received one red cent. Now, before anyone here cast's stones at Barry, how many of you had a bad breakup where you wish you could slash the person's tires, wrote their phone numbers on public walls saying "call me for a good time" (let alone have the funds to buy their job and fire them?) LOL -------------------------------------- Reading through some of the documents, I couldn't help but LAUGH at the pettiness. Some pettiness can COST you! #aaliyah #barryhankerson #todayinhistory #todayinhiphop #BlackgroundRecords #lawsuit #todayincourt https://www.instagram.com/p/CXKGkqHvC7O/?utm_medium=tumblr

[aaliyahunleashed]

Anyone else seen this? Anyone else excited? 👀❤️ I really hope this means music and maybe even rare videos and images. Us Aaliyah fans have been waiting ALL year for word from the estate that something is coming. Guess we'll find out. I immediately went to aaliyah.com and didn't see this came from them (or the site just hadn't been updated yet). Apparently it's from Blackground 2.0 (Barry Hankerson) Thank you so very much to @thebest.aaliyah for the heads up and the images. Thank you @liljayyyyyy19 and everyone else who BLEW ME THE F*** UP asking if I saw this yet 🤣 Love you guys!! #aaliyah #aaliyahhaughton #teamAaliyah #aaliyahiscoming #Blackgroundrecords #barryhankerson https://www.instagram.com/p/CSKwERDrtsd/?utm_medium=tumblr

[aaliyahunleashed]

Happy Blessed (Belated) Birthday to Micah "Katt" Williams born September 2, 1971.

Who remembers when Katt Williams burglarized Barry Hankerson's home on a horse farm in rural west Georgia?

Williams stated that everything was a big misunderstanding and that he had been living in the Coweta County, Georgia, home for nearly a month while filming a movie produced by Hankerson, attorney William Briggs said. Williams and his lawyers denied all accusations.

Katt Williams is best known for his provocative stand-up comedy, his flamboyant "pimp" persona, and memorable roles in movies and TV shows like Friday After Next, Wild 'n Out, and The Boondocks. He's celebrated for his sharp wit and high-energy performances.