An Atlanta event company is suing a booking agent it accuses of faking deals with major artists, taking nearly $200,000 in the process. Blackout Management LLC claims New Jersey talent booker Christopher Young pocketed a $187,500 deposit after promising to secure Doechii and SiR as headliners for Baltimore’s AFRAM Festival — then falsely claimed the artists dropped out.
According to a lawsuit filed Aug. 13, Young, operating through his company Sacrifice Management, told
Blackout’s owner, Nicola Blandon, that his ties to Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) gave him direct access to the performers. The complaint says Young proposed booking both artists for the June 2025 festival and confirmed the deal once the money was wired in December 2024.By March, Young reportedly claimed that Doechii and SiR had “pulled out” due to scheduling issues. But no contracts or official paperwork were ever provided. When Blackout reached out to TDE directly, the company says it learned the entire booking was fabricated.
“TDE’s representative confirmed that defendant Young had been lying for months,” the lawsuit states. “Young never spoke to anyone at TDE about securing Doechii’s performance and had, at most, preliminary conversations about SiR.”
The suit alleges Young refused to return the $187,500 deposit despite repeated settlement attempts. Blackout is suing Young and Sacrifice Management for fraud, negligent misrepresentation, unjust enrichment, and other claims, asking for repayment with interest, attorney’s fees, and punitive damages.
“This put Blackout in a precarious situation,” the lawsuit says. “With the festival fast approaching, Blackout no longer had headliners. And one of the main supporting acts — who had agreed to perform at a discount to be billed under Doechii — now had to be paid a higher fee. Making matters worse, Young had damaged Blackout’s relationship and credibility with TDE.”
AFRAM, Baltimore’s official
Juneteenth celebration, draws more than 150,000 attendees per day and is one of the city’s largest cultural events. Blackout says the alleged scheme not only cost them money but also jeopardized the festival’s reputation.RELATED CONTENT: ‘Anxiety’ Rapper Doechii Launches Her Own Mental Health Resource Hub For Fans To Get Support