It’s hard to imagine what can happen to our favorite musicians’ music after they’re gone, but in the case of these five legendary artists, things can get very dicey very quickly. In some cases, a musician’s estate is swiftly settled, but we all know when money and power is involved, some folks want their hand in it all which is bound to cause problems.
So now, The Root is taking a closer look at what happened to your fav’s estate after they died.
Notorious B.I.G
The rap community continues to mourn the death of Brooklyn rapper Biggie Smalls’ mother, Voletta Wallace, after her February death. But before she passed, she made sure her son’s legendary estate was handled with care. According to HipHipDX, Wallace approved the sale of Biggie’s catalog to Primary Wave, a private music publishing and talent management company.
Primary Wave announced the finalization of the deal on Thursday (March 20), according to reports. At this time, it’s unclear how much Biggie’s estate is currently worth, but experts speculate it’s valued anywhere between $100 million and $200 million.
Whitney Houston
At the time of her 2012 death, Whitney Houston’s estate was valued at around $20 million, according to Variety. The legendary singer left it all to her only daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, in a will written in 1993 and later revised. However, Bobbi Kristina’s death at age 22 in 2015— before she could inherit most of her mother’s fortune— soon resulted in a battle over the millions.
According to USA Today, Houston’s estate went to her mother, Cissy Houston, and her two brothers. Cissy was named the executor of Houston’s will— sharing the estate with Houston’s two brothers— but she would later renounced the role and make Houston’s sister-in-law and manager, Marion “Pat” Houston, the sole administrator. Cissy died in 2024.
Nipsey Hussle
The 2019 murder of California rapper Nipsey Hussle sent shockwaves across the music community. In 2023, the battle over his $11 million estate was settled after years of legal issues. His children, Emani Asghedom and Kross Ermias Asghedom, were named his sole beneficiaries, according to Bleu Magazine.
His long-time partner and actress, Lauren London, was awarded 50 percent of cash and non-cash assets on behalf of their son, Kross, according to PEOPLE. The Asghedom family was also awarded guardianship of Emani. Now, Hussle’s brother, Samiel “Blacc Sam” Asghedom, shares custody with Emani’s mother, Tanisha Foster.
Prince
Prince didn’t name anyone in his will, so after his 2016 death, his remaining estate was divided between his six siblings, according to CBS News. In 2022, the IRS and the estate’s administrator agreed to end an ongoing court battle and valued the estate at about $156 million, according to CNN.
But troubles arose once more after three of his siblings granted L. Londell McMillan and Charles Spicer Jr. each a 10 percent interest in Prince Legacy and management authority, according to CBS. One sibling, Sharon Nelson, later tried to amend the LLC agreement and remove McMillan and Spicer as managing members, and so the matter was taken to court. In 2024, CBS reported a Delaware judge ruled in favor of McMillan and Spicer.
Aaliyah
The “Rock the Boat” singer’s estate has been managed by Aaliyah LLC on behalf of her mother Diane Haughton and brother Rashad Haughton, according to Variety. But for more than two decades, conflicts with Aaliyah’s former manager, Barry Hankerson, over the control and distribution of her music has divided fans and family.
In 2021, Hankerson teased the idea of releasing the singer’s catalog on streaming services in addition to new posthumous music from the singer, which spurred mixed reviews from consumers. “For 20 years we have battled behind the scenes, enduring shadowy tactics of deception,” the estate’s said in a statement. “Now, this unscrupulous endeavor to release Aaliyah’s music without transparency or full accounting to the estate compels our hearts to express a word – forgiveness.”