Controversies and scandals are not a new phenomenon in the Nigerian entertainment industry; in fact, they have been an integral part of it. However, they are more of an inconsequential distraction that fizzles out with the passage of time. They are quickly drowned out by the creative elegance and artistic excellence of players in the industry who always find a way to etch their individual captivating work of entertainment into the public consciousness. But this has not been the case in recent weeks.
The Nigerian entertainment industry, particularly the music side of the industry, has been plagued by a series of unsettling controversies and scandalous revelations, often involving stories of betrayal, family feuds, and marital crises. From the P Square brothers — Peter and Paul Okoye, now known as Mr P and Rudeboy respectively following their bitter separation — startling revelations about their bitter family rift and what led to their acrimonious separation to 2Baba and his wife Natasha’s marital crisis saga, the music industry has been a theatre of unpleasant, bothersome and downright uninspiring occurrences, and at the scene are major players are actors and players in the industry.
While the dust raised by the P Square brothers’ disturbing family infighting over the handling of their finances when they were together, particularly the sharing of the profit generated from their work, continues to swirl, another scandal involving a top record label and music executive, Dapper Music, broke out. The record label has been in the eye of the storm and centre of public attention after multiple artists presently and previously signed to the record label accuse him of unethical, unfair and sharp practices, especially as it relates to the sharing of the revenue that accrues to the label from their work and discography. Artists like SeyiVibez, Shallipopi, T.I Blaze, Muyeez have all publicly excoriated Dapper, voicing their revulsion over how they were treated when they were with him, which led to their exit from the label.
In a series of tweets between Thursday and Friday, singer Balogun Olamilekan Oluwaseyi, popularly known as Seyi Vibez, revealed how he single-handedly built the music executive’s career and made him a force to be reckoned with, as the success it enjoys was built on the back of his breakthrough in the industry. He stated that money made from the catalogue of other artists signed to the label is being splurged on women, particularly celebrity chef Hilda Baci.
“Na Hilda Baci BBL all una catalogue money dey go. All of una dey craze and una mama,” Seyi Vibez said. He further recalled an encounter involving food he claimed was given to him by Dapper Music, alleging that he became seriously affected after eating it.
“I chop Hilda Baci food one day. Na the same Dapper give me. The food almost kill me,” he said.
Seyi Vibez also claimed that his money was used to sign artistes by Dapper Music, adding that he was responsible for helping the executive build his business.
“Am bigger than the whole Dapper and his entire generation. And my money was the money being used to sign all the artistes he signed since Chance Naham! Allah walai. I made Dapper,” he said. The singer further accused Dapper Music of taking advantage of artistes associated with him, while expressing concern about those still working with the executive. “Dapper won take all of them life. Oh boi. I pray say the people wey remain no go see chance commot,” Seyi Vibez said.
He forged my signature, Shallipopi alleges
Shallipopi, another artist who was once signed to the label, claimed that Dapper is owing him more than $1 million, money he said is royalty income for his 46 songs. He also alleged that the music executive forged his signature to add clauses and terms that he did not agree to or negotiate with him into his contract. He further disclosed that Dapper had an army of lawyers at his disposal to fend off any litigation that his fraudulent practices could engender, adding that all the artists under him were tormented and subjected to agony and suffering.
He wrote, “Dapper nor forget na my laho money Dey with me o, u Dey hold me 46 songs royalty income including my “E don cast” money and nor forget too you carry all of us catalogue go give virgin u come collect block money, you come pocket am. You Dey pay 100 lawyers cause you know the kind problem you Dey, and the one I go give you still many well well o, get ready to pay more lawyers, since famous Pluto blow for my hand I don go offline go learn wetin nor Dey my field, I don see how real transparency Dey work, I don see how money Dey flow, but for your hand…. All of us suffer we suffer well well cause you sabi manipulation, na your other name be that, I sha happy say God no Dey sleep, if breeze blow chicken yansh go spread wide open.”
He alleged that Dapper forged his signature and included a ten-year distribution contract and subsequently used his forged signature to sign him and other artists to an international label called Virgin Music Group while keeping the proceeds of the contract to himself.
“In 2023, I signed to Dapper Management only; he forged my signature and put it on a 10-year distribution contract even when I already use DistroKid. He also went ahead and forged my signature and signed with an international label called Virgin Music Group. I might be from the trenches, but I’m not the dumb type. Dapper went ahead to collect money from Virgin Music Group, and he put all that money in his pocket and told me to work more, more and more, that my money is in the future!I have better things to do with my time than to come on here to drag this man, your case with the EFCC is a fraud case, and it’s me shallipopi that use my two legs to walk in that office and lay down all this statement, I want the EFCC and the entire government, the entire media and everyone in Africa as a whole take this matter very serious,” he wrote on his X page.
T.I Blaze
Another former Dapper Music artiste, T.I Blaze, said Dapper was fond of reneging on the contract he signed with artistes and always used different underhand tactics to keep them against their will whenever they want to exit the label.
He wrote, “We don dey argue about $400k as at 2023 😂, wey I wan commot wey this werey use delay tactics shake me that year. He ready spoil my life seh because I dey remind am about my right . This ripper music guy commot me for dashboard where we dey gather see report , so nah only them go dey see report ,some dodoyo still dey fall for the delay tactics till next year , he believes that if he delays you enough, you’ll definitely want to sign again 😂, out of desperation to drop. I tell am say make e no try wetin he try for 2022 again with me; he tried it, I chilled for him 7 months, his SAN advised against what he’s doing also, but who the gods want to punish, they make them mad and stubborn”.
Amid the widespread strong allegations of fraud and unscrupulous practices, Dapper has not reacted to the troubling claims made by his former signees.
