Nigeria: 'I Haven't Sold Anyone's Catalogue to a Distributor, Third Party or Anyone' - Dapper Debunks Rip-Off Claims

What the report says

Music executive Damilola “Dapper” Akinwunmi, founder of Dapper Group, has pushed back against accusations from former signees T.I Blaze, Seyi Vibez and Shallipopi, according to Premium Times via AllAfrica. The artistes had accused the label of financial mismanagement, poor transparency and exploitative contracts in social media posts. The dispute involves several departures from the label over the past year, including T.I Blaze in June, Seyi Vibez in September 2024 and Shallipopi on 11 December 2024.

In a statement quoted by Premium Times, Akinwunmi denied that he sold any artiste catalogue to a distributor, third party or other buyer. He also rejected claims that Dapper documents were forged or signatures falsified, and argued that social media posts should not be treated as proof of wrongdoing. Instead, he said the matter should be settled through documents, accounting records and contract reviews.

Akinwunmi said he was open to an independent forensic audit of Dapper’s books, contracts, payments and distribution statements. He challenged the former signees to identify any alleged shortfall using audited findings rather than online figures. The dispute matters because it highlights recurring tensions in Nigeria’s music industry over ownership rights, accounting and label contracts, issues that often become public when artists leave a label.