There Appears to Be an Agenda to Damage My Name" — Dapper Music Boss Responds to Ex-Signees, Invites Independent Audit

 Nigerian music executive Damilola "Dapper" Akinwunmi, CEO of Dapper Music, has broken his silence following a wave of public allegations from former signees T.I Blaze, Seyi Vibez, and Shallipopi, saying he believes there's a coordinated effort to damage his name, character, and business.

The clash began on Friday, August 14, 2026, when T.I Blaze publicly questioned how royalties and other earnings from his music were handled during his time with Dapper Music. His post quickly reignited long-simmering tension involving other former artists on the label, with Seyi Vibez and Shallipopi soon adding their own accusations to the conversation.

What the Artists Are Alleging

According to the three artists, their grievances span financial mismanagement, lack of transparency, and what they describe as exploitative contractual arrangements. Shallipopi went further, alleging that his signature had been forged onto a long-term distribution contract, and claiming that royalty income tied to a large catalogue of his songs had been withheld. Seyi Vibez, for his part, argued that his early contributions helped fund other signings at the label, framing his departure as a case of being undervalued despite his role in the company's growth.

T.I Blaze's initial complaint centered on an extended gap without a new release and unanswered questions about how his earnings had been managed during his time with the label.

Dapper's Response

In a detailed statement, Akinwunmi firmly denied any wrongdoing, insisting that all relevant contracts and financial records exist and can be independently verified. He maintained that the artists were never forced to leave the label and pushed back on the idea that their departures reflected any failure on his part.

Central to his response was a direct challenge: he invited his accusers to submit the company's contracts and financial records to a forensic audit conducted by any reputable accounting or law firm, naming several well-known institutions as acceptable options. According to Dapper, an audit had already been conducted internally, and he welcomed further independent scrutiny to settle the dispute definitively rather than through continued public back-and-forth.

He also addressed specific claims individually, questioning inconsistencies between artists' current accusations and statements they had made previously, while maintaining that advances and revenue-sharing terms had been clearly communicated and agreed upon at the time contracts were signed.

A Dispute With a Long History

This isn't the first time tension has surfaced between Dapper Music and its former artists. Seyi Vibez's split from the label became public in September 2024, while Shallipopi formally ended his agreements with Dapper Music that December, citing similar concerns at the time. Those earlier disputes were also met with denial from the label, which said it had cooperated with auditors and provided financial records.

What sets this latest round apart is the scale, with three former signees now raising concerns publicly within the same short window, and the increasingly specific nature of the allegations being made.

Why This Matters

Disputes between Nigerian record labels and the artists who helped build their reputations are not new, but the way this one has unfolded, through detailed public statements and specific financial claims, has drawn significant attention across the industry. For an ecosystem built heavily on trust between executives and rising talent, allegations like these raise broader questions about contract transparency that extend beyond any one label.

What's Next

With Dapper publicly inviting an independent forensic audit, attention now shifts to whether any of the three artists take him up on that offer. Given how detailed and specific the competing claims have become, a formal audit or legal process may be the only way to definitively settle who is telling the full story, though as with many high-profile industry disputes, it remains to be seen whether cooler heads prevail or the exchange continues to play out publicly.

What's your take: does Dapper's call for an independent audit hold weight, or is this just another music industry dispute destined to stay unresolved? Let us know

in the comments.