How Dapper forged my signature, sold my catalogue to foreign label – Shallipopi

Nigerian artist Crown Uzama, widely recognized as Shallipopi, has accused his former record label executive, Damilola Akinwunmi, CEO of Dapper Music, of committing forgery and illicitly selling his musical catalogue to a foreign entity. In a statement posted on his X account, Shallipopi alleged that he only entered into a management agreement with Dapper in 2023.

However, Dapper supposedly forged Shallipopi's signature, transforming it into a 10-year distribution deal, despite Shallipopi already utilizing a platform like DistroKid. Furthermore, the singer accused Dapper of forging his signature again, this time to sign a contract with an international label, Virgin Music Group. According to Shallipopi, Dapper not only retained the profits from his music but also told his former label boss to work tirelessly for a brighter future.

He stated, "I may have grown up in challenging circumstances, but I am not naive. Dapper went on to pocket the earnings from Virgin Music Group, leaving me to believe that my financial future was in their hands, all while urging me to work harder and harder, promising a better future." The musician vowed to bring the case to the attention of anti-graft bodies and warned that he expects the entire African media, government, and public to take the matter seriously. Dapper Music has yet to address Shallipopi's latest allegations.