In a dramatic turn of events this week, popular artistes— Crown Uzama (Shallipopi) and Moshood Abdulmuiz (Muyeez)— at different times announced their decisions to sever ties with their record label, Dapper Music. The news was made public through statements shared on their social media platforms, where both artistes cited serious concerns regarding the label’s practices.
Shalipopi expressed his deep disappointment in a message to fans, stating, “My dear fans, I come to you today with a heavy heart but an unshakable determination. Today, I’m officially ending my agreements with Dapper Music and Dupper Digital. This wasn’t a choice I made lightly, but it’s a step I had to take after my trust was broken, my finances mishandled, and my rights as an artiste were disregarded…”
Similarly, Muyeez shared his painful experiences under the label. “Today, I am breaking my silence to share the painful truth about my journey as an artiste under Dapper Music and Entertainment Limited. What should have been a dream come true turned into a nightmare of exploitation, neglect and betrayal. I can no longer stay silent while my hard work and dedication are taken for granted. It is with a heavy heart that I announce the termination of my agreement with the label. I was just a minor when I signed this contract, placing my trust in a company that promised to guide and support me. Instead, I was burdened with impossible demands,” he wrote.
This announcement comes on the heels of another artiste, Balogun Oluwaloseyi, popularly known as Seyi Vibes, who quietly distanced himself from Dapper Music months ago by unfollowing the label on social media and rebranding himself as an independent artiste.
However, in response to the allegations, Dapper Music firmly rejected the claims made by both artistes. A statement released by the management asserted, “We do not have any agreements with Mr Crown Uzama that tie the artiste’s future earnings to our business indefinitely. After the success of his first album, he had the opportunity to review and renegotiate the terms with full legal representation. Confident in our partnership, he and his representative willingly signed a second agreement. We have provided all parties with full accounting via our accounting system. We are surprised by his false claims, especially as we are currently cooperating fully with the auditors he has engaged.”
Addressing Muyeez’s claims, the statement added, “It is completely false that Muyeez signed a contract with us as a minor. On the contrary, his guardian and father namely, Moshood Basheer, specifically signed the said contract on his behalf with witnesses at the signing ceremony.”
