Nigerian singer Crown Uzama, known professionally as Shallipopi, has made serious allegations against Damilola Akinwunmi, the CEO of Dapper Music. In a statement released on his X page, Shallipopi accused Akinwunmi of forging his signature to unlawfully sell his music catalogue to a foreign label, Virgin Music Group.

Shallipopi claims that he entered into a management agreement with Dapper Music in 2023, but Akinwunmi allegedly altered this arrangement by forging his signature on a 10-year distribution contract. The singer expressed his outrage, stating that he had only intended to sign a management deal and was unaware of any distribution contract.

In his statement, Shallipopi asserted, "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 those money in his pocket and told me to work more, more and more that my money is in the future!" This indicates that Shallipopi feels he has been misled and exploited by his former label boss.

The allegations do not stop at forgery; Shallipopi further claimed that Akinwunmi has been withholding earnings from his music. He stated that the CEO told him to continue working hard while he kept all the profits from his music sales.

In light of these accusations, Shallipopi has expressed his intention to escalate the matter to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other relevant authorities. He urged the government and the media to take his claims seriously, emphasizing the need for accountability in the music industry.

As of now, Dapper Music has not publicly responded to Shallipopi's allegations. The situation raises significant concerns about artist rights and the integrity of contracts within the Nigerian music industry, highlighting the potential for exploitation in the relationship between artists and record labels.