Nigerian Artists T.I Blaze, Seyi Vibez, and Shallipopi Unite Against Former Label Dapper Music

A wave of explosive allegations has rocked Nigeria’s Afrobeats scene as three prominent artists have publicly turned against their former record label. T.I Blaze, Seyi Vibez, and Shallipopi are all pointing fingers at Dapper Music and its founder Damilola “Dapper” Akinwunmi, raising urgent questions about financial transparency, catalogue ownership, and artist rights in Africa’s booming music industry. What started as one artist’s complaint has quickly snowballed into a full-blown controversy that exposes potential systemic issues within the label’s operations.

The firestorm ignited on August 14, 2026, when T.I Blaze took to social media with serious accusations against his former label. The artist alleges that approximately ₦1.2 billion in revenue from his music remains unaccounted for, and he’s demanding answers about how Virgin Music became involved in licensing his intellectual property. According to T.I Blaze, his contract with Dapper has expired, yet he’s been waiting seven months for resolution. He’s willing to settle an outstanding $185,000 balance, but only if the label releases his catalogue back to him. These figures remain allegations that haven’t been independently verified.

The situation escalated rapidly when Seyi Vibez and Shallipopi joined the conversation with their own grievances. Seyi Vibez claims that profits from his success were redirected to sign other artists without proper compensation to him, while warning current Dapper artists to watch their backs. Shallipopi’s allegations are even more detailed—he claims 46 songs worth of royalties remain unpaid and alleges his catalogue was sold or transferred to Virgin Music without proper accounting. The “Elon Musk” hitmaker even threatened to involve the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) if the matter isn’t resolved. This isn’t Shallipopi’s first rodeo with Dapper either; he officially left the label in December 2024, alleging that advances were taken against his name without his knowledge and that the company wanted 30% of his earnings even after their split. He’s since launched his own imprint, Plutomania Records. As of August 15, 2026, Dapper Music and Damilola Akinwunmi have remained silent on these mounting allegations.

This controversy highlights the ongoing struggle for artist autonomy in Africa’s rapidly expanding music business, where success stories can sometimes mask problematic industry practices.

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