By Segun Adebayo
Music star Shallipopi (Crown Uzama) has leveled serious allegations against/ his former manager, Damilola “Dapper” Akinwunmi, claiming the executive forged his signature on a 10-year distribution contract.
According to a social media statement released by the singer obtained by Persecondnews on Saturday, their original 2023 agreement covered management only.
Shallipopi accused Dapper of unauthorized deal-making and pocketing the international revenue generated from the contract.
The singer said Dapper allegedly went ahead to place his signature on a 10-year distribution contract despite the fact that he was already using DistroKid to distribute his music.
“In 2023 I signed to Dapper management only, he forge my signature and put it on a 10 years distribution contract even when I already use DistroKid,” Shallipopi alleged.
He further accused Dapper of allegedly forging his signature a second time to enter into an agreement with international music company, Virgin Music Group.
“He also went ahead to forge my signature and sign with an international label called Virgin Music Group.”
The ‘E Don Cast’ crooner also alleged that Dapper received money from Virgin Music Group but failed to remit the proceeds to him, instead allegedly telling him to continue working because his money was supposedly tied to future earnings.
“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!” he alleged.
Shallipopi said he would rather be doing other things than publicly dragging the music executive, but insisted that the matter had become serious enough to warrant the attention of the authorities.
“I have better things to do with my time than to come on here to drag this man,” he said.
The singer also referred to an ongoing EFCC matter involving Dapper, claiming that the case involved fraud and alleging that he personally went to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to submit his statement.
“Your case with the EFCC is a fraud case, and it’s me Shallipopi that use my two legs to walk in that office and lay down all this statement,” he alleged.
He subsequently called on the EFCC, the Nigerian government, the media and Africans generally to pay close attention to the matter.
“I want the EFCC and the entire government, the entire media and everyone in Africa as a whole take this matter very serious,” Shallipopi said.
The latest allegations come after Shallipopi had previously accused Dapper Music of withholding royalty income from 46 songs, including his hit song ‘E Don Cast’, and alleged that his music catalogue had been sold.
Dapper Music had previously denied allegations of exploitation and financial mismanagement, maintaining that its contracts were transparent and that it provided accounting to its artistes.
Dapper, who maintains a high public profile as the partner of celebrity chef Hilda Baci, has not issued an official response to these recent allegations as of publication.
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