By Ghazali Ibrahim
Nigerian music executive Damilola “Dapper” Akinwunmi, who is also known as the boyfriend of celebrity chef Hilda Baci, has come under renewed scrutiny after former artistes associated with his record label publicly raised fresh allegations over royalties, earnings and financial accountability.
The latest controversy erupted on social media after singer T.I Blaze, who previously worked with Dapper Music, publicly criticised the label and questioned the handling of artistes’ revenues.
Reports on the dispute indicate that T.I Blaze raised concerns about royalty payments, revenue tracking and the financial transparency of his former label, accusing its leadership of allowing greed to undermine their professional relationship.
His comments drew a response from fellow singer Seyi Vibez, who also has a history with Dapper Music.
Seyi Vibez joined the online dispute, airing his own grievances against the music executive.
The development has revived earlier controversies surrounding Dapper Music and its former artistes.
In 2024, Shallipopi announced his departure from the label, accusing Dapper of a lack of transparency in the management of his earnings.
Muyeez, who was also associated with the label, subsequently parted ways with the company amid similar complaints of exploitation and accountability.
Shallipopi has now also resurfaced in the latest dispute, with social media reports indicating that he accused Dapper of still withholding royalties connected to songs released during their professional relationship.
He also gave a detail account of how his former boss fraudulently signed deal he wasn’t aware of using his signature, among many other things.
The renewed allegations have generated considerable discussion among music fans, with some questioning the contractual and financial arrangements between Dapper Music and its former artistes.
Dapper Music, however, has previously rejected accusations of exploitation and mismanagement.
Following the 2024 controversy involving Shallipopi and Muyeez, the label said its agreements with artistes were fair and mutually agreed upon and maintained that it was committed to transparency and professional cooperation.
The controversy has also brought renewed attention to Hilda Baci because of her relationship with Dapper.
In December 2024, an old video of Dapper presenting the celebrity chef with a Range Rover resurfaced online shortly after Shallipopi’s accusations, prompting social media users to speculate about the source of the money used for the gift.
Those claims, however, were made by social media users and were not established as fact.
The latest developments have consequently placed Dapper Music back at the centre of a debate over artist-label relationships, particularly issues surrounding contracts, royalties, revenue sharing and financial transparency in Nigeria’s rapidly expanding music industry.
