By Sylvester Kwentua
The late Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Alob, aka Mohbad, may not have achieved a lot while alive, but in death, he is attaining great stardom, a type of stardom reserved for legends.
Trials and sufferings may have led to his death, but it has also led to what can be described as ‘a tsunami’ in the Nigerian music industry.
From celebrities having a go at each other’s jugulars, to record labels being accused of wrongdoings by both current and former signees, the music industry right now is on fire.
It is no longer news that a lot of people feel Mohbad’s death may have been partially caused by his fight with the Marlian music record label, a label he once signed for, but the experiences shared by a few artists, who spoke about their time in other record labels, is news, and it has sent a few shockers down the spine of music lovers, with some on social media forced to ask, “What really goes on in these record labels?”
Artistes Vs Marlian record label
Mohbad’s erstwhile record label, Marlian Records, over the last couple of days, has been under serious fire, mainly because of its relationship with Mohbad and its alleged maltreatment of not only the singer, but also other artistes the label ever signed.
Some artistes, in the wake of Mohbad’s demise, have come out to share their own experiences with Naira Marley and his label.
6IX:
A former signee of the Marlian Records, 6IX, once accused the label of attempting to kill him. He made the claim in October 2022 on Twitter (now known as X) and, expectedly, his tweets recently resurfaced in the wake of Mohbad’s sudden death at the age of 27.
6ix alleged that Naira Marley and his crew member Sam Larry spiked his drink with MDMA to delude his parents into thinking that he was highly inebriated just because he said that he wanted to leave the record label. He further alleged that Naira Marley also made videos of him.
The former Marlian claimed he has since been in hiding after leaving the label and wrote in his tweets that he wanted to speak up against the label and Naira Marley after Mohbad’s death.
6ix joined other celebrities and took to X, and shared his allegation that Naira Marley had something to do with the singer’s death.
He claimed his family was concerned for his safety after making Naira Marley allegations.
Naira Marley and his record label have not responded to the weird allegations
Dj Splash
Dj Splash was once signed under Marlian Records, but, in the wake of Mohbad’s death, his mother came out to allege her son’s travails while in the label.
The mother accused Naira Marley of ruining her son’s life and abandoning him.
The woman, in an audio sent to an online news blog, Gistlover, said the problem started in 2021 after her son won a competition and was given N100, 000 cash.
She said that after he won the competition, a lot of celebrities liked him and he was taken to perform in many shows.
It was in one of the shows that her son met Naira Marley and Zlatan and they danced together, according to the woman.
She said Naira Marley opted to take DJ Splash to live and work with him, but she initially refused and insisted that her son would go to university first, to which Naira Marley agreed to send the young man to school.
But after some time, her son, according to her, called her one day, asking her to come and take him away from Naira Marley’s house in the Lekki area of Lagos State where they lived, alleging that since she took her son out of Naira Marley’s house, she has been taking DJ Splash to different hospitals as he has been sick.
She said her son lost memory and had not been mentally sound but did not say if any of the hospitals diagnosed his ailment.
The woman said her child had become so sick that she had taken him to different hospitals and sold all she had.
Sadly, she claimed her son had refused to take drugs prescribed by doctors, insisting that he would only accept drugs from Naira Marley.
DJ Splash’s mother voice was, however, heard loud and clear by Nollywood actress, Iyabo Ojo, who visited her and promised to help the son get back on his feet.
Marley and Marlian Records also have not responded to the mother’s allegations.
Artistes Vs YBNL Record Label
Temmie Ovwasa, popularly known as YBNL Princess, a former signee of Olamide’s Yahoo Boy No Laptop, YBNL, Record Label, also shared her alleged harrowing story under the label.
The Kwara-born singer alleged on social media that Olamide’s wife made her an errand girl and constantly reminded her of being a poor girl whose life changed in Lagos, when she was with YBNL.
She further alleged that Adebukunmi, Olamide’s wife, publicly humiliated her and labeled her ‘broke’ whenever they went out.
Temmie claimed she wasted her time under the label.
Taking to her Insta-story, Temmie wrote: “I got into the music industry to sing. Olamide carried me on his head and paraded me as the ‘Princess’, but once the cameras were off, I was in a house with his disrespectful and classist wife who made it her mission to remind me that I was a poor girl that they brought from Ilorin to change her life.
“I’d go out with this woman, and she’d humiliate me publicly! When people asked for pictures, she made it her mission to remind me that I was broke.
“I recorded over 25 songs and Pheelz opened his wide mouth to tell me he misplaced the hard drive. 25 songs!!!!! [I] spent 5 years [at YBNL] and released 4 songs!
“I have recorded and released three albums since I left these people, and I have so many songs I could drop an album every week!”
Neither YBNL nor Olamide responded to the allegations by Temmie.
Artist Vs Five Stars Records
Five Star Records, the label owned by E-Money, was also called out by a former signee, Harry Song.
Harry joined those asking for justice for Mohbad, alleging that he was also beaten up and threatened by his former record label after he said he wanted to leave them.
He claimed he had a hellish experience with the label.
Harry called on record labels to stop destroying young people’s careers, just to prove their superiority.
Celebrities Vs Naira Marley, Sam Larry
Record labels are not the only ones under fire as celebrities have also gone hot on record labels CEOs, especially Naira Marley, together with his friend, Sam Larry.
Naira Marley and Sam Larry have borne the major attacks as musicians, movie actors and others have spared them no words, while openly calling for their arrests.
Others indicated their interests in taking up a fight with them, if they feel the police are not making the right moves, so to speak.
Bella Shmurda, who was Mohbad’s friend, openly called on the police to get Naira Marley and Sam Larry arrested, and if they are not arrested, he revealed he would get justice himself.
In a heartfelt post, Bella insisted that justice must prevail, whether through legal or other means.
In another tweet, Bella, who informed that he cancelled his Canada tour, emphasized that the specific confraternity someone belonged to was inconsequential.
Tonto asks Naira Marley to release Mohbad’s entitlements
In a post she made on social media, actress Tonto Dikeh warned Naira Marley to be careful as he has woken up the spirit of unity and justice for Mohbad.
“You have woken the spirit of unity and justice in the world for Mohbad. You told us he was cr@zy and an addict, you made us look down on him; meanwhile HE NEEDED US. You see, he still needs us now and, this time, we wouldn’t fail him”.
Iyabo Ojo, another actress, also spoke on the death of Mohbad as she joined millions of Nigerians in demanding justice for the late singer.
In a video online, the actress shaded Naira Marley for looking on as Mohbad, whom he called his brother, got bullied.
Iyabo Ojo opined that even if Naira Marley claimed he didn’t send anyone after Mohbad, he should have made efforts to stop Sam Larry and others who allegedly bullied the late singer.
Veteran music producer and talent manager, ID Cabasa, in a trending video, decried what he called the wrong treatment Naira Marley allegedly subjects his signees to within the confines of his record label.
The legend producer asserted that he had received information suggesting that the car and house Zinoleesky had procured in recent years were registered under the label’s name, rather than in Zinoleesky’s personal name. ID Cabasa, who has grown several musical legends under his label, vehemently labeled Naira Marley’s actions as wickedness.
In another development, Mohbad’s mother broke her silence over the death of her son, insisting he did not die a natural death.
While expressing deep sorrow in a trending video, the mother said Mohbad lived in fear ever since he met Naira Marley.
She claimed that her son told her he was given a watery substance to drink and that his problem started after he drank it. She revealed that her son got scared of attending shows, as he was scared of some people beating him up.
“I’m aware my son has been living in fear and having sleepless nights ever since he met Naira Marley”, the bereaved mum said.
“He didn’t die a natural death; he was killed. Whoever killed my son, that person’s home will become troubled. They will face war and curses. The glory of the child in their home will diminish because of those who killed him and their sons. I am not dead; I am alive. My son didn’t find rest”.
Source: Vanguard