Afrobeats singer Qing Madi has accused her former record label boss, Joy Tongo, CEO of JTon Music, of forgery and financial misconduct amid an escalating contractual dispute.
The American Love crooner made the allegations during a recent TikTok livestream, where she claimed her former label has been attempting to undermine her career following a legal battle between both parties.
According to her, the dispute intensified after multiple tracks from her debut album Barely Legal were removed from streaming platforms over alleged contract breaches.
Qing Madi alleged that the label engaged in actions aimed at sabotaging her success despite what she described as a favourable court outcome in a $2 million lawsuit previously filed against her.
“She stole from me, did a bunch of weird things like forging my signature. She sued me for $2M & she lost the case. She took down ‘Pepper Me’, I worked with my team to prove it’s an illegal takedown. They went through the corners again to take down the project,” she said.
The singer also appealed to fans for support, saying she was becoming overwhelmed by the ongoing dispute and the impact it was having on her music releases.
In response, Joy Tongo dismissed the allegations, describing them as false and misleading.
She denied claims of forgery or theft and insisted that the legal matter between both parties is still before the court.
Tongo further stated that no final judgment has been reached in the case, adding that an existing injunction forms the legal basis for the removal of the disputed songs and projects from streaming platforms.
The conflicting claims have sparked renewed attention on artist–label disputes within Nigeria’s music industry, particularly around contract enforcement and ownership rights.
