Nigerian rapper’s father ‘threatens’ label ‎owner’s life over contract

The owner of Bay Production, Adebayo Ogundimu, has accused rapper, Jhybo’s father of threatening his life following a conflict over the artiste’s contract.

‎Mr. Ogundimu told PREMIUM TIMES Jhybo’s father has “consistently been threatening my life and promised to deal with me despite his son (Jhybo) walking out of his contract”.

Jhybo signed to the label on June 20, 2010.

Mr. Ogundimu, popularly known as Rashdimu, said he was surprised by the actions of Jhybo’s father.

“Jhybo’s father has been threatening to make life hard for me if I don’t allow his son leave my label. As we speak, I don’t have anything to do with Jhybo anymore. But he or the new label he signs for must pay back money spent on him,” Rashdimu said.

“It’s even funny that Jhybo’s father, a man who never supported Jhybo’s music career until he (Jhybo) became popular, would be threatening my life. We won’t sue Jhybo, but any label he signs for must pay for all investment we made on Jhybo else, we will go to court.”

PREMIUM TIMES gathered Jhybo walked away from Bay Productions after achieving little success then returned to the label after much begging and now has walked out of his contract again.

“It will surprise the world that Jhybo never made N200,000 for this label and he turned down his highest paid appearance fee of N200,000 in Ibadan for his personal reasons; the show’s organiser was even arrested,” Rashdimu said.

When PREMIUM TIMES contacted Jhybo’s father, Mr. Toriola, he declined to comment and told our reporter not to get involved in the matter.

However, Jhybo, the Yoruba-lingo rapper, told PREMIUM TIMES his contract with the label has expired and he has moved on with his career.

He also denied that his father had threatened Rashdimu.

“First, why should my father threaten his life? For what? ‎If there is any threat he should report to the police and not on the pages of a newspaper,” Jhybo said.

“I signed a four year contract with Bay production from June 20, 2010 and it surely ended in June 2014, so I don’t know what he’s talking about. If he is saying I didn’t make any money for the label, then it’s their ‎business as they don’t know the music business.”

Jhybo declined to comment on allegations that he refused to perform at shows but stated that he didn’t abandon his contract, rather, the label sent him packing.

The officials at Bay Production however denied this.

Despite the controversy, the rapper has moved on with his career with the release of a new single, Rotate.