Crayon accuses Don Jazzy unpaid royalties
The Nigerian music industry is once again in the eye of a storm, and this time, the fire is coming from within the walls of one of the country’s most celebrated record labels Mavin Records.
In what many are calling one of the most dramatic public fallouts in recent memory, singer Crayon has taken to social media to unleash a barrage of explosive allegations against Mavin Records founder Don Jazzy, and the industry has been buzzing ever since.
Music producer and commentator Samklef was one of the first public figures to weigh in hours after the meltdown went viral.
Crayon’s Explosive Outburst
Charles Chibueze Chukwu, better known as Crayon, sent shockwaves across Nigerian social media after a series of emotionally charged posts on X (formerly Twitter) targeting Don Jazzy and Mavin Records’ Chief Operating Officer, Tega Oghenejobo.
The 28-year-old singer, who was signed to Blowtime Entertainment an imprint of Mavin Records in May 2019, appeared to reach a breaking point as he aired long-held grievances against the label’s leadership.
In a post that quickly made the rounds, Crayon alleged that the label had collected massive sums without compensating him, writing that unpaid royalties had been weaponised against him like a slow poison.
Even more devastating was his claim that the stress and neglect associated with his situation at the label played a role in the death of his mother.
Crayon lost his mother, Mrs. Evelyn Chukwu, in October 2025, just four days before his birthday a loss he had previously described as soul crushing.
That grief, it seems, has not healed, and he has now directed much of his pain squarely at the label.
“Una collected 200 million dollars, no give me shishi!! Una wan use delay payment kill me. My eye red!! My mama died because of una!! Heads go roll!” — Crayon
The singer also took shots at fellow Mavin act Rema, accusing him of stealing his spotlight, and declared that Mavin Records was “going down.”
He additionally vowed never to collaborate with Rema in the future a statement that rattled fans who have long celebrated the label’s collaborative spirit.
While it remained initially unclear whether his account was compromised, his continued activity on Instagram without addressing a hack strongly suggested the posts were authentic.
Samklef Steps In; “Is It Karma?”
As reactions poured in from all corners of the internet, veteran music producer Samklef wasted no time adding fuel to an already blazing fire. Known for his outspoken commentary on industry affairs, Samklef questioned whether the turmoil now gripping Mavin Records could be tied to Don Jazzy’s well-publicised relationship with activist and social media personality VeryDarkMan (VDM).
Samklef raised an eyebrow-raising observation: that since Don Jazzy publicly linked up with VeryDarkMan at one point donating a reported ₦100 million to VDM’s NGO the careers of several Mavin-signed artists appeared to have lost momentum.
He pointedly asked whether this downturn could be interpreted as karma, suggesting that the label’s priorities may have shifted away from artist development and toward social media visibility.
The question struck a nerve with many fans and industry watchers who had noticed a creeping stagnancy in the output of some Mavin acts.
It is worth noting that the relationship between Don Jazzy and VeryDarkMan had already turned sour by late 2024 when Don Jazzy unfollowed VDM on Instagram following controversy surrounding VDM’s NGO.
The donation and subsequent fallout had cast a shadow over their association, and Samklef’s comments now brought that chapter back into public discussion with renewed intensity.
The Wande Coal Echo A Familiar Pattern?
To drive his point home, Samklef resurfaced an old post from Wande Coal, another former Mavin Records artist, who had once directed pointed words at Don Jazzy following a messy exit from the label. Wande Coal’s departure from Mavin in November 2013 was itself surrounded by controversy, with accusations of intellectual property theft flying from both sides after the release of his single “Baby Face.”
The split was sudden and acrimonious, and though years have passed, the unresolved tension had never fully disappeared from public memory.
By referencing Wande Coal’s old post, Samklef was essentially drawing a connecting thread between the experiences of artists who leave or fall out with Mavin Records, suggesting there exists a recurring pattern of grievances, delayed payments, and bruised relationships that goes beyond individual incidents.
The implication was clear Crayon’s situation is not an isolated breakdown, but possibly the latest chapter in a longer story.
An Industry Forced to Look in the Mirror
This latest controversy arrives at a time when conversations around artist welfare, royalty transparency, and label accountability are already at a fever pitch across the African music industry.
Nigerian artists have increasingly been vocal about the sometimes exploitative structures of record label contracts, with many choosing to go independent in recent years.
Crayon’s outburst, whether a calculated move or a genuine emotional eruption, adds to that growing chorus.
Don Jazzy, widely celebrated as one of the most influential figures in Nigerian music history and the architect of careers like Rema’s and Ayra Starr’s, has yet to respond publicly to Crayon’s allegations.
Mavin Records also remains silent.
But the court of public opinion is already deliberating and with voices like Samklef amplifying the conversation, the pressure for answers is only going to grow.
Whether this is karma, coincidence, or simply the growing pains of an evolving industry, one thing is certain: the Mavin story has entered a new and turbulent chapter, and all eyes are now firmly on Don Jazzy to see how he responds.
