Qing Madi Accuses Former Label Boss of Forgery, Theft Amid Ongoing Legal Dispute

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Nigerian singer and songwriter Chimamanda Pearl Chukwuma, popularly known as Qing Madi, has accused her former record label boss, Joy Tongo, CEO of JTon Music, of forging her signature and stealing from her amid an ongoing legal dispute that has seen some of her songs removed from streaming platforms.

The singer made the allegations during a TikTok livestream while addressing concerns surrounding the recent takedown of several tracks from her EP, Barely Legal, from Spotify and other streaming services.

According to Qing Madi, her former label has continued to target her career despite her efforts to move forward independently.

“She stole from me, did a bunch of weird things like forging my signature. She sued me for $2 million and she lost the case. She took down ‘Pepper Me.’ I worked with my team to prove it was an illegal takedown. They went through the corners again to take down the project,” the singer alleged.

Qing Madi claimed that she has been fighting legal battles behind the scenes while simultaneously working on her music career and preparing for upcoming projects and performances.

The singer also accused her former label of attempting to frustrate her progress in the music industry through repeated legal actions and content takedowns. She alleged that some of her royalties were withheld and that efforts were made to limit the reach of her music despite her independent efforts in writing, promoting and growing her audience.

The latest controversy follows an earlier incident involving her collaboration with Zinoleesky, Pepper Me, which was temporarily removed from Spotify before later being restored. Several tracks from Qing Madi’s seven-track EP, Barely Legal, reportedly became unavailable on Spotify shortly after its release, leaving only a few songs accessible to listeners. The project features appearances from Tiwa Savage, Wande Coal, BNXN, Flavour, Victony, and Zinoleesky.

While addressing the situation, Qing Madi said she had successfully parted ways with the label and expressed gratitude to fans for their support throughout the dispute.

However, Joy Tongo has denied the allegations, describing Qing Madi’s claims as false.

Responding in a post shared on Instagram, Joy denied forging the singer’s signature or stealing from her and insisted that the legal dispute between both parties remains unresolved.

According to her, the court case Qing Madi claimed to have won has not yet gone to trial. She further stated that an existing court injunction gives the label legal grounds to request the removal of the songs from streaming platforms.

“Also, the injunction ruling is why we can issue a legal takedown now. What case have you won? Because last time I checked, the case still hasn’t gone to trial,” Joy Tongo wrote.