Shallipopi, the Nigerian singer, has addressed concerns over lyrics which appeared to be encouraging fraud.
In a chat with the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast, Shallipopi was asked to speak on the morality of his music and why it seems to promote cybercrime.
The difference between Shallipopi and Pengman is that he sings about fraud and we love fraud music here 🤦🏽♂️. He’s not more talented. https://t.co/76QmMWt3Iz
— Buchi Laba (@Buchi_Laba) July 31, 2023
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In the history of fraud music Shallipopi didn’t disappoint in this Ex Convict song. From Yahooze, to Naira Marley’s Am I a Yahoo Boy & Soapy, to Cash App & now Ex Convict, it definitely was up to standard. You deserve that No. 1 spot, and you go reach am! 🫶🏽
— Gucci icecream🍦 (@Gucciicecream__) July 9, 2023
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Tell shallipopi to focus on fraud, music is not his thing.
— BIGJOE OF ABUJA 🇳🇬 (@Bigjoe_O1) November 15, 2023
shallipopi is a fraud nigga that has tasted music money and you think say he no go die for there. dey play 😂
— 25OO†, 25 hunnid not – (@lenis25OO) November 10, 2023
shallipopi is premium fraud music
Advertisement— jak(e) brigante #OccupyJulorbiHouse (@lanth_fan) August 29, 2023
In response, the singer said he knows he has been termed an “Afro-fraud” but none of his lyrics explicitly supports fraud.
He also challenged the interviewer to point out a specific line related to fraud in his music and offered to explain the context if such a line exists.
“I told you they call me Afro-fraud. The thing is that there are no lyrics that are in my music that is about fraud but you just assume that it is fraud music,” he said.
“Can you tell me one line about fraud that I have said in my music and I will explain it to you?”
The interviewer then pointed to a line from Shallipopi’s hit track ‘Ex-Convict’: “When you say I steal money, unto men in red I gats pay them back”.
Responding, Shallipopi clarified that the lyric is not about him personally, but rather about the consequences of stealing money.
He added that the song was intended to resonate with individuals who have been convicted in the past.
“It means if you steal money, if dem catch you, you go pay back. I like singing about what I know you will relate to, when I sing, I dabble money, it does not mean I am talking about myself,” he added.
“‘Ex-Convict’ is for people that are ex-convicts too. If you have not been convicted before you might say you do not understand it, leave it for people that understand it.”
Shallipopi rose to fame after releasing his first single titled ‘Elon Musk’.
On May 30, Shalliopi and his manager were arrested for alleged internet-related fraud.
They were convicted on June 23, 2023, and sentenced to two years in prison with the option of paying a fine.
The release of ‘Ex-Convict’ came shortly after their arrest.
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