Afrobeats rising star Qing Madi has accused her former record label boss, Joy Tongo, CEO of JTon Music, of forging her signature, stealing from her, and actively attempting to sabotage her music career amid an escalating contractual dispute.
The “American Love” singer made the allegations during a recent TikTok livestream, where she also claimed that her former label had successfully pulled multiple tracks from her latest album Barely Legal from streaming platforms over what she described as an alleged breach of contract.
According to her, the conflict intensified after she reportedly defeated a $2 million lawsuit filed by the label.
“She [Joy Tongo] 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 during the livestream.
Calling on fans and supporters to amplify her concerns, Qing Madi said she was becoming exhausted by what she described as continuous attempts to frustrate her career progress.
Label Boss Pushes Back, Denies Allegations
In response, Joy Tongo of JTon Music rejected the accusations, describing them as “false claims” and insisting that no forgery or theft had taken place.
She further clarified that the legal matter referenced by the singer remains unresolved, adding that an existing injunction permits the label to issue takedown requests for disputed content.
“Also, the injunction is 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,” Tongo said in a post shared via her Instagram page.
Ongoing Dispute Raises Industry Questions
The public exchange highlights the increasingly tense relationship between artists and record labels in the Afrobeats industry, where disputes over contracts, rights, and ownership of music catalogs have become more visible.
As the situation develops, both sides maintain conflicting narratives, with Qing Madi insisting on allegations of misconduct, while JTon Music continues to deny wrongdoing and asserts its legal position remains intact.