Afrobeats singer Mr Real has once again called out music veteran D’banj, accusing the singer and entrepreneur of exploiting him during the time he worked under his record label.
Speaking on a recent episode of The Honest Bunch Podcast, Mr Real made his most detailed and emotional claims yet, insisting that his experience with D’banj left him financially drained, emotionally bitter, and publicly misunderstood.
This is not the first time Mr Real has spoken about his fallout with D’banj, but in this interview, he said he was finally ready to speak “from a place of pain” and tell his full truth.
According to Mr Real, he worked with D’banj for two full years, during which he released songs under D’banj’s label and showed up for several events without asking for payment.
He claimed that despite his loyalty and visibility, he was barely compensated.
“D’banj is a stingy man,” Mr Real said. “The only thing I gained from this man is only $500, and I don’t even know if it was for moi moi or agidi.”
The singer alleged that throughout the period, he attended shows, birthdays, parties, and private gigs as D’banj’s artiste, often without discussing money.
“Me and D’banj don dey tey tey. E go call me for show, I go go without asking for money. E dey carry me along dey show people as his artist.”
Mr Real also addressed critics who believe he should not publicly question a senior figure in the industry, insisting that respect should not silence truth.
“Let’s forget about he’s an OG. Because he’s an OG does that mean I shouldn’t say the truth? Because he’s an OG, that I’m disrespecting an OG. Do you know how old I am? Are you mad?”
One of the most painful parts of Mr Real’s story, according to him, was the false perception of success that followed his association with D’banj.
He claimed that people around him believed he was wealthy simply because he was seen with the Oliver Twist hitmaker.
“Because of this man, people on my street felt I was stingy,” he said. “Dem dey feel say I dey with Bangalee, Oliver Twist.”
Mr Real explained that friends, family members, and people in his neighbourhood assumed he had “made it” and stopped offering support, not knowing he was struggling financially.
In one of the most disturbing revelations from the interview, Mr Real admitted that the frustration nearly pushed him to a breaking point.
“I want to say something today,” he said emotionally. “E get one day wey I wake up, I look my surroundings, the life wey I dey live now, and I look my kids.”
He continued:
“I don almost call my children, tell them say come, I wan make una swear for Banga.”
The singer stopped short of making the move but said the moment reflected how deeply hurt and cheated he felt.
The interview has since sparked heavy reactions online, with fans divided, some urging accountability from industry veterans, while others insist disputes like this should be handled privately.