Popular Nigerian disc jockey, Imohiosen Patrick, widely known as DJ Neptune, has publicly refuted claims of defrauding Nigerian singer and former Big Brother Naija (BBNaija) winner, Laycon, over unpaid royalties from their collaborative remix of the song Nobody Icons. The controversy erupted after Laycon alleged that he had not received any royalties from the song, which was released four years ago. In response, DJ Neptune appeared on a recent episode of the podcast Zero Conditions, where he addressed the claims and provided clarification on the matter.
Laycon, known for his lyrical prowess and impressive musical career post-BBNaija, took to social media to express his frustration about not receiving financial compensation for his contributions to Nobody Icons Remix. The track, a remix of DJ Neptune’s hit single Nobody, features Laycon and JoeBoy, and became quite popular after its release. However, according to Laycon, despite the success of the song, he had not been paid any royalties from the project, leading him to publicly call out DJ Neptune.
DJ Neptune, while speaking on the Zero Conditions podcast, dismissed any notions of fraud and insisted that the issue Laycon was referring to stemmed from the complexities of music business agreements and not an intentional withholding of funds. He explained that the situation regarding the royalties was not as simple as Laycon had portrayed it. Neptune emphasized that the key issue lay in the recovery of advanced marketing money and investments tied to the song’s promotion.
“Laycon is my brother regardless,” DJ Neptune began, making it clear that there was no ill will between the two. He went on to explain that the delay in royalty payments was due to standard practices in the music industry where investments made to promote a song must first be recouped before any profits are distributed. “Nobody ate anybody’s money,” Neptune insisted, adding that this situation was simply part of the return-on-investment process typically followed when dealing with a distribution company or record label.
Further explaining the situation, DJ Neptune revealed that Laycon had indeed reached out to him previously to discuss the royalty payments. However, the issue seemed to be with the legal and financial processes involved. Neptune mentioned that once Laycon brought the issue to his attention, he promptly referred the matter to his legal team. He also asked for Laycon’s lawyer’s contact details to facilitate communication between their legal representatives.
“I even asked him for his lawyer’s contact, which he sent to me, and I forwarded it to my legal team,” Neptune said, emphasizing that he had no personal involvement in the legal matters surrounding the royalties, as they had been handed over to the respective professionals.
Neptune acknowledged that a certain percentage of the royalties had been proposed to Laycon’s team, but Laycon’s camp rejected the offer, which caused the negotiations to stall. According to Neptune, the conversation between the legal teams remained unresolved, which may have contributed to Laycon’s frustrations. “The conversation was just there,” Neptune explained, expressing regret over not personally following up on the legal discussions.
While DJ Neptune sympathized with Laycon’s concerns over the royalties, he expressed disappointment in how Laycon chose to handle the matter publicly. Neptune felt that Laycon’s decision to air his grievances on social media painted him in a negative light, implying that he had defrauded the singer. Neptune believed that the issue could have been resolved privately between their teams, without resorting to a public call-out.
He expressed his frustration over the situation, saying, “I guess my own fault was not going back to find out what was going on [with the legal negotiations].” Nevertheless, Neptune maintained that he had acted in good faith and that the situation was not one of deliberate financial misconduct.
In the wake of these allegations, DJ Neptune’s denial provides a deeper insight into the complexities of the music industry, especially when it comes to financial arrangements and royalty payments. The dispute between DJ Neptune and Laycon seems to stem from miscommunication and unresolved legal negotiations, rather than any intentional defrauding.
As the situation unfolds, both parties may need to rely on their legal teams to resolve the issue and reach an amicable agreement regarding the royalties from *Nobody Icons* Remix. Whether the matter can be resolved privately or continues to play out in the public eye remains to be seen, but both DJ Neptune and Laycon have expressed their mutual respect for one another, suggesting that a peaceful resolution is still possible.
The incident also highlights the importance of clear communication and thorough documentation in business agreements, especially in creative industries like music, where multiple parties are often involved in a project’s financial success.
