Damilola Akinwunmi
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August 1994 (age 31)
Damilola Dapper Akinwunmi | |
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| Born | Damilola Joseph Akinwunmi August 1994 (age 31) Southwestern Nigeria |
| Other names | Dapper, Dapper Damm |
| Education | University of Lagos (BSc Sociology) |
| Occupations | Music executive, entrepreneur |
| Years active | 2014–present |
| Organization | Dapper Group |
| Known for | Founder and CEO of Dapper Group; development of Nigerian street-pop artists |
| Notable work | Trench Symphony, Trench Fest, Hue Visual Platform, Banger Only Productions |
Damilola "Dapper" Akinwunmi (born August 1994), is a Nigerian music executive and entrepreneur.[1] He is the founder and chief executive officer of Dapper Group, a music and entertainment company based in Lagos, Nigeria.[2] He is known for his role in the commercialization and global digital distribution of the Nigerian street-pop genre and for developing several prominent artists within the contemporary Afrobeats ecosystem.[3]
Under his leadership, Dapper Music & Entertainment, the group's flagship label, emerged as one of the leading Nigerian-owned record labels in terms of streaming market share in 2024.[4]
Damilola Akinwunmi was born in southwestern Nigeria in August 1994. During his childhood he developed an early interest in music and learned to play several instruments, including the saxophone, clarinet, and drums. He also served as band captain during both his primary and secondary school years.
He later attended the University of Lagos (UNILAG), where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology. During an academic strike in 2012, he began exploring opportunities in music management and media, which later led to his entry into the professional music industry.[5]
Career
Early management (2014–2016)
Akinwunmi began his professional career in 2014 as an artist manager. He is credited with discovering and managing the Nigerian artist Dotman, helping guide the artist to mainstream recognition. During this period he also worked with other performers, including Koker (singer).[6]
Temple Management Company (2016–2018)
Between 2016 and 2018, Akinwunmi worked as a talent representative at Temple Management Company, a Lagos-based entertainment agency. In this role he managed or worked with artists such as Iyanya, and producers including Tee-Y Mix and Adey.
Founding of Dapper Group (2018–present)
In 2018 he founded Dapper Group, which later expanded into a multi-division entertainment company involved in music distribution, publishing, live events, and film production. The company operates several subsidiaries including Dvpper Digital, Dapper Music & Entertainment, Dapper Live, Dapper Films, and S94 Publishing.[7]
Through Dapper Music, Akinwunmi has worked with several Nigerian artists including Ice Prince, Seyi Vibez, Shallipopi, T.I Blaze, Balloranking, TML Vibez, Rybeena, Lasmid, Cazulee, BNXN, Kashcoming, and Bhadboi OML.[8][9][10]