One of the questions I see people asking a lot is: which record label is Bella Shmurda signed to?
As someone who follows the Nigerian music industry closely, I decided to dig deep into Bella Shmurda’s record label situation, and in this article I am going to show you the full details about his label, Dagbana Republik, and why you often see EMPIRE attached to his music.
Who Is Bella Shmurda?
Bella Shmurda, whose real name is Akinbiyi Abiola Ahmed, is a Nigerian Afrobeats and Afro-fusion singer and songwriter.
He first gained attention with his hit single Vision 2020, and when Olamide jumped on the remix, Bella became a household name. Since then, he has continued to give us back-to-back hits like Cash App, Rush, and Party Next Door.
Which Record Label Is Bella Shmurda Signed To?
From my research, Bella Shmurda is signed to Dagbana Republik Records, which is an independent record label he founded himself.
This move sets him apart from many Nigerian artists who usually join already established labels like YBNL, Mavin, or Chocolate City. Bella chose to build his own label from the ground up, and that has helped him maintain full creative control over his music.
About Dagbana Republik Records
Dagbana Republik is not just a record label, but also a movement and a community of Bella’s loyal fans, who call themselves Dangbana Republik.
Running his own label gives Bella the freedom to:
Decide what kind of music he wants to release.
Own his masters and benefit financially in the long run.
Connect directly with his fanbase.
Use his platform to give back through charity, especially in education.
Through Dagbana Republik, Bella has released projects like High Tension, High Tension 2.0, and his debut album Hypertension.
Bella Shmurda and EMPIRE
Now, you might have noticed that Bella’s songs sometimes appear online with Dagbana Republik / EMPIRE written as his label.
This is because Dagbana Republik partners with EMPIRE, which is a U.S.-based music distribution company.
What this means is:
Dagbana Republik remains Bella’s official label.
EMPIRE helps distribute his songs across global streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Boomplay.
They also handle international promotion and playlist placements.
So, Bella is not directly signed to EMPIRE — instead, he simply uses them for worldwide distribution while still running his own label independently.
Why Bella Shmurda Chose Independence
From what I can see, Bella Shmurda’s choice to remain independent shows how the Nigerian music industry is changing. Artists are no longer rushing into record deals that may limit them. Instead, they are creating their own labels, keeping ownership, and only partnering with global companies when necessary.
This is the same model Olamide used with YBNL, and Bella is applying it through Dagbana Republik.
FAQs
- Which record label is Bella Shmurda signed to?
Bella Shmurda is signed to Dagbana Republik Records, his own independent label. - Is Bella Shmurda signed to EMPIRE?
Not directly. He works with EMPIRE only for distribution, while Dagbana Republik remains his official label. - Does Bella Shmurda own his music?
Yes. As the founder of Dagbana Republik, he owns his masters. - Has Bella ever signed to another label?
No. He has always released his music through Dagbana Republik.
Conclusion
So, to answer the question which record label is Bella Shmurda signed to? He is signed to his own label, Dagbana Republik Records, while using EMPIRE for international distribution.
This setup gives him the freedom to remain independent while still enjoying global exposure — a move that makes Bella Shmurda one of the smartest young artists in the Nigerian music industry today.
