"Coming from Africa I’m my own manager, I have my own label called Mo’ Hits with my artists Dr. Sid, Wande Coal, Don Jazzy, D’Prince and K-Switch. I own Mo’ Hits and we’ve won numerous awards by the grace of God." D'banj tells Ebony Magazine.
On Sunday (Feb. 19), fans from as far away as Maryland packed into New York City’s Irving Plaza to see D’banj, Nigeria’s biggest Afrobeat star in concert. The self-proclaimed “Kokomaster” hit the stage to screams and even fainting, as one woman sunk to the floor after D’banj touched her hand. Running through his three albums No Long Thing, Rundown Funk U Up and The Entertainer including his international hit “Oliver Twist,” the MC born Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo commanded the stage with waist wines, glittering outfits and jokes about his “Koko,” also known as his manhood.
EBONY.com: How will you break into America’s entertainment scene?
D’BANJ: I’m bringing my culture, my music and preaching the gospel. We’ve been learning from America’s Hollywood scene and other areas in Africa because our continent is developing. We look up to the way you’ve built your industry and we try to do ours in the best that we know. It’s so good to see that Americans appreciate my music so that’s what I’m bringing, just original Africa.
EBONY.com: How did you join Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music label?
D’BANJ: I had a concert in Dubai and when we pulled up to the airport’s first class lounge and a hostess ran up to me with a plaque with Kanye’s face on it, asking me to sign it. I said ‘I’m not Kanye West, I’m D’banj but Kanye West is coming? All eyes open.’ Then my manager spoke to Kanye, came back and told me ‘He’ll give you five minutes.’ I walked over -- as an African man I’m always prepared -- and I played my music ‘Stand Out,’ ‘Fall In Love’ and ‘Scapegoat’ for him on my iPod. Before we knew it, I’d almost missed my flight and he invited me to New York.
Coming from Africa I’m my own manager, I have my own label called Mo’ Hits with my artists Dr. Sid, Wande Coal, Don Jazzy, D’Prince and K-Switch. I own Mo’ Hits and we’ve won numerous awards by the grace of God. Being with Kanye for the last eight months and me leading a successful label in Africa, I’ve learned a lot and I believe people will see what we’re going to do. I signed with Kanye in June and that same month I won the BET Award for Best International Act. My New York concert isn’t done by G.O.O.D. Music, it’s done by Live Nation, meaning I’m already a moving machine. So who better to introduce me to the global world than Kanye West, a crazy genius?
EBONY.com: What is your chemistry like in the studio with West?
D’BANJ: Kanye doesn’t try to change you. He has great ears and great people working with him. I learned the way people do music in America is different, number one, the budget. You don’t have to rush a song, you can take your time. I was glad because I have a studio in my home but I thought I was doing too much. I’ve been working with everyone else on G.O.O.D. Music too and John Legend and I worked together in London recently. It’s been great experience, I just beg people to listen with an open mind.
Source: Ebony
They seemed so unstoppable, How does this portray Nigerian Musicians in General. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
Ehhhh? D'banj. You now OWN mo'Hits? Hmm!
ReplyDeleteThis is only a brave claim until Don Jazzy comes up to debunk it.
ReplyDeleteThats the Koko Dbanj has been trying to tell us.
ReplyDeleteWhoa! D'Banj...
ReplyDeleteReally Dapo..... Why evils?
ReplyDeleteJoint business bad for two people. The truth is finally coming out. I believe him 100%!
ReplyDeleteDbang has no real talent in singing. Its just the background music with no meaning and no sense in his singing but sexual overtures. That is what he is selling to his generation. Not a good representative for Nigerian music. 2face and p squared fit the bill better. D,bang still exibits the elements of a nigerian street thug. Good luck to you in america. I just hope he does not mess up in a grand way.
ReplyDeleteRealman,stop castigating D'banj.He has his own style which is quite different from those you have mentioned.
ReplyDeleteKeep the Nigerian flag flowing koko master cos we're with you.
Dbang,you better becareful cos if we (Nigerians) refuse to listern to your music l wonder what you will do and how you will feed cos your noise making is getting too much.Look P.square and Tuface doesn't disturb anybody.BE WARN DAPO.
ReplyDeleteHow in any way does his life style affect Ʊ critics?if Ʊ don't want to buy his album and yet ♓e recorded d best sales ever? Koko,live Ʊr life,no b Ʊ na God.
ReplyDeletedbanj think twice before you make some kind of speeches online ,your mannest man na the man you start up life with oh.Dont go and kill your carrer in US,try to live America for Americans,Man when get one eye na king for vilage of blind people ur jams no fit in for yankee.be warned
ReplyDeletePeople(Nigerians),na wa oooo.Naija is just a crazy nation filled with bad minds,its just a pity that some guys who commented don't know the definition of music.comparing 2face,psquare n dbanj is a confusion 2 such guys.dy all av different talents, approach n styles dts y dy re called artist.Dbanj n Donjazzy re grown ups,dy shld learn how 2 manage d situation n settle amicably,rather dn one trying 2 bring down d fame of d other,on what is called envy etc.No matter what u critics do,all i know is dt when God says its ur time no one can stop u.Lets appreciates whoever goes out there to represent naija.atleast he's nt a suicide bomber or boko haram.there is a sayx dt u dont value what u av,until u lose it.nigerian wake up n stop criticism.dts d KOKO !!! AKINGREEN
ReplyDeleteit seems the guy called dbanj now bow for baphomet.Remember the son of who u are..
ReplyDeleteWhere is MAJEK today ??? Yankee go make U kolo
ReplyDeleteI agree wit realman, many at times he says rubbish,it would be difficult for americans to relate with uis kind of songs
ReplyDelete