How We Disrespect D’BANJ

Dapo Oyebanji popular known and called D’banj is an entertainer extraordinaire with a recognizable life span on the Nigerian music scene for 10 years and more if you added his days before he 'blew'. D’banj cuts across to you as that regular guy with a tenacious penchant for mischief and a ‘loud’ penetrating personality that could even be intimidating at times (ask Dr Sid) yet our beloved D’banj has become the one people love to hate.

I met him once at the Federal Palace Hotels in 2010 when I had this contract gig to sing in the lobby from 6pm to 8pm everyday. Dapo walked in with this infectious smile, waved at me as he walked passed into the varander lobby as I held on to the microphone with passion doing a cover of John Legend’s “Used to Love You” to the uninterested customers. I quickly walked up to D’banj during my break and he said to me, “I like what you are doing bro but me I prefer ‘tiwantiwa’ (local African songs)” and I quickly pointed to him that it was what the management wanted so I had to do their bidding. We took a picture and that was the last time I had an opportunity to be so close to him.

Myself and D'banj at Federal Palace Hotel, 2010

 Before this time, I was not a fan of D’banj, I never saw him as a serious vocalist (I was judging him based on my own weakness as a myopic music enthusiast) but D’banj had always known his strength and his weaknesses. He saw himself as an entertainer and as an entertainer he dealt with the muses and inspiration that came his way. He wasn't going to be bothered about how sweet his voice is or compare himself to John Legend but what he had that made people love him was what he was going to concentrate on and build an empire through and I respect that a lot. He had a strong alibi with DonJazzy and together they both ruled an empire that was the rave of fans and envy of competitiors.

Mo’Hits’ falling apart is in the public purview so I am not going to really delve into that but the muse for this piece came up when I watched the interview he gave to Olisa on his YouTube program called ‘The Truth’, a replica of Elliot Wilson’s ‘The Truth with…’. One thing that struck me, as it always does when it comes to D’banj is that he is a guy that didn’t know how to hide the truth. As much as he was holding back so as not to hurt people, you could see that he was a simple guy that simply had and still has an eye for success. There could be no crime for that!

The interview started on a light mood and it easily dovetailed into that dark and ugly period where I ‘felt’ D’banj almost lost it. He almost cursed and the word ‘bullshit’ became a recurrent decimal in the interview. But like the experienced professional that he was, he got it together and was swift to turn those thorny issues into something to joke with. One other thing I respected about the entertainer/business man D’Banj was the fact that whatever he talked about, he had facts and he was able to corroborate it well. For example, when he said Dr Sid broke up the Mo’Hits empire, he wasn’t saying it based on assumption or what people said, he was saying it because he had hard facts which he gave to Olisa. 

And when he was constantly harangued that he didn’t have a hit song since ‘Oliver Twist’, he simply whipped out the statistics that said otherwise. “Top Of the World” was on the chart for 13 straight weeks as number one, “Cocoa na Chocolate” won an award with African artiste like Femi Kuti and others who serenaded it; advocating for a switch back to Agriculture which is a more sustainable means of wealth generation in african society.

I can understand why D’banj has been written off by the African media, especially Nigerian media and I can understand his grouse all through the interview towards Olisa who drilled him as expected. You see, D'Banj has grown so much and has achieved so much that he wants more. And because of his ability to now ‘roll’ with the bigger boys, making things happen in global music (JayZ and Kanye West) and their penchant for excellence, he is unable to churn out songs the way he might have done while he was with DonJazzy. Not to take anything away from DonJazzy, he is a fantastic producer but it is also true that the Nigerian music industry is filled with ridiculously shallow lyrics, ‘watery’ lines and music with less durable lifespan.

This little lacuna have created therefore an opportunity for people with scores to settle with D’Banj to quickly see him as a failure and disconnected from Africa. But that is far from the truth. The truth is D’Banj has stepped up, his music has matured and he has left people behind chasing him and hoping to have a fragment of his success. We could argue that the same industry gave him the platform that has catapulted him to stardom but the truth is, if you as a star don't ask more of yourself and push the boundaries set, you will fade into oblivion as new ones rise into the little space available.

They once asked Professor Wole Soyinka if he could reduce the grammar in his write up and his answer was, ‘I can’t downgrade to the level of mediocrity. I would rather ask readers to upgrade to my level of excellence’. And in this interview with Olisa, D’Banj is simply telling us, ‘I can’t go back to how it used to be because I am in a better place’. I might not be doing the normal ‘watery’ music that the Nigerian music industry is known for and the one less discerning fans always wanted but I have now upgraded into the recognition and respect African music and musicians should be having.

It is no gain saying that when you put DonJazzy and SwissBeats together, we all know who the boss is. Or when we put Mavin and Good Music Records side by side, we all know who runs the show. So if D’Banj decides to pitch his tent with the latter, it is a good decision which might not reap rewards now or for himself alone but it will definitely reap rewards for him in the nearest future and open the doors for more African artiste to the world. So this struggle is not only for D'Banj, it is also for the up and coming artiste that might never have thought world recognition was possible.

D’Banj is brave, he is smart and he has the foresight of a true visionary who wants to conquer his world. He needed a Dr Sid who was probably contented with being ‘local’ champion to be the clog in the wheel which would quantum leap him into his destiny. That voice recording of Dr. Sid talking to Davido and saying stuffs like, “D’Banjs’ light is too bright and he is not allowing other artiste shine” is a sign of weakness, low self-esteem and back stabbing. To have heard that D’Banj practically signed him to Mo’Hits and he would later stab him in the back like that was unacceptably unbearable. 

If you put Dr. Sid and D’banj on the same scale, he can’t match up with the successes D’banj has had and his global appeal. So brova, D'Banj is always going to out-shine you come rain come shine and his light will continually haunt and cover yours whether he is in Mavin Records or not. 

Like I said earlier, D’banj was never a big hit on me when it comes to his vocal prowess but he was always that great entertainer that would come to the stage with a towel and lighting it up, or that will act with Genevieve as if there are really in love and would dare to do a reality TV show. This guy has broken boundaries, raised the bar, risked it all, stabbed at the back and yet he has kept his cool whilst he did his thing. D’Banj is a star and this 10^th year anniversary has reignited some form of love deep inside of me for him. He might not be that artiste you will find his songs in my playlist (most Nigerian artiste don’t even come close) but he is the guy whose successes and modus operandi surpasses your typical Nigerian artiste.

He has set his eyes on the world and he might have made his mistakes as he aimed for it but I am sure he has learnt from it and he is not ready to dwell on it for too long. He has moved on since then. His sound is never going to be the same again, don’t expect that but his legacy has come to stay. Don’t write him off so soon, he always will come with that surprise move that earns him the title, ‘The Big Fish’. Remember, Big Fish don’t swim in shallow waters and Big Fish usually are lonely because they swim alone. 

Brother, don’t worry, keep doing your thing because we are “Feeling the Ni**a” and you might have lost many fans but you just won yourself a fan for life. I will always remember the phrase you used in the interview, “A friend in need is a burglar in the future”, LWKMD. I guess you are referring to Dr. Sid whom you assisted into getting a deal with your own company that you started as a partner and he stole it from you at the end. 

I know how hard it is because I have been there. But that persistent spirit with a positive attitude will keep you soaring above all detractors and enemies. Stay blessed bro.

You can watch 'The Truth' with Olisa Odibua on YouTube. No free advert here bikoooooo. LOL