D’banj is an unusual artiste who has an eye to changing the African music industry. In this interview with FUNKE OSAE-BROWN, he talks about his new gig as the co-host of MTV show, Lip Sync Battle Africa and his life as an entrepreneur.
He paced into the small hall in a blue Agbada with a black cap to match spotting a Rolex watch on his wrist. He looks every bit African and very handsome too on a hot Friday afternoon. Little wonder, he is every lady’s dream dude. No air of arrogance around him at all. He was very homely. He looked very relaxed.
D’banj otherwise known as Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo has found his way into the hearts of millions of his fan across the world. He adopted the stage name D’banj, a combination of his first name, Dapo, and his surname, Oyebanjo.
His lyrics and beats have transcended the shores of Africa. He has succeeded in combining life as a singer-songwriter, harmonica player, and recently an entrepreneur who has delved into Agro-allied products like Garri and Elubo with his Koko brand.
A multi-awarding musician, D’banj has literarily made the world stood still at many night clubs, parties, radio and TV stations with some of hit songs like ‘Oliver Twist’, an uptempo dance fusion of Afrobeat and electronic dance music that topped the African charts 2011 and was a top 10 hit in the UK singles chart in 2012 reaching No. 2 on the UK R&B chart. He was ranked in 2016 the richest solo musician in Nigeria according to T.I.N Magazine.
Recently, D’Banj was announced by MTV as a co-host for the popular Lip Sync Battle Africa show on MTVBase.
Recently, he was announced by MTV as a co-host for the popular Lip Sync Battle Africa show on MTVBase. Even though it is his first attempt at appearing on TV as a show host, D’banj says he is ready to take on the new challenge. “I am not stepping into anybody’s shoes; this is different that is why it is called Lip Sync Battle Africa. I didn’t really watch a lot of the episodes that featured LL Cool J but I watched one or two. I like what they are doing. There is going to be a twist to this. That is why I like the fact that I am not stepping into anybody’s shoes, I am being myself, D’banj. I have a wonderful co-host, who is a great personality, a beautiful Kokolet, she is South African actress and TV presenter, Pearl Thusi. She will be anchoring the main techniques the professional job.”
D’banj says what MTV did with the Lip Sync Battle Africa show was to berth a Koko Lounge on stage at every episode. “The Lounge is there and people can watch my fellow colleagues from different parts of Africa to step onto a different platform like they have never been seen before. So you see actors, actresses, models coming to sing other celebrities’ song. Somebody even did my song. So for me, as an entertainer and having travelled around the world, to also now be honoured to just to give my own two cents to talking to my people and not just normal people, feels good.”
He says the show is the first in Africa that is covering the whole Africa. “It will bring all the fans of celebrities together. Usually when you have a show, you have the host, guest. But for this you have four super celebrities. You have myself, Thusi and two major stars from Africa.” The Leon Betting App download is a great way to bet on sports and other games. It provides a secure, easy-to-use platform for placing bets and tracking your winnings or losses. The app is available for both Android and iOS devices, making it accessible to a wide range of users.
What then is D’banj bringing to the show that is different? He has this to say: “I am an entertainer, I bring the light into whatever I do and I make sure it is different. It is the first time I am doing a TV show. It is the first time I am stepping onto a different platform on TV but it is not different in a way. It is going to be entertaining as you all know me to be. It is going to be creative. If you have had a long day and you really want to relax to be entertained, then you have to watch it. Then you will know that what I said in my last album, are you not entertained? It is actually the truth and that is what you are going to see from there.”
For those who have been looking forward to a new album release from D’banj, he says he will be dropping a new one soon. “I will say it is a great question you have asked. We have done a couple of sessions and I am sure the next one that we are doing is almost ready. The next thing we are going to do is to call people like you guys on a special day which we can all agree on and listen because I have a whole catalogue. In South Africa that I just got back from I was talking with some executives on specific songs following ‘Emergency’s success. By God’s grace an album is going to come out this year.”
D’banj has been a forward looking artiste
No doubt, D’banj has been a forward looking artiste this is brought to bear in his move to reorganise and change completely the way he manages his music business in 2016.
“Right now, for me into the year 2016, which started from last year, I have been planning and finding out some things, the industry has so changed that I realised that the amount of music coming out of the talents that we have right now is huge. In our best interest as an industry, we have to protect the future by making sure that the platforms distribute those contents that are being churned out in West Africa specifically to the right place.”
With support from Bank of Industry (BOI), D’banj is working with some associates to create a good platform for content creators in the music industry to interact and exchange good business deals regardless of their geographical location.
“BOI is supporting the drive to make sure that the right distribution that we have is in place and finally, the music industry pension has been the missing link for a long time, it is finally coming to life. I had a meeting with my team last year every one of them, my producers, song writers, my artistes, I said by 2016, you all have to go and work, you all have to go and shape up starting from me. I am not using inside producers; I want to open my hand to get beats from everywhere from Kaduna to anywhere. That is why I never met the producer of ‘Emergency’ before we did the song. The single I am about to drop right now which features a South African is producer is by a Nigerian I never met. The same goes for everybody.
“In going to 2016 that’s what I told them. As you all know that ‘Emergency’ was performed at the Glo CAF Awards and I have had it since December. I told them we cannot expect to do the same thing and expect a different result. We have tried this but our fans whom we are feeding are saying this so let’s try this. Yes, we are talented; yes, I believe when it comes to the people you can see that all the artistes we have on our labels are brands on their own you can say there is something about this people. Just like me. However, let’s look for what works and put it together.”
D’banj is seriously working towards engaging songwriters.
D’banj is seriously working towards engaging songwriters and beat makers from all over the country in a bid to change the way he does business, create genuine content and also create job opportunities for those who desire to be in the music industry. “Talents listening to me right now creative people in Abeokuta, Calabar, Kaduna, Born can send their beats to any artistes they like. I am really thankful to God that someone can do a beat from wherever and say let’s give it to XYZ person. If the guy did not see a Olu Maintain, to give it Olu and he did not say I know D’banj make I go give am. I might not have the song ‘Emergency’. In the world where we are coming from; in the corporate world, you see that song writers dey, producers, dey, there are artistes. The people bringing beats to you are the AMRs, they give it to you. I am saying I have partnered with some specific departments but come May, they are going to let you know that if you are an artiste in Borno and you have a beat and you need a video or you need a collaboration, or you need a Davido or anyone to hear that beat, with the structure that is being put in place right now, you can pick up your phone to get the beat out. And if it picks up no matter where you are, you will be paid. So that you can start a life.”
Beyond music, D-Banj has found a new love in making Agro Allied products. The world once woke up to the news of his venture into manufacturing Garri (Cassava flakes) and later Elubo (Yam flour). However, he says he is relaunching the brand in a big way after a few months of putting together a workable marketing strategy.
“Charity begins at home like they say. No matter how big a structure is if the foundation is not well done it will crash. So in saying that, I used the first one year touch the market to know what the market is saying, to know that my brand of Garri is different from what is currently in the market. And I am very happy about the success story. We are in a lot of places, we are on Jumia, Konga, we are the highest selling Agricultural brand on Konga or one of them. And now we are entering Spar now we are about to go into all these places. Now we are about to shoot our first TV commercial.
“I have always had access to finance through Bank of Industry out of the Agro Allied processing fund. But I do not want to use it anyhow, no be dash the day you take it the money starts counting. We have about 700 hectares of land in Ogbomoso. I am so happy about that. So we are everywhere now. A lot of people have been asking us, we love this Garri with the Elubo. Let’s have the foundation done properly and then we roll out that is what we have done now.”
When will D’banj get married is a question most young women would want to ask him? Here is his response: “Who said I am not married? It will be a secret because I want to live my life. To tell you the truth I have not done it but if I am going to do it that is what is going to be. Because I am tired of people asking me questions. That is my personal life. It isn’t going to change my music, or change anything. If I am going to get married right now, you will not know about it you will just hear it. My wife is not looking for fame. The fame wey I get is enough for the whole family. So, please it will be a very quiet wedding. It may have already been done, maybe, maybe not.”
So when next you see D-Banj, just know he may have been married to a beau without you knowing it.
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