Since we are all at home, we decided to bring back this old but interesting interview of Nigerian Singer, Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo aka D’Banj.
The Oliver Twist crooner, who was in a cheerful mood 8years ago, fielded questions from journalists from several media outfits, revisited his love story with the country’s finest Nollywood actress, Genevieve Nnaji where he confessed that he would love to have her as his wife.
D’Banj also made mention of his relationship with former label co-owner, Don Jazzy, where he admits missing being around his former label mates even though he has moved on. He also spoke about other interesting issues.
How has life treated you as D’Banj?
From Tongolo to my new single, Finally, how has life treated me? I think I have been very grateful to God. I am not perfect but I am happy and satisfied to the extent that I have always seen myself as a vessel, because just before I dropped Tongolo, I had to force myself on the people that I had worked with, to believe in me. Don Jazzy never believed in me in the first place, everybody didn’t believe in me, which is different from when I saw Wande Coal in 2006 at the University of Lagos. I was about to go for a show when he came and sang for me. I developed an interest in him, told Don Jazzy we must sign him and he asked why? Everybody that was signed into Mo’Hits was brought in by me, but no one ever brought me into any record label. I started from the bottom, I was the least. I was the only one they told to play the mouth organ because we already had a singer, rapper and I held onto my mouth organ and played it with passion. But today, I am on top of the world. So, I will say life has treated me very well and I am on top of the world.
Will you say you’ve achieved all you wanted when you sang Oliver Twist or are you still an Oliver Twist?
I can never stop being an Oliver Twist, that’s why I sang Oliver Twist. I’ve just started. This is a song that even got to the top in the United Kingdom and Europe. I want to continue the momentum, do two, three to six singles that’ll top chart in Europe. I want to drop an album that will tackle the ones released over there. I will not rest until they see all of us as one, not as a Nigerian or African musician. Nobody asks Jennifer Lopez or Shakira where they came from, even Wyclef too. Until that’s done in my industry, I will not stop yearning for more.
Do you miss Don Jazzy?
If I say I don’t miss Don Jazzy, I will be lying because I am 10 years next year (as an artist) and I spent eight and a half years with him. So, I was once married to him in a way (smiles). I really miss him, the family. I miss the vibes of being in a studio with him, the jokes, the arguments with him. I miss him but it’s like you missing your ex-girlfriend when you’re already married. It’s like missing your old Benz when you are already inside a Ferrari. Nevertheless, we can still do music together, maybe during my tenth-anniversary album. I don’t mind.
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