D’banj’s Knock On The Door Of ‘re-relevance’

The harmonica playing Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo (popularly known as D’banj) came into national consciousness about 10 years ago with his energy-sapping brand of music. With his now former producer (Don Jazzy) and other Mo Hits crew members, D’banj soon became the unofficial Nigerian export to the world.

Nigerians and the world could not have enough of D’banj, from one hit to the other, even the sky could not limit him, it was just his spring board.

D’banj gave the world everything, sounds, moves, slangs, controversies, everything.

Advertisers in need of endorsement were coming by the numbers. 

The Kokolets and the mamalets could not have enough. And the kokomaster was never tired of dropping it like it’s hot.

Award started rolling-in by the truck load.

D’banj brand of household materials started coming in in droves - from Koko water, to Koko phones, Koko lounge – the D’banj brand was being engraved into everybody’s consciousness in more ways than one. He was like Midas, everything he touched automatically turned to gold.

Then boom, the honeymoon was over!

The news broke that D’banj was leaving Mo Hits. What? That’s impossible. Everybody thought it was a rumor; D’banj cannot afford leaving Mo Hits. What will happen to the “It’s Don Jazzy again” opening that has suddenly become the official intro to good music?

Then came the confirmation, D’banj was not only leaving Mo Hits, the Nigerian music powerhouse was disbanding.

One rumor led to another. Then Don Jazzy came with Mavin records. D’banj with DB Records. And the music continues.

However, while the profile of Don Jazzy and Mavin Records have continued to soar – releasing hits after hits, collaborations left, right and centre, endorsements all over the place, the same could not be said of D’banj. The bankruptcy rumor did not help matter. 

Though D’banj never left the industry, his efforts have been below par at best. The reception has consistently fallen short of the standard we expected from an artist of his caliber. And with artist live Davido, Whizkid, Korede Bello, Olamide and so many others currently in the limelight, thus making the return even harder for him.

Zeroing in on his latest effort, a single titled, ‘Who is knocking on my door’. The video for Knocking on My Door serve as the first of the 7 videos expected to drop from his visual EP, I am D’banj, which is part of the superman’s 10th anniversary celebration is expected to drop sometime next month.

I have listened to the audio and watched the video several times, and I have time to discuss the tow with a few of my friends. However, my opinion on them, as written here, are totally mine.

• There is no ‘It’s Don Jazzy again’; of course you know the reason for that.

• Nice beat, though monotonous and fell short of the one we use to know in the days of Mo Hits records. It would have been acceptable if he used this 10 years ago. I expected his beats to have matured over time too.

• Despite what has been said about the beat, it still seems to be the selling point of the single because the song lacks adequate lyrics. For example, he mentioned ‘Ko le ye won’ 32 times in the 3 minutes, 1 second song (audio): that’s one ko le ye won too many!

• The video, obviously not shot in Nigeria, is about the high point of song. However, I wonder why everybody in the video have the same surname, ’Lee’. What’s the heavy Yoruba accent in the convo with the heavily built neighbor, The Rock Lee? Is that an invitation to the Yoruba movie director that he is available for a role in a Yoruba movie?

• Also in the video, I saw that ‘Hand in front of the thigh’ move that we’ll now know the meaning, though could not verify.

• Lest I forget, the harmonica is back!

In all, D’banj still shows that he has the ‘Entertainer’ status that have endeared her into the hearts and minds of many of his fans but I still think he needs people such as Don Jazzy and the crew, and others that helped him hit the limelight in the first place. Dedicating his MAMA Evolution Award to Don Jazzy may just be a hint that the duo may be doing something together soon which will put the career of D’banj in good stead for proper resuscitation.

Source: Nairaland