WOULD THE SIMMERING WAR EVER END NOW? AFTER THE EBONY MAGAZINE INTERVIEW

We have all tried not to believe the worst bout the so called war between D-banj & Don Jazzy, but after reading the interview D-banj granted the award winning Ebony Magazine, claiming to own Mo Hit's Records and that Don Jazzy was one of his artists amongst several others, some might believe it’s a open declaration of war and it just confirms the fact that all is not well again.

Now that the ‘trust’ seems to have been broken, can it ever be repaired again? If eventually both parties should part ways, who would be at a greater loss? Could it be that what is G.O.O.D has now become a major reason for ego, which is now set to destroy a friendship and relationship of many years. We are all waiting with bated breaths to see what’s next. Meanwhile, Read the full excerpts of the interview as it is on ebony.com under the title-

D'Banj Makes G.O.O.D Music
EBONY.com sat down with the African musician who joined Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music imprint in 2011 to chat about adjusting to America, being a “machine” and working with Chicago’s “crazy genius.'


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.