‘‘MY COMPANY IS A BRAND DEVELOPER FOR ORITSEFEMI’’- D’BANJ

 

Nigeria’s pop star, D’banj hardly grants interviews, but he had an exciting interview with some journalists recently when he clocked 35. Popularly called Banga lee or Eja Nla, by his teaming fans, he spoke on his many achievements, his life and relationship.

Are you fulfilled with what you have achieved at 35?

What God has done is tremendous and it’s beyond my wildest dream even though some have not materialized. The main one is marriage. I always wanted a child before 30. I wanted to make sure that the foundation was very strong and the direction in which we were going. Another thing is winning the Grammies, which I think is already in the plan.

I didn’t know I will meet Kanye West. I was dreaming, I dreamt that I want to go places and hear my song among white people, I have dreamt to chart across the world and all that has happened. I have dreamt to perform in the front of thousands of people on a global stage and all that has happened months ago. I was on a global stage.

What are the things you do that you need to discontinue?

I have been exposed to a lot of things much larger, things higher than my age. Since the earlier time, I have known the brand, I have been taught to give what belongs to Caesar to Caesar. I won’t say I have grown out of anything, my music and lifestyle revolves with my age with time. In the last two years I found myself in corporate side of things in the more humanitarian side of things, more giving back because I have been in the more business side of things.

How have you been promoting your 10^th anniversary album?

I thought the first six months I would have touch everywhere. My plan was to promote the singles within the first six months. One of the songs that wasn’t scheduled to come out, leaked last year ‘Feeling the Nigga’ when it was released people got confused saying it wasn’t mine. My fans are still hungry for more of me, some think am famzing so I don’t sing again, and the brand been active was why I restructured the album.

Aside Akon, which international artiste did you feature in your album?

They are more than one, but I won’t mention name, let fans go and buy the album.  The album will be out in September.

What do you have for the two artiste under your label?

A lot of people where bias about my comeback. There were a lot of misconception for not being around for the last one and the half years. Kayswitch is being victimized because he is my brother, for the rest I didn’t want them to be affected by the same thing. So Tonto and Two Kriss dropped singles so we could see how people would react to it while we are also clearing grounds for D’banj due to the speculations going round. Now I have done what I need to do and the whole world has seen that we are not in any competition with anyone.

Any plan of signing new artiste?

Not for now. Globally record labels are dying most importantly what you should have is distribution. The right organization to take care and mange a brand. That is what am building on. My empire is based on that and I own one of the biggest distribution companies, I can distribute for people who are in Nigeria. We are planning to expand globally. Abroad, the people that sell, manage and brand development. That is what my company is doing for Oritse Femi even though he is not signed to my label. Once that is done in Africa that is what we are working on.

Why did you go into agriculture?

Nothing is coincidental in life so when I approach my people to do something they agreed. If 60% of the farmers we have are small scale farmers and this is what they contribute to the world produce other than the big people and it has been proven by my research that the amount of irregular cultivated land available in the world in the next future is available in Africa. There is a need for us to focus on it and let our youth know about it because right now, everybody wants to be a musician, footballer, IT person, or a media person. Then we have 5000 youths and we can take it to all the African presidents. So we have different Koko products. Last year was the perfect time for me to go into it and when I presented it to Dangote, he said, ‘‘why garri? Nobody has thought of it’’. So I knew I was on the right path.