08:24
D’banj says his marriage will be secrete
Are you trying to step into LL Cool J’s shoes
with Lip Sync Battle Africa?
It is important to note that I am not stepping
into anybody’s shoes.
Africa is different, which is why it is called
Lip Sync Battle Africa. I didn’t really see
most of the episodes, but I saw one or two
and I love what they are doing.
However, there is going to be a twist in this;
this is why I said I am not stepping into
anybody’s shoes. I am just playing myself
D’banj and I have a co-host who has a
beautiful personality.
She is Pearl Thusi, a South African
performing artist. The show affords me the
opportunity to watch my fellow colleagues
from various parts of Africa who are
expected to do something different from
what they are used to.
You would see actors, actresses and models
trying to become singers. It is the first of its
kind in Africa and it covers the whole
continent.
What are you bringing to the table?
Anyone who knows me well ought to know
that I am an entertainer and that is what I
do best. I bring life into whatever I do and it
won’t be different on this show. It is the
first time I am doing something like this on
television. It would be entertaining, energetic
and full of creativity. If you’ve had a really
long day and you need to relax and get
entertained, the show is right for you.
Do you plan to drop an album anytime soon?
We’ve done some listening sessions and I
think the next stage is to invite the media. I
want the media to come listen to some of
the songs I have. If all things work out by
His grace, I would drop an album this year.
Did you actually drop Tonto Dike from your
label?
For me, I have been making plans and I
found out certain things. One thing I saw is
that the industry has really changed since I
came back.
Considering the volume of music and talent
that are coming in, it would be in our best
interest as an industry to protect the future
by making sure that the platforms that will
distribute these contents are in the right
place.
I have worked with The Bank of Industry to
make sure that the right digital distribution
that we have is in place as well as the
physical distribution. The music industry
pension, which has been the missing link for
a long time, must also come on boar d.
Going back to your question, I had a meeting
with my team last year and I told all of them
from my producer to singers that they must
really work hard in 2016. I lead by example.
Dbanj, Co-host of Lip Sync Battle Africa, Alex
Okosi,Senior Vice President, Viacom Africa,
Falz, host of the bigger friday show
I am not using inside resources; I now work
with anybody from anywhere. For instance, I
never met the producer of ‘Emergency’
before he did the song. A Nigerian that I had
never met before also produced the next
song I plan to drop soon. I featured a South
African on it.
I want everyone on the label to follow that
direction because I have made up my mind
that we cannot continue to do the same
thing and expect results.
Though I believe that all my artistes
including Tonto Dinke can stand alone, I feel
we should do things differently. If you look
at the artistes on the label, you would agree
with me that there is something special
about them.
Also, when a woman is married, it becomes
a different ball game. I have not seen Tonto
since her marriage and she has a child right
now too. She has been out of the country.
When we spoke, the last thing she told me
was that she wanted to concentrate on her
foundation before any other thing. Right
now, I just want to continue to work with
great talents from different places. If the
producer didn’t see Olu Maintain who knows,
I might not have the song ‘Emergency.’
Can you do a concert in Borno State
considering the security situation there?
Why not? I can do a show there and nothing
will happen. All I just need to concentrate on
is having security.
How far have you gone with your Koko Garri
brand?
Charity begins at home they say. No matter
how big a structure is, if the foundation is
not well put in place, the building will crash
someday.
I used the first one year to search the
market and to make sure that my brand of
Garri will be different from others. I am very
happy for the success story recorded so far
and we are working more on the distribution
processes.
D’banj on the street of Ikeja, Lagos
I have to tell you that we have expanded; we
have about 700 hectares of land in
Ogbomoso, Oyo State. You will s t a r t to
see us everywhere soon. W e a re about to
launch out our first TV commercials.
I have always had access to finance through
The Bank of Industry, but I don’t want to
take it until I am ready because it is a loan
and I am expected to refund it after a
certain period. Once you take money from
the bank, it starts counting.
How do you intend to work more with new
talents?
The platform that approached me, that I am
partnering with, will make it possible for a
producer or an up-andcoming musician in
any part of the country to reach Davido or
myself. All you need to do is to follow
descriptions.
Some people have money to pay for
collaborations but they cannot find the
artiste, some people have beautiful songs
but they don’t have videos and some have
nowhere to perform their songs. Immediately
I heard about this structure I was excited
about it.
D’banj performing recently at NEC LIVE
There is no point fooling one another; record
labels in Nigeria died after Mo’ Hits. I am
saying the truth; there is no record label
again.
Any artiste that buys a laptop, produces a
song and manages to get his uncle to pay
for the video could as well call himself a
record label owner. A record label must have
distribution channels in place.
Are you still not looking into marriage?
Who says I am not married? I am not
married but if I want to I would do it
secretly. I am tired of people asking me that
question; it is my life.
Getting married won’t change my music or
anything and I am not trying to get married
so as to enter another phase in my life. My
wife d o e s n ’ t n e e d fame; my fame is e
n o u g h for the w h o l e family.
0 comments:
Post a Comment