By Osagie Alonge and Joseph Akahome
It’s official. All the speculations and rumours, fuelled by reports of the supposed feud between Mo’Hits producer extraordinaire Don Jazzy and Koko master D’banj, can finally be laid to rest. The once enviable and highly admired partnership between the seemingly inseparable pair is now a subject of Nigerian musical history.
This much was revealed by Don Jazzy himself on Saturday, March 17, 2012, via popular micro blogging site, Twitter. After apologizing for his long absence on the site, he tweeted the following:
‘It is with a heavy heart I announce the end of a long era and the beginning of a new one. Some of the rumours you have all heard are sad but true… and to end the old era I will be donating the proceeds of my production catalogue from day 1 till date to 5 charity organizations. Thanks. IDJA’.
NET also gathered that the prolific producer and Mo’Hits president has symbolically ended the nine year partnership by moving out of the Lekki mansion he once shared with D’banj for a new pad in NICON Estate, around the peninsula.
D’banj, on the other hand, has reportedly relocated, at least for now, to the US. Last week, he made a brief and very secret visit to the country apparently to put a few things in order. Up till D’banj boarded his return flight to the United States on Friday, March 16, 2012, we’re told the pair did not meet, despite desperate efforts by close friends to bring them together.
Things have now gone beyond reconciliation, with both parties already setting in gear preparations to float separate record labels; leaving friends, fans and followers in shock and confusion, and an entire industry sad. We’ve confirmed that D’banj is looking at starting his KOKO Music, another subsidiary of his KOKO Ventures, while Don Jazzy will follow suit with his own label, which remains unnamed for now. Both acts are to continue their separate deals with G.O.O.D. Music.
The question now is: what becomes of the rest of the Mo’Hits clan – Dr SID, Wande Coal, D’Prince and Kay Switch? Apparently, for them to move on, both label heads have to reach an agreement as to how to wind down their contracts. The acts are unsure of where their careers are going at this point.
Apart from Don Jazzy who spoke out through his Twitter page, Saturday, no one is speaking officially on the situation. But several insiders have told us the situation is ‘worse than you can ever imagine’; claiming ‘Dr SID, D’banj’s mom, ego, money and gossips are key factors responsible for the brouhaha’.
‘There have been cracks in Mo’Hits for some time, not just between D’banj and Jazzy, but even within the acts and so many other issues. It was only a matter of time before things completely collapse’, said a source who worked with the label until last year. ‘It’s sad to see things turn out this way, because theirs was a winning formula. But I knew it was always going to happen’, concluded the source who asked not to be named.
Over the weekend, D’banj released the highly anticipated video to his monster Don Jazzy-produced single ‘Oliver’. Directed by usual suspect Sesan Ogunro (who has become the official Mo’Hits media expert) it doesn’t feature any Mo’Hits artists, but his G.O.O.D Music colleagues Big Sean, Pusha T and label boss Kanye West himself, are prominent. Kanye is seen at the end at D’banj’s side, a position once occupied by Don Jazzy. Welcome to the post Mo’Hits era.
HOW THEY MET
Everyone knows their story – how Don Jazzy was a musician with the Solek Crew, and D’banj, a wannabe artiste who eagerly wanted to be heard. As members of JJC’s 419 Squad based in London, they rolled and performed together, waiting for the big break.
After a couple of major awards and signs of promise, they left JJC’s squad after refusing to sign a contract with his Backbone Music. It remains uncertain who convinced who, but the pair agreed on a partnership and would soon move back to Nigeria…
REAL REASONS FOR BREAK UP: No one can say for sure that there’s one main reason the hitherto inseparable partners are breaking up. We’ve been told it’s ‘more complicated than anyone can imagine’, with many talking about issues ranging from women and money, to breach of trust, ego, and outside influence
THOSE WHO INTERVENED: There are several people who wanted to make sure the Mo’Hits partnership never went down. Many influential Nigerians, within and outside the entertainment industry allegedly waged in, hoping to nip the crisis in the bud and save what many have referred to as the most successful music industry partnership of this generation. From Lagos to Abuja and New York, mutual friends and associates – including one Mo’Hits investor, and Don Jazzy’s father – worked the phones and made desperate moves, but it all came to naught…
WHO OWNS MO’HITS?: That’s the million Naira question. Following D’banj’s controversial Ebony interview, and Don Jazzy’s announcement of the end of a long era and the beginning of a new one, many are now desperate to find out what the CAC documents on Mo’Hits actually say. The company’s website credits Don Jazzy as founder and CEO, even the Mo’Hits logo carries Jazzy’s signature walking stick – but could a coup have happened?
FULL MO’HITS DISCOGRAPHY
D’banj – No Long Thing (2005)
Singles – Tongolo, Socor, Mobolowowon
D’banj – Rundown/Funk You Up (2006)
Singles – Why Me, Run Down,
D’banj – Anaconda (2007)
Singles – Anaconda, Jasi, No long thing
Mo’ Hits All Stars – Curriculum Vitae (CV) (2007)
Move your body, Booty Call, Pere, Close to you,
D’banj – The Entertainer (2008)
Singles – Mo gbona feli feli, Igwe, Olorun Maje, Suddenly, Fall In Love, Kimon
Wande Coal – Mushin2Mohits (2008)
Singles – Ololufe, Taboo, Ten Ten, Bumper to bumper, You Bad, Who Born The Maga, Bananas
Dr SID – Turning Point (2010)
Singles – Over the Moon ft Kay Switch, Something about You, Winchi Winchi ft Wande Coal, Pop something ft D’banj, Ba Mi Jo ft Ikechukwu, M.I, eLDee
D’banj – Mr Endowed (Unreleased)
Singles – Mr Endowed, Mr Endowed ft Snoop Dogg, Scape Goat, Oliver
25 comments
So sad, ow I wish it,s not true bt I pray 4 God,s intervention on this case
Only God knows what realy went wrong between them. It’s realy sad to see dat d almighty mo’hits has suddenly fallen. This is a typical handwork of d devil.
I can’t believe dis is happenin.misunderstandin,yes it ll always happen,but I neva expected it ll cum 2 dis.pls guyz,if u must part ways,which ll happen 1 day,part as best of frnds,wish u all d best
That’s life 4u no long thing life goes on.
hmmmmmmm.
dis is really serious. am not taking sides plz but even a five year old knows don jazzyz due to d outstanding mentioning of his name in most of mohits singles.
seriouly i lllllliiiiiiiiikkkkkkkkkeeeeeee and love done jazzy for his humility.
i wish he could see dis postto read.
To my special don papa baba J, abeg no vex just continue, d hits will still come wen u sit on dat chair to drop d beats. yours in d same working yard. remain calm and do d beats. no be food u d find to chop wey u dey work? u will have enough dat sombody will ask u for a spoon.
can it b true or are we being fooled nd if it is then i would say this year is realy d begining of a new musical era in nigeria so alot should b xpected.
As at yesterday D’banj is still in the country….. A friend of mine took pix wit him at a chairmans private party.. So don’t know where u guyz got d news from that he’s outside d country!
Pray all dis shits happening are just dreamz..wanna wake up n hear dis no more….mohits 4 lyf…..
@kaycee,u shldn’t be surprised.Don’t forget that many of these stories are fabricated.Probably just abt 40percent may be true.@A.Y classic,i appreciate that u like or better still,love Don Jazzy but hey,D’banj equally has his own great qualities.A more outspoken person may even be better than the silent and/or quiet ones.All in one,i wish both D’banj and Don Jazzy unending success and like someone said,its probably the work of the devil ‘cos i can’t comprehend y this shld be happening now when these guys have hit serious mega deals.@adicious,me dear there was more to that statement by D’banj during the Ebony interview as per claiming ownership of Mo’hits.There’s much more to it.Many things triggered that statement,many just don’t understand.
Hey Guyz, i didn’t expect that from u as at this moment, I thought only death can part u two, but only God knows what He have in mind, but my prayer to u is dat may God join u and retaliate who ever is the cause of this seperation… As for u A.Y Classic, u shouldn’t say u like Don Jazzy, just say u like Mo’Hits
Dis is really confusing cuz if u chek, d way dey always lookd and went abt der tin nobody wud have eva imagind dis wud happen one day, cud dis b bcuz of der new patnership wit kanye cuz even tho dey are not in agreement dey both are still very well in touch wit kanye its a shame. Kanye is rumord wit d illuminati probably dis cud b d meanin of dbanjs song oliva twist. Any hw sha dbanj jazi kanye rumor tru or not I luv u guys keep makin gud music
It is so evident that DonJazzy cooks the beats for there to be a debanj so i can authoritatively tell us that DonBaba J. can always cook up beats to make a better Dbanj someday, its only going to be painful cuz he must be feeling backstabbed like every other human will do. That is to tell us that we should study the word FRI-END…..The first three letters rep to be together while the last three words speak for itself, Life is so misterious that you wake up one morning to see a friend become ur no. 1 enemy….Donbaba J. You still got ur fans behind u man, wake up and show the world that you owned the original creativity!!!!
Seriozly i blv its d ‘u-knw-who’ dat r tryin 2 cum 2 Nigeria n dey r usin dbanj…av cin d video n it wz mindblowin 2uo K.W. lukd fat in d cheek n dbanj lukd frisky. I jst luv d competition*kudos*
Seriozly i blv its d ‘u-knw-who’ dat r tryin 2 cum 2 Nigeria n dey r usin dbanj…av cin d video n it wz mindblowin 2uo K.W. lukd fat in d face n dbanj lukd frisky. I jst luv d competition*kudos*
Yeah such tin is goin 2 happen since dey decide 2 join d ILUMINATY GROU MUSIC …..1 cnt turn 2 God almighty n find peace in his lyf…go punish dem if na true bcox dey rilly break my heart wit dat rumour cox i luv dem so much.
don baba j u r d best…wit ur beats nd ur creativity u created d ingrate d’banj. I believe wit dat same beats nd creativity u can creat a better d’banj…cos we upcumin act so desired to work unda ur record label…long live mohit’s! Long lives Don jazzy!! IDJA!!!
My name is judex am an artist in lagos maftown,i deals with raping and commercial even rnb,am praying to god to lift me upbecos for now i have no manager or sponsorer for now and dat is part of what am praying for,and plz if u help me for dis i will be very grateful.thanks
It ws so unbelievable hearng about d seperatn bt DJ and DB. B4 u guys seperat, ask urselves wat wuld hapen 2 mohits & those ther. Don’t think about urselves alone. Rememba dat 2 good heads ar beta dan 1. I stil love mohits!
d banj u fumble 4 doing d vidieo without don jazzy u should have left d video undone if don jazzy do not want 2 take place
So painful,since u guyz ar fightin 4 equality,den tel me who ll bring justice b/w u?d fact iz dt Mo-hit remain nw n neva,back ward never,so chil ldown n realize d pains ur sefz 2 avoid blesed name condemnation.
Wow! Its so sad that they parted ways at their peak, but hey, what goes around will alwaz come back around.
Is a great shocked hearing this bad news in MO‘HIT LABEL but,your best friend today may be your worst enemy tommorrow…..
y…! Dz @ dz tym..? Am sure GOD knws d bst…. Lnglyf live mo hit fans..
Wetin happen be zay,dbanj no won gree say d j na baba