D’Banj Super Exclusive: How We Got Kanye West Deal + US Project Will cost $3M!

By Osagie Alonge

It might have started with a tweet from Mo’Hits Records C.E.O Don Jazzy but now two record labels from two different continents have signed deals and are making power moves. Yes, if you have been sleeping for the last one week, let’s do you the favour by letting you know that US rapper Kanye West has signed the Mo’Hits crew to his G.O.O.D Music record label.

Some snorted at the news, calling it another cheap publicity shot, some faithfuls stuck with the Mo’Hits camp while some still remained sceptical because we all were yet to get confirmation. But things changed when group pictures of both camps surfaced online. The ‘doubting Thomas’’ crawled into their shells…
To buttress their point, the Mo’Hits crew organized a press conference which was held yesterday Thursday, June 16, 2011 at Koko Lounge 3rd Floor E-Centre 1-11 Commercial Avenue, Yaba, Lagos.

This is what went down:

The press conference was meant to commence at 11AM and by 10:30AM, banners and sound equipment were already being set up. By 11AM, the gentlemen of the press started trooping in but the Mo’Hits crew or management were nowhere to be found. I guess it’s safe to say they were observing the ‘African time’ rule. With nothing much to do, the journalist chatted with up old colleagues and made acquaintances with new ones while they got accredited.

By 1:05PM, D’Prince, Wande Coal and Dr. SID stepped into the building and got themselves seated at the makeshift conference table which had only five seats – meaning that D’banj and Don Jazzy where ones yet to arrive. By 1:13, D’banj walked into the lounge, followed by music video director Sesan Ogundairo. The Entertainer, who was dressed in a white t-shirt and blue jeans, immediately apologized to all who had been waiting and hurriedly took his seat. By 1:13 Don Jazzy dressed in a simple Navy blue shirt and light blue African print pants and black slippers strolled in with his other brother Jame. Mr. Ogbonnaya Amadi, entertainment editor at the Vanguard Newspaper gave an opening prayer and the ball was set rolling…

D’banj took everyone on a time travel; back to when his career kicked off in Nigeria; how he met his manager Sunday Are at the Beenie Man concert in 2004 and the next year released his debut album ‘No long thing’ under the newly floated record label Mo’Hits Records which he set up with his producer/business partner Don Jazzy. How they went on to sign, Dr. SID, Wande Coal, D’Prince and Kay Switch.

Moving on to more current things, he explained that he and Don Jazzy met Kanye West in November, 2010 at the Dubai International airport and played the remix to ‘Mr Endowed’ which featured fellow US rapper Snoop Dogg. Kanye who gave them 30 minutes chance to prove themselves was quite impressed with the music and asked them fly over to New York.

‘Now that we have bridged the gap, the likes of Wizkid, M.I and PSquare can make major move too. I would like to see 2face on Akon’s Konvict Records’, D’banj said.

D’banj announced that a video clip was going to be played, and soon enough the lights were dimmed and the video came on; 10 seconds into the video, D’banj who looked slightly irritated, instructed Sesan who was in charge of the visuals, to stop and replay the video, this time with a higher volume.

If anyone still had any strand of doubt about the G.O.O.D Music/Mo’Hits signing, it would totally vanish after one watched the video clip. It showed Kanye West, Jay Z, G.O.O.D Music’s Kid Cudi and Pusha T, D’Banj, Don Jazzy along with  bunch of label execs in a room witnessing Kanye sign a document which he passed on to a lady to verify then D’banj signed. D’banj was particular about the camera picking up the document that he spread it right in front for everybody to see, a subtle Don jazzy stood beside emotionless as usual. After then, the video phased into the same scenario but with D’Banj’s ‘Scapegoat’ single playing in the background; Kanye was reciting the lyrics of the song, smiling to his signee and now D’banj’s label mate Pusha T while the latter nodded in agreement. Later on D’prince’s ‘Give it to me’ came on and that got Kanye really moving in his seat. It is official; all doubts have now been thrown out of the window.

Next was a question and answer session which was moderated by Ogbonnaya Amadi:

Would you be staying in Lagos or relocating to New York since you have been signed to a US based record label?

D’banj: Living in the US? It’s Lagos straight to JFK for me! I’ll be spending time properly in US. Don Jazzy will be producing for G.O.O.D music. I have two months more to complete the album. You are going to hear song with 2face and Wande Coal on it.

Where all Mo’hits signed to G.O.O.D Music or is it just D’banj and Don Jazzy?

Don Jazzy: For them to sign Don Jazzy and D’banj, they’ve signed the whole of Africa. G.O.O.D Music has an idea that there’s a Mo’hits crew, its Mo’Hits/ G.O.O.D Music deal. They won’t be touching our style or music. We have our own money, lawyers, Jewish lawyers. We are not hungry, Mo’Hits is sponsoring themselves. D’banj’s project is going to cost us 3 million Dollars.

What’s the duration of your contract?

Don jazzy: It has no duration

Will G.O.O.D Music be handling other Mo’Hits’ franchises like Koko Mobile?

D’Banj: No, G.O.O.D Music will only be handling music; it’s not a 360 deal. They will not be touching my Kokomobile or taking over Koko Lounge. By the way, we will be opening Koko Lounge 2 on the Island very soon.

Will Mo’Hits be signing any artiste in the nearest future?

Don Jazzy: If there is time, we would like to sign a first lady of Mo’Hits, we are looking at this year or early next year.

D’Banj: We will be staging Koko Mansion season 2 but this time will not be to find the ideal woman but to search for the First Lady of the Mo’Hits crew.

There is a forthcoming collaborative album ‘Watch The Throne’ by Jay Z and Kanye West, will D’banj be featuring on it and/or Don Jazzy producing?

Don Jazzy: Over 50 songs have been recorded for the project and I won’t want to say what we have done will make the final cut so let’s just wait the album is out.

D’banj, now that you have broken into the international market, will your clothing style or brand change?

I’ll still be sticking with my very good designer friends, the Okunoren twins. I will also go with the flow, anything that looks good, I’ll be wearing.

Watch Video Of D’Banj, Don Jazzy, Kanye West Signing below: