By Alex Macpherson
As he’s the figurehead of Nigerian Afrobeats, it feels appropriate that D’Banj’s debut UK headline show takes place on the final day of the Notting Hill carnival. Alongside the usual dancehall and soca, a good proportion of the anthems that fuelled this year’s sound systems and floats are the hits that have propelled the rise of Afrobeats in the UK: Atumpan‘s The Thing, Ice Prince‘s Oleku and, of course, D’Banj‘s own Oliver Twist, a song of such popular reach that it even made it on to EastEnders.
Keeping that carnival spirit going is D’Banj’s MO tonight, as is that of a significant proportion of the audience, who have hotfooted it down the road from the carnival. As an entertainer, D’Banj treads the line between suave and rambunctious with ease: his dapper yellow-lapelled blazer is swiftly shed as he starts to rival his own dancers in snake-hipped, low-grinding ability, and the gold chain follows as he plunges off stage for a spot of crowd-surfing. By the show’s climax, D’Banj is half-naked and essaying moves that seem to refer mostly to the title of his forthcoming album, Mr Endowed.
After a late entrance compounded by technical difficulties leaves the crowd slightly restless, D’Banj may feel putting that level of work in is necessary – but it transpires that the music does the trick just as well. ‘This is not a fluke,’ he announces midway through the show, perhaps mindful that not everyone present is aware of his seven-year career before Oliver Twist. Tonight, though, his older material goes down almost as well, from the call-and-response of Why Me to the lovelorn Scapegoat, and D’Banj bridges the gap between his more lilting, organic songs and his recent tougher, trancier dance-floor anthems with ease. His between-song patter has a tendency to ramble, but the show’s culmination in Oliver Twist is stellar proof that an international hit can be engineered with ease if based around a resonant, inarguable statement such as ‘I like Beyoncé‘.
Photo credit: Christie Goodwin|Redferns|Getty Images
13 comments
sorry for u. no hit for u without DON BABA J.
Na you be God
I wonder why there are a lot of haters on Dbanj and if you come to see who the young man that made the comment about no HIT for him without Donjazzy, you will see he has no life even for himself.
My Brother, learn to appreciate other pple’s achievement so that you can also grow in life.
Don Jazzy is not a musician and there are better producers than him in Nigeria because the likes of Jsleek has produced many hits with different artists and just because names are not mentioned do not make them any less better.
Show some sense on a social media.
Regards
@biodun thanks my broda ur comment really make sense. Don jazzy aint d best in nigeria,where will u put jsleek, mastercraft & oda gud producers in nigeria? Abi na djazzy dey produce for psquare,tuface,wizkid,9ice & oda gud singer wey make dem one of d bst? Not mentioning oda producer’s names doesnt make them unqualified. We should be reasoning wisely pls! Why e go be no djazzy,no dbanj ? Djazzy be God? Abi e b him papa? I appreciate & am happy for pple doing great! More power to ur elbow dbanj, more blessing! Haters get ur fhuck to hell!
@Bodun and Tee whye,as iiiin…..The Almighty Allah would continue to bless ur souls and increase u guys wisdom.U guys have made my day so much.
@Bodun,pls my darling do urself a favour by not giving urself headache over these haters of D’banj otherwise known as SADISTS!!!Trust me,as much as u think he has many haters nowadays,my dear u,teewhye,myself and so many others are lovers of D’banj and our likes wld continue to neutralize their poisonous venoms towards D’banj.
Hey, why una dey vex b’coz koko masta don fly? Who b don jazzy? Him fit produce pass samklèf, dj klef, masta kraft, i d cabasa, ty mix? Abeg, stop dis bullshit by hating on d’banj, he is at top nw and he wil neva fall. Fuck all haterz
f**k this dude joor,he go dey spend moni and he no fit give debie cancer patient moni,tanks to davido and others,dbanj na fake dude
e no fit help shey be na person give debie cancer patient moni,tanks to davido and others f**k dbanj joor
To all Dbanj Haters! Chop s**t. You keep saying without Don Jazzy, Dbanj is nothing and it makes you stink. Look at this year’s Headies Award at the ‘Group of Best Producers’, why was Don Jazzy left out this year? Just because he didn’t produce D’banj Songs.
You think all those Wande Coal, D’Prince, Dr Sid are recognized? They’re all just talents while D’banj is the STAR. “Without the STAR element, talent is meaningless”.
Think about this: His ‘Oliver Twist’ song is the first African song to travel around all the continents of the World, climbing up to the Top10 in UK within the first week. I am living in Dubai, Dbanj is the only Africa Pop artiste being played on Arabic Radio so far (U can check http://virginradiodubai.com/page/Hot_New_Hit%3A_D%26%23039%3BBanj_-_Oliver_Twist/1111 ). Shey na ‘Mogbe, moku mida ran’ na hin Oyinbo go dey hear abi ‘Take Banana till U go Yo’ or ‘All i have to say is Yolo’… Dbanj please ride on and to all haters. Go get a life and Stop Beefing “OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSHEYYYYY’.
Scarface Lomo Koko Master…. Lebete Labata Oliver Twist #TeamDbanj
And U talkin of givin He didn’t give Debbie Money,is it by Force to give someone Money? Nigerians lets be realistic sometimes; U will be fightin someone for not givin out His Money when He’s not Owin U? Does this make any sense at all? Moreover Dbanj was in UK for a Big show when Debbie case cum to limelight and u expect him to come back because of Someone? Just Imagine if he’s your Brother,U also knw U’re jux beefing meaninglessly… Ahahaha Nigeria with our way of thinkin… If U like give out your Money,If i don’t like I don’t give out my Money..As a literate person this doesn’t bring about Hatred… When U’re shouting of Dbanj,We have President,Debbie state they have Governor,We have Dangote,We have Adenuga why must U mention Dbanj? Abeg U no get Point jor
It’s kindof 4nny dt som pple @ ds present age donot appreciate sucess..if dbanj’s success is givin Ɣ☺u headache,go ‘urg’ transformer….dbanj is a pride.. Ąπϑ d same tin goed †̥ mikel obi also…ahahahahahaah..’Stop bn jealous’..wait 4 Ųя tym
It’s kindof 4nny dt som pple @ ds present age donot appreciate sucess..if dbanj’s success is givin Ɣ☺u headache,go ‘urg’ transformer….dbanj is a pride.. Ąπϑ d same tin goes †̥ mikel obi also…ahahahahahaah..’Stop bn jealous’..wait 4 Ųя tym
D’banj still on top of his game. Haters should go to hell. Tweet @iamdsam 2go @iamsammy