By Victoria Ige

When two elephants fight, it is usually the grass that suffers. And, as feuding partners Don Jazzy and D’banj are throwing every weapon in the arsenal at each other, while individually plotting what their post Mo’Hits career will look like, their ‘boys’ – Wande Coal, DR SID, D’Prince and Kay Switch – are beyond troubled, wondering what tomorrow holds for them and their careers.

We’ve been told by those familiar with the Mo’Hits situation that neither D’banj nor Don Jazzy plan to continue with the brand name or label structure. Don Jazzy has already announced he’s setting up a new label, while those close to D’banj say he’s planning to continue his operation using his Koko Holdings. Camps are already forming, as expected. Reports say Ikechukwu, (who’s not officially signed to Mo’Hits) and Kay Switch are D’banj loyalists, while the rest of the team are pro Don Jazzy. SID in particular, according to one source ‘couldn’t wait take sides with Don Jazzy’. We’re told he and D’banj have disagreed several times over many issues, and he had already considered leaving the label at different times.

However, no one is sure what the future holds. Will D’banj and Don Jazzy automatically take their individual supporters on their new labels or not? Would existing Mo’Hits contracts allow that?

With no one now running Mo’Hits, experts say Wande Coal, Dr SID and others could free themselves of contractual obligations if they can prove legally that the label has run into troubled waters and is thus unable to meet contractual obligations. But this could also prove to be a long route.

Apart from D’banj, no other Mo’Hits talent has more than one album. Wande’s ‘Mushin 2 Mohits’ was released in 2009 after what seemed like a long wait. His second album has been anticipated for some time now. It looked like it was just around the corner, but now the Mo’Hits break-up has put a full stop to its coming.

Dr. SID, whose career suffered a setback after his first label Trybe Records was temporarily rested, found a home in Mo’Hits – where Don Jazzy helped redefine his sound. It took forever for his debut album to come, although when it did, it proved it was worth the wait. D’Prince has recorded major hits within the past two years, but he was still waiting patiently, just like Kay Switch, for his turn to debut.

Those familiar with the Mo’Hits model know the key word was ‘patience’. ‘You had to patiently wait for your time. That time when Don Jazzy is ready for you and all the attention is on making and pushing your work’, an insider tells us.

But one major problem: D’Banj, who was Vice President, never wanted Don Jazzy, or the label’s full attention to veer off him.  ‘Wande Coal has been due for another album since, but D’Banj wanted his to come out first’ a source tells us. ‘You remember when there were rumours Wande was leaving Mo’Hits? You think all those rumours were unfounded? Of course not. The boy was unhappy, as were most of those guys on the label. But it was typical of Jazzy to calm everyone down and look at the bigger picture…

We could not immediately get comments from any of the Mo’Hits acts. When our reporter got through to Dr SID’s mobile phone, he refused to comment; saying  ‘I’m in a meeting now, and heading to a show after this. Please call back later…’

MO’HITS STARS: WHERE THEY STAND

WANDE COAL: The gifted singer will probably be the biggest beneficiary of the Mo’Hits break up. Talented to a fault, and loved by many, he’s actually not been able to shine as bright as he should, no thanks to a protracted stay in D’banj’s shadow. Even as an A-list singer, he would often back up or open for D’banj. The future could mean he’ll now be free to fly solo, and determine the stature his brand would assume. It could prove easier if he pitches his tent with Don Jazzy

DR SID: This is the second time Sidney Esiri would be needing to restart his career due to label troubles. He was slowed down for years, after the Trybe Record/ Da Trybe split. And now, just when he’s started to make it big, his label honchos at Mo’Hits are calling it quits. Tricky situation, especially for a rapper who’s become a singer, owing to his label’s A&R strategy…

D’PRINCE: Don Jazzy is committed to pushing D’Prince, insiders say. So even though his album could suffer further delays, it’ll definitely happen. If legal issues prevent his brother Don Jazzy from signing him, he’ll still support him by the side, with production and funding – if necessary.

KAY-SWITCH: Kay-switch is D’banj’s younger brother, and the least accomplished (and, some say, the least talented) of the Mo’hits All Stars. Before this situation, he was patiently waiting for his turn. Now, he will have to look up to elder brother D’Banj to ensure he has a career. D’Banj will be happy to support his brother, especially with their mother being a major player. But how soon that will happen, no one knows