How Bangalee has stayed relevant for 12 years and counting

D’banj is releasing a new album soon titled And although numerous people aren’t shaking all over for the project, everyone has sat up and taken notice of the singer’s new project. He is constantly in the news, his fans are supporting and the countdown to the project is on.

And all these are happening naturally. D’banj is one of those artists with very limited PR and social media team. Look across the music industry towards many of the artists who started out with him, and you can point out only few who still enjoy any sort of attention, or command the relevance that D’banj has right now.

We all know the D’banj story and how he built Mo’Hits records with Don Jazzy. All the stories surrounding their rise, success and eventual breakup has been covered. This article deals with his post Mo’Hits evolution and how he has been able to fight and maintain his position at the top of the music industry.

Isn’t this the D’banj that everyone says is finished musically? How is his name still dominating the conversations around pop music, the culture and generally anything in the music industry?

Dapo Oyebanjo has combined talent with a series of incredibly savvy moves over the years. Perhaps the biggest secret to his success is the specter of failure that looms right across the room, if he fails to act. Add that to his paranoia that Don Jazzy and his crew are coming to get him, and you have an overworking man. Who is out to prove to doubters that he can be a success beyond Don Jazzy.

There are many ways in which he has gone about it. Public opinion on D’banj has it that he's musically past his peak. And there’s some truth in that. Bangalee is far from the chart-topper who reigned at the top of the charts. That position is left for the kids (Wizkid and Davido) to occupy these days.

When D’banj left Mo’Hits and accepted a deal with Kanye West and GOOD Music, he was extremely relevant musically. ‘Oliver Twist’ had just hit its international peak, and everyone was connected to the music. Kanye West, (yes, Kanye West showed up in the video). The deal later fell through, and D’banj was released by the label, but he has found new ways to work around that.

Musically, where he has failed to attract the ears of the public, he had maintained interest with gimmicks and big collaborations. Big Sean, Snoop Dog, Idris Elba, and Kanye West have records with D’banj since he left Mo’Hits. He has also brought Amber Rose to party in Lagos. By doing this he has maintained his press presence and kept his name flying in the highest circles.

Musically, he also had hits. He dined out many nights on ‘Feeling the nigga’, which had a remix with Akon. D’banj snaked himself into the remix of ‘Oritsefemi’s ‘Double wahala’. ‘Top of the world’ was performed at the 2013 Africa Cup Of Nations closing ceremony. While ‘Emergency’ gave him a renewed vigor which attracted tech Retail Company, SLOT.

Since his departure from Mo’Hits, he has had one compilation album “D’Kings Men,” and an EP titled “An Epic Journey.”

As a business man, D’banj has leveraged on the strength of his brand to work with Beats, Ciroc, Bank Of Industry, GLO and many others. He is currently partnering with MTN and Bank Of Industry for a content creation and talent discovery platform named ‘CREAM’.

He also hasn’t left out humanitarian causes. He owns an NGO, Koko Foundation For Youth and Peace Development. He is also Nigeria's first United Nations Youth Ambassador for Peace. Dbanj is a ONE campaign ambassador; he released the song "Cocoa Na Chocolate" in support of agriculture investments. 'Cocoa Na Chocolate' featured 18 other African artists and won Best African Collaboration at the All Africa Music Awards in 2014.

In 2015, he was applauded by World Bank Chief, Jim Yong Kim for using his music power and high celebrity status to bringing attention to serious and critical issues in Africa with special focus on agriculture and poverty alleviation. Jim Yong Kim was quoted saying that "I had the pleasure of meeting D’banj last month and seeing him perform. I’m thrilled he is the first artists to take part in our new Music4Dev series encouraging global artist to raise awareness about poverty and related issues."

No matter the odds, D’banj has managed to keep it all together, grow older, and remain relevant. And now he is returning with his first solo album since Don Jazzy was still his partner, and teasing a project that has everyone talking and ready to engage.

“King Don Come” album will hit the markets on Friday July 17, 2017. It’s a new level and artistry for D’banj, and trust me, no matter the quality of the music on display, you can be sure to know that it will dominate conversations across the continent.