Singer's record label currently lacks a direction

D’banj is having a personal renaissance this year, His song ‘Emergency’ has placed him on the good sides of music lovers, with a great video out, and more deals coming through. He has also released a new song ‘Breaking News’, and ‘opted’ not to renew his brand endorsement deal with vodka brand, Cïroc.

While his personal brand affairs are in ship-shape and clean, the opposite is true for his record label. DB Records, which prior to the start of the New Year housed a music collective made up of Tonto Dikeh, 2kriss, Kayswitch, Producer DeeVee and some staff has been decimated by exits and a lack of direction.

First to announce departure was Tonto Dikeh. The new mother and wife of Billionaire, Churchill, has taken time out from Nigerian entertainment to chase personal fulfillment, thereby leaving her music, which is an extension of her main craft (Acting). On her return to Nigeria after the delivery of her son in the US, Tonto’s first interview stated clearly that she is done with DB Records.

“"D’Banj is a very sweet person, I think he is one of the best people I’ve I known on earth and that is no joke. I love him so much, he is my brother. But not businesswise. We just couldn’t work it out businesswise. We couldn’t do that,” She said.

D’banj has also concurred, confirming her departure. " can stand alone because she is very talented, they are all big brands and from their looks, you know they have great talents.” D’banj revealed. "Also, when a woman is married, it is a different ball game. I have not seen her since the marriage and of course, now she has a child. She has been out of the country and I would say to you that the last thing she said to me was that she wanted to work on her foundation. I believe when she comes back, she would take some decisions.”

Tonto Dikeh’s exit from the label grabbed the headlines, but it is not as important as that of long-time producer, DeeVee. While Tonto gave the label more press time, and polarized opinions on all fronts, all she ever played in the house is a bit-part role. Having no huge significance to the record label. DeeVee is the reverse of that. He almost gets no spotlight, but contributed heavily to the sonic identity of the group. It is DeeVee who handled production for the acts and managed their singing talents.

His exit has created a hole in the heart of the group, which has made D’banj switch up his entire business model. His ‘Emergency’ single was produced by a relatively unknown man, P-Loops, who gave him the beat by proxy. DeeVee’s exit rocked the core of the record label, prompting D’banj to adopt a nomadic approach to running the label.

You can’t continue the same the same thing and expect a different result,” D’banj said. “The people that produce the kind of songs right now, you don’t have to be signed to me, to produce for me, or you don’t have to be on the road with me. So let’s stop that mindset. You can do your hit and send it to anybody.”

“Everybody is working, I have sent everybody out. Everybody go and work from your lungu (slang for house). It’s because a lot of people box you into a corner. Because I do a collaboration with you, doesn’t mean you are my artiste. Because I say I want to sign you as an artiste does not mean I am the one that is going to give you the hit. I am not a producer.

“My job here is to use my brand and my structure to make sure that whatever content you can give us is properly monetized and or properly managed. Immediately I found this sound (‘Emergency’) from different producers, that I never met, it was my decision to say ‘guys, I think it’s good for everybody to go and search your inner selves. We have what it takes right now, everybody is waiting for us, let’s get different things. Go and work with A, B, C….bring beat, put it in, let’s turn it into a hit, so that we can use this beat well.’

“At the end of the day, you can continue to try the same thing, and expect a different result. I have tested it with just one single, and I can gyarantee you that what we’ve done from January, sending everybody out to go and work, what you are going to get is going to be pure, authenticated…you are going to search, tap, partner, align, and get the hit out.

With this new approach, there has been no music from any act under DB Records. 2kriss, made up of RalphKriss and MossKriss, are yet to drop a single in 2016. Neither has Kayswitch who is missing in action. The new system put in place by D’banj, while appearing to promote individuality on paper, will backfire practically. Throwing your signed acts to the world, with no support in the creation of content, and no mentorship, shows very little consideration for a number of elements. Where is the camaderie needed for a team to create earth-shattering content? Where the creative input and atmosphere for synergy is that working together brings? How will the creation of content be supervised, managed, A&R-ed and upgraded?

At the moment, there is no public cohesion from the DB Records. Everyone seems to have fallen away, with D’banj, working only, on his personal projects. There have also been no signs by any partyu affiliated from the label to bring them all together for a project.

What’s next for them? I fear there might be no ‘next’.