Sequel to the break up between Don Jazzy and Koko Master D Banj, I don't know if you've read this article by Chi Ibe of Ynaija. If you're Don Jazzy fan, you may hate this...
Okay, first let me say I am firmly #TeamDonJazzy. Well, not really. I
am #TeamMoHits. But if (perhaps, when?) D’banj and Don Jazzy do finally
– officially – break up, I am unquestionably #TeamDonJazzy. So,
understandably, now that he is being played as the underdog in the
unfolding drama over a rumoured split, I find myself taking his side.
But that’s just emotions. When it comes down to the cold, hard
numbers – who stands to lose the most if the two partners split? I say
Don Jazzy, and I have my reasons below.
1. D'banj has Kanye (at least as far as the eyes can see)
Going by the release of today’s Oliver Twist, we are at least certain
that D’banj is still in cahoots with the almighty, Kanye West. Do you
really think he can lose with the mystique and power of Kanye behind him
– will Kanye allow his latest African experiment fail? I doubt it
seriously.
2. D’banj is the performer
People always forget that the love that fans have for performers is
strong even if the performers screw up – reference everyone from Michael
Jackson to Whitney Houston. Check this out – 9ice allegedly cheated on
his wife, betrayed the friend that discovered him and abandoned his
producer, but do his fans love him less? Hell no. The day after the
disastrous Sahara Reporters interview, did D’banj have a sold out
concert in New York no matter what anyone, including YNaija said? Hell yeah! Morale? As long as he continues to give the public the ‘Koko’, it is fine – and D’banj has it.
3. Don Jazzy’s losing it
Don Jazzy’s biggest power is his mystique. Over the past three months it has steadily gone. There is that weird interview with Genevieve magazine, there’s the even weirder interview with Hip Hop World Magazine, where
he appeared to diss rappers and then ran to his website to give a
watery apology. Then there was his limpy Jonathan repudiation and his When-I-speak-they-read-it-in-Aso-Rock
nonsense. Then there’s the fact that he is attending too many events,
and worse off: that forgettable live performance with Tiwa Savage. Don
Jazzy, backing up Tiwa?! Without D’banj by his side in any of these –
the superstar power from which he feeds off – Don Jazzy has only been
diminished.
4. Dbanj is also an astute businessman
The big mistake we’ve made is to stereotype D’banj. We’ve always
assumed he is the entertainer and Don Jazzy is the entrepreneur, but is
that truly the case? No. Insiders will tell you that just the same way
Don Jazzy has multitasked as Producer-and-Businessman, D’banj has also
multitasked as Performer-and-Businessman. It’s a mistake people also
make with Chocolate City and EME where they think MI and Banky don’t
know the business. Not true. Those guys get the business – and D’banj is
no pushover.
5. Was Don Jazzy really the boss?
So yes, in the public eye, every time D’banj wanted to say something,
he had to first have Don Jazzy whisper into his ears, so he just had to
be Don Jazzy’s boy, right? Oh please. Do you really think Don Jazzy was
telling him anything they hadn’t already discussed and rehearsed at
home? It’s show-business! It’s an act! D’banj wasn’t Don Jazzy’s boy –
they were business partners. Just because he held the microphone to his
crotch every chance he gets doesn’t make him dumb.
6. Get off the stage!
I know I have mentioned this before – but still, why is Don Jazzy
diluting his brand by performing? And why was he backing up Tiwa Savage?
No one began to admire him because of his performance; we admired him
exactly because he did not perform. He doesn’t dress well, doesn’t speak
well, has a croaky voice and frankly isn’t easy on the eye. He needs to
go back to the background fast. Seriously.
7. The ‘H’ word
So I always hear this funny story about how Don Jazzy is so humble.
You know, because he used to give out credit on Twitter, he responds to
fans on Twitter and whatever else. And so, people say, this humility
will serve him well as opposed to D’banj’s insufferable arrogance. Dear
Lord, save us from the dangers of image-making. In fact, for those who
have actually worked with the man – or tried to book him for an
interview – you know this is just too funny. I’ll just move on before I
say more.
8. Don Jazzy has magic fingers, we all say
But does he really? We always assume his beat is so unique that it
has transformed the careers of Dr. Sid, D’Prince, Wande Coal and
K-Switch. Let’s analyse this urban legend. First, D’Prince and K-Switch
still have no careers – that is unless you consider hanging around Don
Jazzy or D’banj a career. Wande Coal’s power is his voice not his
producer. Dr. Sid has just about one or two hit songs. So, perhaps we
over-estimate Don Jazzy’s prowess. Did this famous prowess transform
Ikechukwu’s career? Not that I can remember. Did it make of the songs he
produced for Naeto C, heavy hits? Not that I know of. Did it make
Darey’s music any more hits than those produced by others? Not in the
least. So what are we saying?
9. Don Jazzy is boring
Seriously, how is he going to manage to interface with the public
without D’banj? Have you heard Don Jazzy speak? Have you sat down for
30 minutes with the man? At least D’banj can quickly start talking of
Kokolets and Babylets and Mamalets and any lets that can let him avoid
answering intelligent questions. But Don Baba J? There’s fire on the
mountain oh.
10. Do you really care for Mohits without D’banj?
Take your time and think about this. Would Mo’ Hits be a compelling
label with Dr. Sid, Wande Coal, K-Switch and D’Prince alone (why am I
even calling K-Switch’s name in this matter?)? You know the truth is no.
The magic of that team has always been D’banj. No one wants to see any
yeye ‘Mo’Hits All Stars’ without D’banj. When they perform, D’banj makes
the difference. D’banj is the icing on the cake. D’banj is also the
flour in the cake. In fact, D’banj is the cake.
So there you have it – and please do not tell me both will succeed.
Who’re ya trying to fool? Every time there is a break up, someone wins
and someone loses. 2face won and Faze lost, 2face won and Blackface
lost, 2face won and Kennis lost, Olu Maintain won and
what-his-name lost, Tony Tetuila won, and then Eedris won, and Eddie is
still losing, 9ice won and ID lost (I love Toni Payne, so we’ll leave
her out of this). I can go on and on. Someone will get the short-end of
the stick in this case. And my money, sadly, is on Don Jazzy.
But I’d be glad to be proven wrong. Oh so glad.
In the meantime, biko, Don Jazzy and D’banj; if you are breaking up, just break up already – which one is all this drama?
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