D’banj Occupation
Everything there is to know about the Koko master
D'banj returned to Nigeria in 2004 with his friend/producer Don Jazzy to found Mo’ Hits Records.
D'banj turned his supposedly personal tale into one of his best songs.
Recommended articles
![Henry Cavill and Natalie Viscuso [Getty Images]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20width%3D'100'%20height%3D'100'%20data-ring-placeholder%3D'1'%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E "Henry Cavill and Natalie Viscuso [Getty Images]")
Singer-songwriter, Musician, Entrepreneur, Actor, TV host, Record Label Owner
About D’banj
Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo (born 9 June 1980), known by his stage name D'banj, is a Nigerian singer-songwriter, musician, entrepreneur and TV host.
ADVERTISEMENT
D'banj was introduced to the harmonica by his late older brother, Femi Oyebanjo, who died in a plane crash at age 17. He then chose to continue with music after dropping out of the University of Lagos where he studied Mechanical engineering.
D'banj’s plans to continue his studies as a Mechanical Engineer in London were derailed when he arrived in the UK in 2001. He returned to Nigeria in 2004 with his friend/producer Don Jazzy to found Mo’ Hits Records.
In 2004, D'banj released his first single "Tongolo". “Tongolo” video was paid for by D'Banj's mother. D'banj has gone on to have three studio albums, huge hit singles and multiple endorsement deals and his own "Koko Garri".
D'banj, as an artist of defunct Mo' Hits Records, was also a member of its collective group,
Mo' Hits Allstars (includes artists Dr SID, Wande Coal, KaySwitch, and D'Prince).
ADVERTISEMENT
He has once been spotted with one of Nigeria's most talented singers, "Smile Lasisi".
Mo' Hits Records collective's debut album, Curriculum Vitae, was released in December 2007.
It included hit singles, "Be Close To You", "Booty Call" and "Move Your Body",
which was the lead single. D'banj was featured in Ikechukwu's 2008 hit, "Wind Am Well".
In July 2008, D'banj's third album, The Entertainer, was released with the singles
ADVERTISEMENT
"Gbono Feli Feli", "Kimon", "Olorun Maje" and "Entertainer"
In June 2011, D'banj was signed to Kanye West's G.O.O.D Music record label as an artiste.
On 9 June 2011, D'banj wrote about his GOOD Music deal on his Twitter account. However, in September 2016, it was announced D'banj was released from GOOD Music.
In 2012, sadly after several months of speculation and wild rumours, ace producer, Don Jazzy confirmed via his Twitter account the break-up of Mo'Hits. After the break-up, Don Jazzy, D'Prince, Dr. SID, Wande Coal started Mavin Records while D'banj founded DB Records and as expected, he signed his younger brother Kayswitch to the label alongside two producers, Jaysleek and Deevee.
In December 2012, D'banj signed a mega deal with Sony. Dbanj' Sony Music deal was described as a Pan African, multi-album deal with Sony Music’s RCA Records. It also involved an exclusive management deal with Sony Music and strategic partner ROCKSTAR4000 for the continent.
ADVERTISEMENT
Dbanj' single, "Bother You", inspired by the film Half of a Yellow Sun, was released on 7 April 2013, by Mi7 Records and D'banj's label DKM. In June 2014 D’banj introduced artists under his record label, which includes Dbanj, younger brother K-Switch, brothers MossKriss and Ralph Kriss and Tonto Dikeh and Ebenez Tizzy.
In 2015, Dbanj was applauded by World Bank Chief for founding Koko Foundation for Youth and Peace Development. Jim Yong Kim hailed him for using his music power and high celebrity status to bring attention to serious and critical issues in Africa with a special focus on agriculture and poverty alleviation.
Also in 2015, D'banj released the video to "Extraordinary". Dbanj' "Extraordinary" video raised awareness on gender equality and women's empowerment. World bank endorsed "Extraordinary" as a song for women awareness.
In August 2016, D'banj's D'Kings Men Media partnered with MTN Nigeria and the Bank of Industry (BOI) to launch THE CREAM PLATFORM, a creative talent platform that was set up to help discover young creative minds across Nigeria by just dialing a USSD code
on a mobile phone.
ADVERTISEMENT
THE CREAM PLATFORM was reported, as at December 2016, to have had over 2 million paying subscribers and had discovered hundreds of talents from the music category alone, with tens of music videos and millions of Naira given out to winners.
D’banj's Biography
Birth Name: Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo
Birth Date: 09 June 1981
Home Town: Shagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria.
ADVERTISEMENT
Relationship: Single
D'banj's Family
Parents: Daniel Duro Oyebanjo, Faith Olubukolola Oyebanjo
Children: None
Sibling: Taiwo Oyebanjo, Kehinde Oyebanjo (Kayswitch), Shola Oyebanjo
ADVERTISEMENT
D'banj Affiliation
THE CREAM PLATFORM
Koko Foundation for Youth and Peace Development
MTN Nigeria
D'banj's alma mater
ADVERTISEMENT
Nigerian Military School
Nigerian Navy Secondary School
Lagos State University
D'banj Brands
Median Mobile Communications Limited MCOMM Ltd
ADVERTISEMENT
D' Kings Men Media
DB Records
D’banj Fun Facts
D'banj is the founder of Koko Foundation for Youth and Peace Development.
Dbanj nicknamed himself, ”Bangalee”, "The Kokomaster", "Mr. Endowed" and most recently, "Ejanla which means "big fish".
ADVERTISEMENT
D'banj Movie
2012 Cruel Summer
D’banj Record Label(s)
DB Records
GOOD Music,
ADVERTISEMENT
Mercury
Sony Music Entertainment
RCA
D’banj Awards
2005 Kora Awards Most Promising Male Artist award
ADVERTISEMENT
2006 Channel O Music Video Awards “Best Newcomer award” for "Tongolo"
2006 Fizz Awards "Best Newcomer" Award for "Tongolo"
2007 Channel O Music Video Awards "Best Special Effects Video" for ‘Why Me’ video
2007 Ghana Music Awards "African Artiste of the Year"
2009 Ghana Music Awards "African Artiste of the Year"
ADVERTISEMENT
2010 Channel O Music Video Awards "Most Gifted Afro Pop" for "Fall in Love" video
2011 Channel O Music Video Awards "Most Gifted Male Video" for "Mr. Endowed (Remix)"
2011 BET Awards "Best International Act (Africa)"
2012 Channel O Music Video Awards "Most Gifted Male Video" for "Oliver Twist"
2012 Channel O Music Video Awards "Most Gifted Video of the Year” for "Oliver Twist"
ADVERTISEMENT
2013 Channel O Music Video Awards “Most Gifted Duo/Group/Featuring Video” for "Tony Montana (Bad Pass) Remix Naeto C ft Dbanj"
D’banj Albums
2005 “No Long Thing”
2006 “RunDown Funk U Up”
2008 “The Entertainer”
ADVERTISEMENT
2012 “D'Kings Men”
D’banj Endorsements
2013 Power Fist (Energy Drink)
2013 Bank of Industry (BOI) Ambassador
2013 Globacom Ambassador
ADVERTISEMENT
2014 Heritage Bank Ambassador
2014 Beats by Dre (African Ambassador)
2015 Ciroc Nigeria (African Ambassador)
2015 SLOT (Brand Ambassador)
D’banj Songs
ADVERTISEMENT
2005 “Tongolo" (featuring Tola HU)
2005 "Socor"
2005 "Mobolowowon"
2006 "Run Down (Funk U Up)"
2006 "Why Me"
ADVERTISEMENT
2007 "Tongolo Remix"
2008 "Kimon"
2008 "Suddenly"
2008 "Gbono Feli Feli"
2008 "Entertainer"
ADVERTISEMENT
2008 "Suddenly"
2008 "Fall in Love"
2008 "Igwe"
2009 "Scapegoat"
2010 "Mr. Endowed (Remix)" (featuring Snoop Dogg)
ADVERTISEMENT
2012 "Oliver Twist"
2012 "Bachelor"
2012 "Cashflow" (D'banj featuring Kay Switch)
2012 "Sister Caro" (Kay Switch featuring D'banj)
2013 "Don't Tell Me Nonsense"
ADVERTISEMENT
2013 "Top of the World"
2013 "Finally"
2014 "Feeling the Nigga"
2015 "Feeling a Nikka" (Remix) (with Akon)
2015 "Extraordinary"
ADVERTISEMENT
2015 "Frosh"[44] (featuring Akon)
2016 "Emergency"
2016 “Focus”
People Related to D’banj
Don Jazzy
ADVERTISEMENT
Olamide
Tonto Dikeh
D’banj Latest News
Here’s Bangalee’s little secret on why he keeps releasing music, good or bad
This photo of D'banj, Meek Mill, and Aruma Oteh
ADVERTISEMENT
D’banj: Singer should have retired in 2012, after ‘Oliver Twist’
JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!
ADVERTISEMENT
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng
Recommended articles
D'banj still got the magic, delivers electrifying performance at Trace Live
Ruger & BNXN's 'RnB' is an anticlimactic end to their rift
Actor Kanayo Kanayo raises alarm on the dangers of YouTube skits on Nollywood
Actress Etinosa Idemudia calls for more women to consider having abortions
Fireboy says he doesn't intentionally make Afrobeats
Davido partners with United Masters to launch new record label
BFA and Co Legal Orchestrates Landmark Deal: Davido launches Nine+ Records with UnitedMasters
Phyna rejects new offers from BBNaija sponsors as meeting ends in deadlock
Disney's 'Madu' director is working on a documentary on Chibok girls 'The Harvest'
Pulse Sports
Lionel Messi's son breaks the internet after scoring five goals for Inter Miami
Naija Stars Abroad: Onyedika, Boniface, and Osimhen shine across Europe
Victor Osimhen and Tobi Amusan make list of Forbes’ 30 under 30 Class of 2024
ADVERTISEMENT
