Music News | 27 December 2006 14:45 CET

THE RISING PROFILE OF D'BANJ

Since Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo, popularly known as D'banj, started his solo music career two years ago, his profile in the industry has continued to soar by the day. The Chief Executive Officer of his recording label and producer, Don Jazzy, who is highly impressed by D'banj's rapid success, has just bought him a brand new BMW 530T car. According to the award-winning Don Jazzy, "the car is just a token presented to D'banj in appreciation of the good fortune he has brought to this label, Mo Hits Records and to encourage him to work harder.

"D'banj's success is actually beyond my imagination. When I signed him on my label,which was then known as Backbone Music, I knew he would become a success in the industry, but never envisaged it would be as fast as what it is today.” The 26-year-old musician has won many laurels since his debut with the album, No Long Thing, two years ago. This year alone, he won the Revelation of the Year award at the Hip Hop World Awards; Artiste of the Year award at the Nigeria Music Awards, UK; Role Model award from Delta State University Awards; Channel 'O' Award's Best New Comer and also Artiste of The Month, November/December on MTV Base. D'banj, whose second album, Run Down, is currently topping music charts with the track Why Me? said, MO Hits Records is quite satisfied with his songs “and I'm owing them so much responsibility because to whom much is given, much is required. We have just signed on three new acts and they are going to be revealed soon. I thank God that all my songs so far have been hits.”

A former member of JJC & 419 Squad music group, D'banj, disclosed that he was introduced to playing the harmonica, a musical instrument that he is popularly known for, by his late elder brother, Femi Oyebanjo, who died in a plane crash at age 17 on his way to Lagos from the Nigeria Military School, Zaria. His brother's harmonica was recovered from the crash site and D'banj has since cherished it. Before he went solo, he had recorded songs with established names like Ruggedman, Weird MC, El Dee Da Don and Ikechukwu, among others

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