So at this point we’ve all heard so many different sides to the Mo Hits break up saga that one wouldn’t be blamed for not caring anymore. From arguments over who would win or lose, leaked emails revealing a certain someone wasn’t as much of a boss as we thought he was, and fans even blaming Kanye West for the split of Nigeria’s foremost musical duo, the story has seen so many twists and turns that even those involved would find it hard to keep up.
D’Banj, who has pretty much played the role of public enemy since the whole drama started, finally tells his own side of the story in an exclusive interview with NET Ng, revealing that the leaked emails were, for any who doubted, indeed real, and explaining it was Don Jazzy’s decision to part ways.
16th April, 2012 was the day Mo’Hits officially became property of Don Jazzy, lock, stock and barrel, D’banj disclosed in the exclusive interview.
Check out excerpts below
Don Jazzy was no longer comfortable. You know, we were like fishes out of water, in this new system, starting all over again, like when we returned home in 2004. I got him a place in the US, set up a studio there, just so he’d be comfortable and be able to work without going to hang around the studios. In one year Jazzy did not make a song. I said, maybe you want to go back to Lagos, you’ll get inspiration there?’ I was all about the work, I wanted us to make this happen, so we can bridge that gap and create a path for Africa. But Jazzy wanted us to go back home. And I understand. He’s my friend, my brother’.
The article says that Wande Coal and Dr Sid have disowned the Koko Master, and he also seems to feel betrayed by Don Jazzy, saying that it was his idea to split Mo’Hits up and for both to go their separate ways.
But I never expected him to do what he did.’ He said to me in July last year ‘Let’s scatter Mohits. He told me there are two captains – two captains cannot be in a ship. I was like ‘that’s not possible, this is a marriage’. He said ‘then this marriage is no longer working’. I said then let’s go for counseling; I asked, so what happens to our children?’
‘Asking me if I’m lonely because Wande or Jazzy has left me is like asking my first sister if she’s lonely now – she has two kids now, lives in Canada. Don Jazzy is still my brother – we just had to move on. We’ll still work together in future, same with my boys. In fact, just this week, he sent me the remix to Oliver Twist that we’re releasing in the UK on May 14. All the interviews I’ve had here, I kept hyping him. It’s already in my system – you know me, I’m a one-way soldier. Jazzy is a very quiet person. Loyalty is key. My loyalty still lies in the friendship I had with him. He was cheated by JJC, and I was present. I swore never to cheat him. But I’d like to think our visions became different.
‘It was clear when we met that Jazzy wanted to be the biggest producer, I wanted to be the biggest African entertainer, not the biggest singer. I had my mind on money. In order to say I’m the biggest, I had to be the richest. So for a very long time, he was on the back end. He respected my act, I respected his music judgment. Every meeting that brought us money I went for. I’d say I need to confirm from Don Jazzy because that was the agreement, even though I knew it was my decision. First Glo deal was $500,000. That Landcruiser jeep was because of my demands. It was because of the skill and exposure that I used to bargain. I’m a businessman’
‘People say I’m less talented, I was known as a jester in the JJC squad. I’d make everyone happy and play the mouth organ, but I knew what I wanted. I decided to give Don Jazzy power in 2007 when we realized that after four years, they did not recognize us as a record label. We had signed artistes and done all this work. So we restructured, and restrategized. So I told him to chill, so he can be more respected and be the don. I’m older than him by one year, yet I respected him like a don. I remember when he came out at Ali Baba show, I knelt down for him, so people would say he’s the baba. All the talking in my ears and all, it was an arrangement. All the Soundcity advert and all, he did not tell me anything. It was all an arrangement.’
Full story over at NET Ng
So the Mo’Hits empire is officially in Don Jazzy’s hands and D’Banj seems to have moved on to greener pastures in the US and UK.
We can’t wait to hear what the other half says.
Its so unfortunate this had to happen but then everything Dbanj said in this inteview is the truth and it is what we all know. Dbanj is full of life, free spirited and highly sociable. Don Jazzy is the exact opposite. U don’t need a soothsayer to tell u the personality that will be more likeable and consequently make more money between the two.
But then, efforts from Dbanj helped build the Don jazzy brand. My question is this. Why was it so difficult for brand Don Jazzy to make money as vibrant as it appears? The question is simple…the personality of Michael Collins is dull and not vibrant and therefore cannot attract or strike te right kind of business even though the brand is strong.
The day Don Jazzy twitted concerning the Fuel subsidy riot, absolving himself of wrong doing I smelt betrayal, envy and jealousy. Treachery is a terrible thing. Don Jazzy is not loyal to his man and behaved very childish with his tweet. To make it worse, he jumped on twitter again when the news of their feud just broke…saying it is true and that whatever, he has made materially and financially will be donated to charity. I see this as theatrics, a spoil spot, someone who is out to destroy destiny and dream out of jealousy and envy.
Now that he has Mohits I really look forward to what he will do with it. Lets see what happens without Dbanj. I pity Wande Coal more out of the lot. He’s got talent but that’s not enough. Music business is beyond the good voice and a good producer. It is way more than that. There are so many producers in Nigeria who will do better than Don Jazzy today. There is no big deal.
On a final note, he should tell us the Charity home where he donated all he made with Dbanj financially and materially in 9years.