Popular Nigerian singer D’banj has opened up on what led to the success of Mo’Hits Records.
He recently shared that Nigerians actually thought Don Jazzy was his record label boss at some point.
Speaking during an interview, D’banj said that power perception was at play because he and Don Jazzy intentionally crafted a narrative that positioned him as the silent force behind the movement, even though they both were equal partners.
The Afrobeats artist clarified that Mo’Hits Records needed something unique to capture the attention of the people after the company kept getting overlooked for awards despite its obvious success.
According to him, he and Don Jazzy eventually made the conscious decision to let the beat maker take on the mystery role, and the move worked wonders for their careers.
He, hilariously, confirmed that every time he whispered in Don Jazzy’s ear on stage, he said nothing, and there was no form of communication between them.
“At the time, they didn’t nominate Mo’Hits for awards despite our success.We realized we were the only label heads who were also the artists and producers. So we needed people to fear us.
Every time I whispered in his ear on stage, we weren’t saying anything. It was branding. We trusted each other enough to play our roles. Jazzy didn’t need to talk – his presence said everything,” he said.
Recalling when he prostrated in front of Don Jazzy in front of political leaders and Lagos elites, D’banj disclosed that Nigerians concluded that the music producer signed him from then on.
He concluded by saying that it was all part of their branding strategy, and it inspired the success the music company enjoyed for many years.
“I bowed down to him publicly — on purpose. That moment changed everything. People started thinking he signed me. They didn’t know it was a 50-50 partnership,” he added.
