Nigerian producer, President and CEO of the Mohit’s Record label, Don Jazzy has spoken out on the recent wave of attacks by artist, singer and former (if correct to say) Vice President of Mo’hits, Dapo “Kokomaster Dbanj” Oyebanjo.
In an exclusive telephone interview with Ascology News, Don Jazzy started off by saying he never wanted the issue to become this messy, even as he was aware of the way and manner social media has changed the way people view issue surrounding the lives of celebrities; a reason he said was why he’s always cautious of what he says and the interviews he grants to the media.
Both industry power-weights have been at loggerhead over alleged multiple financial disagreements, discrepancies involved in the signing of artist Dbanj into Kanye West’s Good Music record label, Don Jazzy’s lackadaisical attitude, Dbanj’s alleged public irresponsibility among other differences and conflicts that popped up between both.
“I want to be clear on something that I’m not interested in going into the debates of whatever Dbanj has said, be it through an interview, the press, social media or whatever. People should try and understand that these are very difficult moments for me and I need my space, time and moment to carry on with my life and the production of good music which is what fans have known me for a very long time”. Don Jazzy said.
The iconic producer, whose famous introvert and quiet lifestyle and personality as garnered him an enviable amount of fame, respect and magnanimous swag in Nigeria’s entertainment scene, staunchly dismissed claims by Dbanj buying houses, cars and properties for the Mo’hits boss and fellow artists, calling it “laughable and not worth responding to this early morning” claiming that quick thinking fans know his individual worth and personal financial worth of each artist at Mo’hits.
The Mo’hits boss was however very cautious and even more diplomatic in blaming, accusing or countering accusations attributed to Dbanj in various interviews, saying many of those things could not have been said by the Dbanj and he isn’t surprised when Dbanj claimed his accounts were hacked and also not further surprised when his (Dbanj) publicist released a statement denying some of the statements attributed to him; specifically during the interview with Ebony Magazine that Dbanj owns Mo’hits. Incidentally, Ebony Magazine are yet to release a public apology as earlier released by D’banj’s personal manager and the ‘I own mohits’ part of the interveiew still not excluded as of filing this report.
The Mo’hits boss further said in the unlikely event he decides to let the public knows his own side of the story, there is the tendency for his statements to be misconstrued and manipulated by mischief makers who he blamed use few accurate information to manipulate the public into believing things that never existed (a hint that the alleged email exchange is partially true or totally untrue); an ironical situation he hinted would force him to rather keep mute on the issue and let it die a natural death.
“When this whole thing started, I felt people needed to know what’s happening and in all civility, maturity and wisdom, I made those less than 140 words tweet in 3 separate lines, now see where it has led me to. Mohits is a family and Dbanj is like its son and families do quarell. Expecting me to come out and start countering accusations by one of my best friends ever while accusing him also in the process doesn’t justify my guilt or my innocence or that of his, He (Dbanj) however has a right to his opinion to grant interviews to whoever he wishes to grant interview to, I won’t stop him and won’t stop anyone who wants to believe whatever he says either”, he said.
In further attempts to get the Mo’hits boss talking, he was adamant but rightly so, reminding us of how those famous tweets confirming an apparent rift in the Mohits house got him into the messy situation as we see today.
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the end of a long era and the beginning of a new one..Some of the rumours you have all heard recently are sad but true…The way forward now is to make sure I keep bringing you guys more of the beautiful music y’all love to dance to….And to end d old era I will b donating the proceeds of my production catalogue from day one till date to five charity organizations. Thanks. IDJA”
“Really, if I start responding to every single accusation, then the ‘lazy’ person I’ve been called would come out, and the ‘Fake’ person I am according to critics would obviously come out since I’m not a talkative and you the media know that, I want the handwork of my music productions and the proceeds of good music at Mo’hits to speak for itself, so asking me to comment on issues like this, I really am not just interested, personally my advice to fans is to concentrate on good music from Mo’hits and huhh….well even from Dbanj himself, music is what we were made to create and not controversies”, he added.
It was not immediately clear the positions of other artists at the Mohits house at the time of filing the report as label members Wande Coal, Dr Sid and D’Prince have all been short of economical with their opinions on the rift between their bosses.
As for Wande Coal who in an although diplomatic, yet paradoxically intended tweet to Dbanj said “God please don’t let the success you have given me get to my head to the extent that I will forget my humble beginnings”; the artist has however deleted the tweet shortly after – another debatable scenario which Dbanj sarcastically accused Don Jazzy of personally tweeting.
The multi-award winning music producer however said he wishes artist, Dbanj all the best in all he aspires to do even as he (Don Jazzy) begins a rebuilding, restructuring process.
