D’banj Declares Himself an “Upcoming Artist

Legendary Nigerian musician Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo, popularly known as D’banj, has declared himself “a new cat” in the music industry, a term used locally to describe an up-and-coming artist.

Despite celebrating 20 years in the music industry, the 43-year-old singer feels like he is starting anew. He noted that the music industry has evolved significantly over the years, prompting him to adapt and reinvent himself.

In a recent interview with Hip TV, D’banj revealed plans to collaborate with new generation artists on his upcoming album, ‘Entertainer’. This album is a sequel to his critically acclaimed 2008 release, ‘The Entertainer’.

D’banj also reflected on his contributions to the global acceptance of Nigerian music, saying:

“I am not the first [Nigerian artist] to have done an international collaboration. We were just the first to have done it the way we did it. Usually, when you want to do a collaboration with an international artist, it seemed before ours, like they were doing you a favour. But with the kind of grace that God gave us and the kind of team that we had, we were able to deliver one of the biggest [‘Mr Endowed’].

I think that actually gave hope and visibility to the kids [new artists] to know that they can do it. So, I feel like a very proud father if I may say. That’s why I am a cat again [up-and-coming artist]. Now, I want to feature not even international artists but local artists. I want to feature Ayra Starr, Rema, Ruger, and Don Jazzy. Collaboration is the new competition.”