Don Jazzy and D Banj Break-up...What Do You Feel About It

Kanye West signed Nigerian superstars, Don Jazzy & D Banj (Don Jazzy as a producer, and D Banj as an artist) to his G.O.O.D music label last year, and people saw things going good for the Nigerian dynamic duo...no one saw a break-up coming. D Banj & Don Jazzy have been A-List artist in the Nigerian music industry for more than 7 years now, and when the news of the break-up became official last month (March 2012), it was really a shocker to all their fans.


A lot of people have been speculating what went wrong between the two buddies. Some said it had something to do with the deal they signed with Kanye West; some said it had to do with the ownership of their jointly owned label (Mo-Hits Records); while others said it was because Don Jazzy was spending less time on D Banj's upcoming album (Mr. Endowed) and more time on other artists music. As long as they haven't come out to speak on what really went down, it is still all "he say she say."

Now, what i want to talk about in this post is “what happens from here?” We are all used to seeing the two together in their videos, and hearing Don Jazzy adding a few ad-libs here and there on D Banj's songs, but all that will change now. Not to add the fact that Don Jazzy has made probably all D Banj's beats in the past. I think the greatest shocker came when D Banj released the video to his hit, Oliver Twist and there was no Don Jazzy in it. There was Big Sean on it, Pusha T on it...even Kanye West made an appearance, but there was no Don Jazzy in sight. I think that really makes the break-up official.


Now, what inspired me to write this article is the talk going around that D Banj would go downhill from here. Personally, I don't agree with that. In fact, I think if there is anyone that would have to struggle it would be Don Jazzy. People keep saying Don Jazzy made D Banj; that's totally wrong. Don Jazzy assisted D Banj in achieving his dream. Of cos, Don Jazzy helped him out with a lot of creative work and all that, but what people fail to see is that D Banj is the performing artist...its D Banj people see...D Banj is the brand that was created, not Don Jazzy. D Banj made Don Jazzy's work great.


If D Banj didn't come with all that energy and persona, maybe Don Jazzy would just be another unrecognized great producer. I am into the study of Human Potential, and I have to say enthusiasm is one of the greatest qualities that separate successful people from struggling people with talent. It takes a lot of enthusiasm and belief in your craft for you to keep going and keep going when things are not working well. It takes a lot of enthusiasm to keep performing even after you have attained success. I think D Banj has enthusiasm, and that quality should not be overlooked.


With the energy he has, D Banj would probably get another great mind behind him. People need to know that this is how success works. Don Jazzy still has a couple of great artists to work with now that D Banj has departed him, but none is as big as D Banj. And it would definitely take time for him to build them up to that status...that is if it is possible. Personally, I think Wande Coal is a more talented artist than D Banj, but talent is not enough.


What I feel will happen now is that Don Jazzy will try to show the world that he can make it without D Banj, and it will be vice versa. We would have great music from the two, and the one with perseverance would last.