Singer-songwriter, Musician, Entrepreneur, Actor, TV host, Record Label Owner

Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo (born 9 June 1980), known by his stage name D'banj, is a Nigerian singer-songwriter, musician, entrepreneur and TV host.

D'banj was introduced to the harmonica by his late older brother, Femi Oyebanjo, who died in a plane crash at age 17. He then chose to continue with music after dropping out of the University of Lagos where he studied Mechanical engineering.

D'banj’s plans to continue his studies as a Mechanical Engineer in London were derailed when he arrived in the UK in 2001. He returned to Nigeria in 2004 with his friend/producer Don Jazzy to found Mo’ Hits Records.

In 2004, D'banj released his first single "Tongolo". “Tongolo” video was paid for by D'Banj's mother. D'banj has gone on to have three studio albums, huge hit singles and multiple endorsement deals and his own "Koko Garri".

D'banj, as an artist of defunct  Mo' Hits Records, was also a member of its collective group,

Mo' Hits Allstars (includes artists Dr SID, Wande Coal, KaySwitch, and D'Prince).

He has once been spotted with one of Nigeria's most talented singers, "Smile Lasisi".

Mo' Hits Records collective's debut album, Curriculum Vitae, was released in December 2007.

It included hit singles, "Be Close To You", "Booty Call" and "Move Your Body",

which was the lead single. D'banj was featured in Ikechukwu's 2008 hit, "Wind Am Well".

In July 2008, D'banj's third album, The Entertainer, was released with the singles

"Gbono Feli Feli", "Kimon", "Olorun Maje" and "Entertainer"

In June 2011, D'banj was signed to Kanye West's G.O.O.D Music record label as an artiste.

On 9 June 2011, D'banj wrote about his GOOD Music deal on his Twitter account. However, in September 2016, it was announced D'banj was released from GOOD Music.

In 2012, sadly after several months of speculation and wild rumours, ace producer, Don Jazzy confirmed via his Twitter account the break-up of Mo'Hits. After the break-up, Don Jazzy, D'Prince, Dr. SID, Wande Coal started Mavin Records while D'banj founded DB Records and as expected, he signed his younger brother Kayswitch to the label alongside two producers, Jaysleek and Deevee.

In December 2012, D'banj signed a mega deal with Sony. Dbanj' Sony Music deal was described as a Pan African, multi-album deal with Sony Music’s RCA Records. It also involved an exclusive management deal with Sony Music and strategic partner ROCKSTAR4000 for the continent.

Dbanj' single, "Bother You", inspired by the film Half of a Yellow Sun, was released on 7 April 2013, by Mi7 Records and D'banj's label DKM. In June 2014 D’banj introduced artists under his record label, which includes Dbanj, younger brother K-Switch, brothers MossKriss and Ralph Kriss and Tonto Dikeh and Ebenez Tizzy.

In 2015, Dbanj was applauded by World Bank Chief for founding Koko Foundation for Youth and Peace Development. Jim Yong Kim hailed him for using his music power and high celebrity status to bring attention to serious and critical issues in Africa with a special focus on agriculture and poverty alleviation.

Also in 2015, D'banj released the video to "Extraordinary". Dbanj' "Extraordinary" video raised awareness on gender equality and women's empowerment.  World bank endorsed "Extraordinary" as a song for women awareness.

In August 2016, D'banj's D'Kings Men Media partnered with MTN Nigeria and the Bank of Industry (BOI) to launch THE CREAM PLATFORM, a creative talent platform that was set up to help discover young creative minds across Nigeria by just dialing a USSD code

on a mobile phone.

THE CREAM PLATFORM was reported, as at December 2016, to have had over 2 million paying subscribers and had discovered hundreds of talents from the music category alone, with tens of music videos and millions of Naira given out to winners.

Birth Name:  Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo

Birth Date:     09 June 1981

Home Town:  Shagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria.

Relationship:  Single

Parents:  Daniel Duro Oyebanjo, Faith Olubukolola Oyebanjo

Children: None

Sibling:    Taiwo Oyebanjo, Kehinde Oyebanjo (Kayswitch), Shola Oyebanjo

THE CREAM PLATFORM

Koko Foundation for Youth and Peace Development

MTN Nigeria

Nigerian Military School

Nigerian Navy Secondary School

Lagos State University

Median Mobile Communications Limited MCOMM Ltd

D' Kings Men Media

DB Records

D’banj Fun Facts

D'banj is the founder of Koko Foundation for Youth and Peace Development.

Dbanj nicknamed himself, ”Bangalee”,  "The Kokomaster", "Mr. Endowed" and most recently, "Ejanla which means "big fish".

2012 Cruel Summer

DB Records

GOOD Music,

Mercury

Sony Music Entertainment

RCA

2005 Kora Awards Most Promising Male Artist award

2006 Channel O Music Video Awards “Best Newcomer award” for "Tongolo"

2006 Fizz Awards "Best Newcomer" Award for "Tongolo"   

2007 Channel O Music Video Awards "Best Special Effects Video" for ‘Why Me’ video

2007 Ghana Music Awards  "African Artiste of the Year"

2009 Ghana Music Awards  "African Artiste of the Year"

2010 Channel O Music Video Awards "Most Gifted Afro Pop" for "Fall in Love" video

2011 Channel O Music Video Awards "Most Gifted Male Video" for "Mr. Endowed (Remix)" 

2011 BET Awards "Best International Act (Africa)"

2012 Channel O Music Video Awards  "Most Gifted Male Video" for "Oliver Twist"

2012 Channel O Music Video Awards  "Most Gifted Video of the Year” for "Oliver Twist"

2013 Channel O Music Video Awards  “Most Gifted Duo/Group/Featuring Video” for "Tony Montana (Bad Pass) Remix Naeto C ft Dbanj"

D’banj Albums

2005  “No Long Thing”

2006  “RunDown Funk U Up”

2008  “The Entertainer”

2012  “D'Kings Men”

2013  Power Fist (Energy Drink)

2013  Bank of Industry (BOI) Ambassador

2013  Globacom Ambassador

2014  Heritage Bank Ambassador

2014  Beats by Dre (African Ambassador)

2015  Ciroc Nigeria (African Ambassador)

2015  SLOT (Brand Ambassador)

2005  “Tongolo" (featuring Tola HU)   

2005  "Socor"

2005  "Mobolowowon"

2006   "Run Down (Funk U Up)"   

2006  "Why Me"   

2007   "Tongolo Remix"   

2008   "Kimon"   

2008    "Suddenly"   

2008  "Gbono Feli Feli"   

2008  "Entertainer"   

2008  "Suddenly"   

2008  "Fall in Love"   

2008   "Igwe"   

2009   "Scapegoat"   

2010   "Mr. Endowed (Remix)" (featuring Snoop Dogg)   

2012   "Oliver Twist"   

2012   "Bachelor"   

2012   "Cashflow" (D'banj featuring Kay Switch)

2012   "Sister Caro" (Kay Switch featuring D'banj)

2013   "Don't Tell Me Nonsense"

2013   "Top of the World"   

2013   "Finally"   

2014    "Feeling the Nigga"   

2015    "Feeling a Nikka" (Remix) (with Akon)   

2015   "Extraordinary"  

2015  "Frosh"[44] (featuring Akon)   

2016    "Emergency"                               

2016    “Focus”

Don Jazzy

Olamide

Tonto Dikeh

Here’s Bangalee’s little secret on why he keeps releasing music, good or bad

This photo of D'banj, Meek Mill, and Aruma Oteh

D’banj: Singer should have retired in 2012, after ‘Oliver Twist’