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formation;                                                                                                                              Birth name;    Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo Born9 June 1980(age 34) [ 1 ] Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria Genres Afropop, R&B, pop OccupationsSinger-songwriter, instrumentalist, entrepreneur InstrumentsVocals, Harmonica Years active2004–present LabelsDB Records, Mercury Records, GOOD Music, Sony Music Entertainment, ROCKSTAR4000, RCA Associated actsKayswitch 'D Produkt', Wande Coal, Kanye West, Big Sean, Durella, J.Sol, Jay Sleek, Dee Vee, Olamide, Fally Ipupa, Snoop Dogg, 2 Face Idibia Website Official website Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo(popularly known asD'banj, born 9 June 1980) is a Nigerian singer-songwriter, harmonica player, and businessman. He has won several music awards, including the awards forBest African Actat the MTV Europe Music Awards 2007, [ 2 ]Artist of the Yearat the MTV Africa Music Awards 2009, [ 3 ]Best International Act: Africa at the BET Awards 2011, and Best-selling African Artist at the 2014 World Music Awards. He adopted the stage name D'banj, a combination of his first name Dapo and his surname Oyebanjo. [ 2 ]D'banj is currently best known internationally for his 2012 summer hit " Oliver Twist", an uptempo dance fusion of Afrobeat and electronic dance music that topped the African charts 2011 and was a top 10 hit in the UK singles chart in 2012 reaching No. 2 on the UK R&B chart. Childhood D'banj was born in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria to a military officer who commanded an artillery regiment and a church dignitary mother who hailed from Shagamuin Ogun State. Due to his father's profession he moved several times within Nigeria and later moved to England. D'banj was expected to follow his father's military career and was enrolled to the Nigerian Military Schoolat age eleven. However, D'banj resisted the system and disenrolled from the school after three years. While at the Military school he was a member of the elite drum corp of the Nigerian Army. From the Nigerian Military School he proceeded to another military owned institution Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Ibara, Abeokuta where he completed his secondary school education. [ 4 ] Musical beginning D'banj was introduced to the harmonica by his late older brother, Femi Oyebanjo, who died in a plane crash at age seventeen. [ 4 ]With D'banj's love for music being greater than his parents' military aspirations, he struggled for his parents' approval; this can be best heard through an album track,All Da Wayfrom his debut album. [ 2 ] Following the death of his 17-year-old brother, D'banj arranged all his possessions on his bed after they were brought home and just picked up his harmonica. I'd play it to remember him." Later, at university, he realised what his new skills with the instrument could bring him. "I'd go to the female hostel after lectures, and even if there was no electric

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ity I could play there." He remembers learning Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" after Titanic came out – "and that got me a lot of girls!" Plans to continue his studies as a mechanical engineer in London were derailed when he arrived in the UK in 2001, and met Don Jazzy who was trying to make it as a songwriter and producer. D'Banj started hanging around the studio, making ends meet while working as a security guard. "It was OK, because I did nights," he says, "so I could listen to music on my headphones." Don Jazzy told D'Banj he thought he was a star in the making, and sensing that the music scene in Nigeria was "blossoming", the pair returned to Lagos in 2004. That same year came the single "Tongolo"; the video was paid for by D'Banj's mother. His first endorsement was with an energy drink called Power Fist. [ 5 ] BET Interview In April 2011, D'banj was interviewed by BET's April Woodard. The interview, titled "Welcome to America", was a platform for D'banj to introduce himself to the American Music Industry and audience which he stated he was going to get into. In the interview, D'banj spoke on a wide range of topics including his music, artists he'd like to work with, his parents, Mo'Hits Records, his love life, and his role models: Kanye West, Usher, Jay-Z, R. Kelly, and others. The interview lasted 125 minutes, and was the avenue used to formally declare his determination to lead African music into many quarters that its yet to reach. [ 6 ] Music career As a tribute to his mentor Fela, D'banj uses a fusion of Afrobeatand Afropopto bring his music to life and into the 21st century with breathless enthusiasm as well as a good dose of humour. His songs are based on his life, often hilarious but with a deeper meaning which documents the struggle of a young Nigerian trying to achieve his dreams. He performs in Yoruba, English and PidginEnglish. 2005:No Long Thing D'banj's debut album, No Long Thing, was released in 2005. It yielded several singles withTongoloas the lead single. This proved to be his breakthrough single and a hit. It also provided hisKoko Masterpersona, with the term, koko, taking on a variety of meanings. D'banj's debut success led to collaborations with other artists, including Dare Art Aladeand Ikechukwu. D'Banj's singlekokowas used by the PDP (ruling political party in Nigeria) as its campaign theme for the 2007 general elections. 2006:Rundown Funk U Up D'banj's second album Rundown Funk U Up, which was released in 2006, yielded several singles including the club single,Tongolo (Remix), and the lead singleWhy Me?. This proved to be another hit. 2007–2008:Curriculum Vitae&The Entertainer D'banj, as an artist of Mo' Hits Records, is 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". The 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". July 2008 saw the release of D'banj's third album, The Entertainer, with the singles "Gbono Feli Feli", "Kimon", "Olorun Maje" and "Entertainer". [ 7 ] Mo'Hits/G.O.O.D. Music In June 2011, D'banj was signed to Kanye West's G.O.O.D Music record label as artiste. On 9 June 2011, D'banj wrote on his Twitter account, @iamdbanj, "Just like yesterday, myself and my brother did Tongolo. 7 years later, Mo'Hits signs with GOOD Music. Best Birthday gift ever. God thank you." [ 8 ] Mo'Hits break-up 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 Coalstarted Mavin Records [ 9 ]while D'banj founded DB Records and as expected, he signed his younger brother Kayswitch to the label alongside two producers, Jaysleek and Deevee. [ 10 ] 2014 The forthcoming single "Bother You", inspired by the film Half of a Yellow Sun, was released on 7 April 2013, by Mi7 Recordsand D'banj's label DKM. [ 11 ] Live performances D'banj is a regular performer for the annual ThisDay Africa Rising Music Festival. He has performed at Femi Kuti's new Afrikan Shrine in Ikeja, Lagos as well as the Shrine Synchro System's regular London Night at Cargo. He performed at the Black President Concert in memory of Fela's art and legacy at the Barbicanin London, and also alongside many international artists in Nigeria like Kelly Rowland at the 1st Edition of the MTV Africa Music Awards 2008 in Abuja, Nigeria. [ 12 ] He was involved in one of the most anticipated events of the season 'Koko Concert'. This concert consisted of D'Banj, Don Jazzy, Dr SID, Wande Coal, D'Prince, new Mo Hits recruit Ikechukwu plus a few guest appearances including May7ven and comedian Tunde Ednut. The stage was set for a thrilling night – the Koko effect is definitely LIVE in London as fans of D'Banj and Mo' Hits filled the O2 arena to capacity. As expected, the hits just kept coming and the momentum was sustained with on-stage antics from all the artists. In December 2010, the Mo' Hits All Stars brought Koko Concert to Lagos [ 13 ]andD'banjkept belting out energetic performances that kept the audience screaming. Colleagues like M.I, eLDee, Jesse Jagz, and Wizkidalso joined up on stage. There was also a global premiere of the highly anticipated " Mr Endowed (Remix)" featuring Snoop Doggand also a recent track "Blame It on the Money" featuring the Californian native and Big Sean. On 23 June 2012, D'banj performed at the Hackney Weekendto celebrate the 2012 Summer Olympics, which was headlined by Jay-Zand Rihanna. He performed alongside his friend, and fellow Universal Music Grouplabel mate, Rita Oraon 30 August 2012 at the SCALA London Live Music, Clubs and Arts Venue to celebrate the release of her debut album Ora. [ 14 ]He also performed at the AFCON 2013 closing ceremony held in South Africa. Endorsements With D'banj's first album came his first endorsement from an energy drink called Power Fist. [ 15 ]In May 2013, D'banj was named the Bank of Industry (BOI) ambassador. [ 16 ]In November 2013, D'banj re-signed a multi-million Naira deal with Globacom, the company he parted ways with in 2010. [ 17 ]In October 2014, D'banj next