D'banj
goes from Dapo 'D'banj' Oyebanjo to Daniel 'D'banj' Banjo, and an
ardent fan isn't happy abourrit! Read his open letter to the superstar
below...
Dear D’Banj,
I
love your work, I really do, I think you’re one of the greatest
musicians of your generation, but I must say, your new affiliation with
G.O.O.D music seems to be getting to your head.
For years you’ve been known by your official name, Dapo Oyebanjo,
even using it as part of your twitter handle.
Well
all good things come to an end, and your affiliation with your new
label seems to have brought that particular chapter of your life to an
untimely conclusion.
D’Banj you’ve now gone from ‘Dapo Oyebanjo’ to ‘Daniel Banjo’. All I
can do is laugh, I mean, Daniel ‘Banjo‘ ? What are you, a country music
star from Nashville?
Lol, country music star from Nashville indeed...continue reading...
I mean, I get it, Daniel provides the ‘D’ and Banjo provides the ‘Banj’,
but negro please, you’re hustlin’ backwards.
Why
abandon the successful person you are to become a less successful
version of what you’re not? You’re a Nigerian, not an American, and no
matter how hard you try, you’ll never be one, so be yourself and have
faith.
Plus, truth be told, based on a fan base, you’re the BIGGEST artist in
the entire G.O.O.D music family other than Ye’ himself.
You
don’t need to become an Americanized version of yourself to fit in, not
to knock their hustle, but I promise you, John Legend, Pusha T, Big
Sean, Kid Cudi, Common and your other label mates wish they had as many
rabid long-time fans as you do, they Don’t.
You’ve
accomplished something most of them will never get to do, they should
be insecure around you, not vice versa.
Either way, Dapo Daniel I’m sure you still have people who can advice
you. I’d suggest they step up and tell you to accept who you are and not
try to be something you’re not.
Truth
be told, your music is what people are interested in, not the
un-africanization / westernization of your name, heck, just go study the
life of Tupac Amaru Shakur to see how having an ethnic name is
immaterial to one’s success. Or go further back and study the work of
one of your mentors, the late, great Fela Anikulapo-Kuti who actually
went from his westernized “Ransome-Kuti” to the very Nigerianized
”Anikulapo”.
Till today his name still rings out in all corners of the world, heck he was even immortalized with a show on Broadway.
Anyway, all I’m trying to say is people love those who keep it 100, please get back to that.
I’ve spoken my piece.
Deuces.
'Spirit of '76'
***
Original letter can be found here
Thoughts?
