Begging D'Banj says "I'm scared"

As the re-mixed Oliver Twist is officially released in the UK this weekend amidst frantic tweets and re-tweets of the download links, former Mo'Hits star D'Banj says he's scared and is begging his UK audience to give him a chance. Speaking to MTV Wrap Up, D'banj who is billed to headline the Radio1 Hackney Weekend show practically turned Oliver Twist himself with a begging bowl - using every opportunity during the interview to beg for acceptance of his sound which he now describes as Afro-Pop.

Asked how he felt about the upcoming event, D'banj replied - I feel very honoured, I feel very privileged but I also feel very scared. I think I have to beg all of my fans to come out because, usually, I’m used to headlining major festivals but with my African people. I’m looking forward to it and I’m begging all of my fans to come out and support because this is a big moment for everybody, not just for me. I just hope the UK fans will be pleased with the kind of sound that they’re going to hear and those who’ve never heard us before, I hope they’ll be won over".

Regarding the composition of his next album reportedly titled "Mr Endowed" the Koko Master appeared confused and could not be specific about his immediate plans saying - No, things have changed now. ‘Mr Endowed’, which is the single, came out last year and ‘Oliver Twist’ has taken over now so I don’t know what the album is going to be called now. I’m caught in between reintroducing my last album, because my new album is going to have some songs from my last album to reintroduce people and let them know this is how I am. Maybe it’s going to be called ‘The Entertainer Repackaged’ – but it’s not my field, I let the professionals choose. Maybe it could be called ‘Entertainer X’ or something like that, and then I could have five songs from the last album and then five new songs. I’m not sure yet, but just make sure you’re ready for it!

As we've come to expect, no D'banj interview is complete without a mention of R n B icon Rihanna so this was no different, "I’ve had people even tell me that I should bring out my last album, ‘The Entertainer’, all over again and call it ‘The Entertainer Repackaged’. The Western world can hear and know the tunes like ‘Fall In Love’ and ‘Suddenly’ because they were massive songs and have someone like Rihanna or Cheryl Cole sing on ‘Fall In Love’... Everyone knows that I like Rihanna" - He had mused earlier in the chat. 

For the record and contrary to what the D'banj propaganda network would have us believe, he's not breaking new grounds by crossing-over with his music to the West. Since late Fela Anikulapo Kuti laid the framework with Afrobeat, other African stars like Yssour Ndour, Salif Keita, Manu Dibango and Hughes Masekela to name but a few have already done a perfect job of internationalising African music so only time will tell if his dramatic departure from his lucrative and trusted fan base was worth the trouble. In the meantime, as at the time of this report, the somewhat over-flogged and now re-released Oliver Twist had yet to make it into the UK's Top 100 talk less of the Top 40 charts.