Nigerian music icon D’banj has lifted the lid on the behind-the-scenes strategy that helped define the legendary Mo’Hits era, revealing that perception — not just talent — was at the core of their dominance.

In a candid new interview, the singer disclosed that he and producer Don Jazzy, his then-manager and business partner, deliberately engineered a power dynamic that cast Don Jazzy as the mysterious, all-controlling figure behind their success — even though they were equal stakeholders in the Mo’Hits empire.

“At the time, they didn’t nominate Mo’Hits for awards despite our success,” D’banj recalled. “We realized we were the only label heads who were also the artists and producers. So we needed people to fear us.”

To achieve that, the duo decided to lean into the mystique. Don Jazzy would play the role of the silent mastermind, while D’banj took on the role of the charismatic frontman.

“Every time I whispered in his ear on stage, we weren’t saying anything,” D’banj revealed with a laugh. “It was branding. We trusted each other enough to play our roles. Jazzy didn’t need to talk — his presence said everything.”

D’banj pointed to a pivotal performance early in their career — one attended by Lagos elites and top political figures — as the turning point. In a dramatic move that stunned the crowd, D’banj prostrated fully on stage before Don Jazzy as he entered.

“I bowed down to him publicly — on purpose,” he said. “That moment changed everything. People started thinking he signed me. They didn’t know it was a 50-50 partnership.”

The strategy, according to D’banj, was calculated to shift industry perception and establish Mo’Hits as a formidable, almost impenetrable force.

“We wrote the script and executed it. And it worked,” he said.

Mo’Hits: A Legacy of Influence

Founded in the early 2000s, Mo’Hits Records became a dominant force in African music, birthing hits and launching careers — from Wande Coal to Dr SID and D’Prince. The label’s fusion of Afrobeat, R&B, and pop reshaped the soundscape of Nigerian music and inspired a generation.

Though the group eventually split in 2012, the legacy of Mo’Hits endures. The D’banj-Don Jazzy duo remains one of the most iconic partnerships in the history of Afrobeats, and this latest revelation adds a new layer to the mythology: behind the music was a masterclass in branding and power positioning.

As D’banj put it, “It wasn’t just about music. It was about building an empire — and looking the part.”