Oliver Twist

Album: Mr Endowed (2011)
Charted: 9
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Songfacts®:

  • Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo is a Nigerian Afrobeat singer-songwriter and harmonica player who records under the moniker of D'banj, which is a combination of his first name Dapo and surname Oyebanjo. Following the tragic death of his older brother in a plane crash, D'banj ditched a career in the army. He started playing his late brother's harmonica, which was recovered from the crash and soon became a self-taught master of the instrument. In 2005 he recorded his debut album, No Long Thing, which yielded several hit singles. Since then D'banjo has become a superstar in his home continent, winning many music awards including Best African Act at the 2007 MTV Europe Music Awards 2007, Artist of the Year at both the 2008 and 2009 MTV Africa Music Awards and Best International Act; Africa at the 2011 BET Awards. In June 2011, D'banj signed to Kanye West's G.O.O.D Music and this is the first single released under his new label.
  • Whilst Charles Dickens' poor workhouse boy Oliver Twist famously asked for more gruel, only to be rebuffed by Mr. Bumble, D'banj's wish is more fanciful. He confesses to his girl that his desire is to get with certain famous pop divas - including Beyoncé, Rihanna and Nicki Minaj - but can't because he's "just like Oliver, Oliver, Oliver Twist." He then tells his girl he knows her secret is that she likes such musicians as Trey Songz and his Nigerian producer Don Jazzy, before suggesting the truth is she also is just like, "Oliver, Oliver, Oliver Twist." The lyrics then grow increasingly bonkers and move even further away from Dickens' Victorian novel as D'banj cries, "Why you come dey shake e, shake e, bum bum."
  • Nigerian Sesan Ogunro directed the song's music video, which features cameos from D'banj's label mate Big Sean and Sugababe Keisha Buchanan. At the end of the clip the Afrobeat singer joins a hooded Kanye West in an elevator.

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