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Issue 102

Monthly newspaper and online publication targeting 18 to 35 year olds. The ultimate guide to the hottest parties, going out and having fun. Music, fashion, film, travel, festivals, technology, comedy, and parties! London, Barcelona, Miami and Ibiza.

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Commonly known as Mr Blue within The Fedz, members Q, Commander & King make it clear this is just the beginning for the collective. Handpicked by the General in the Mi7 studio in West London, where they all individually came together to work on their own sound, you could argue The Fedz's endless stream of members were fated to be what they are now. Made up collectively of Bambi, Major, The Hun, Ace, KGB, Money, Dr No and with even more names in the background, the group are bringing something new to the world of music. "For the Fedz, we have got an album com- ing," says the Commander. "We have got some more singles coming, definitely some big bangers that we are going to drop, we are going to take over the world!" The Fedz are staying true to their word, with their latest collab with a man who has won numerous MTV, MOBO & BET awards and sold over 5 million albums worldwide, D'Banj's relaxed and easy going attitude is unlike anything you would expect from an international star. Born in Zaria in Northern Nigeria, D'Banj is staying true to his roots as the artist hopes to change the current perception of how people see Africa "cause they always see Africa, especially in Nigeria as having just crude oil as a natural resource, as the biggest thing, but we always knew that the biggest thing that we have, just like Hol- lywood is the content." "Nollywood which is the movie industry in Nigeria, is probably the largest in the world after Hollywood and the Indian one, we have what it takes but it has not been monetised properly, so while we are striving in the entertainment industry, my goal is to make the world notice content which is the entertainment industry." Achieving greater international success with Don Jazzy in 2010, when the duo released 'Mr Endowed' off their label Mo Hits, the single saw them working with the likes of Snoop Dogg on the remix. It was the perfect track to push off their next one, 'Oliver Twist' which saw them cracking the UK effortlessly. The song reached no. 2 on the British R&B charts and was top 10 in the UK singles chart in 2012. Unfortunately Don Jazzy & D'Banj disband- ed in the same year along with their popular label Mo Hits. But despite the setbacks D'Banj has stayed focused. Creating the CREAM platform which stands for Creative Reality Entertainment Art & Music, a busi- ness that aims to empower African artists. "The CREAM is a platform that I taught myself which was launched last year, with Africa's biggest mobile telecommunication MTN, and the reason we did that is because we realised that there are so many youths across Africa that have content with them that need help, in distribution, need help in marketing, that need help in sponsorship." "So we will be partnering in the future with more of the global publishing companies, the record labels the distribution companies movie industry, just to make sure that we can bring that visibility to my people." "But that will be working side by side with my album, because of course the album is still the foundation of the reason why people love D'Banj," he adds. "So I have put in a lot to making sure that once we drop the album we will be going on tour, we will be going everywhere in the world, but more importantly I will be going with winners from the CREAM platform, people that can showcase their talent. I can use what I have to help what they want so that is the future for me, just being that vis- ible hope that I have always wanted to be." Similar to D'Banj The Fedz are also looking to make a difference in their own way, and one of the ways they are doing this is bring- ing a little bit of joy to the streets of London with spontaneous live performances. "I think one that sticks out in my mind, probably is when we first ever went to Ox- ford street," says the Commander. "Because in my mind Oxford Circus is like a forbidden place. It's like Buckingham Palace you can't just go there start trouble and do what you want. And we went there, played the music loud, threw a party, it was the best feeling man." However for King, there have been too many incredible moments to pick from, " I don't really have a favourite one, they were all really awesome." "I mean as King said they were all incred- ible. But on the first one I DJed, I got called up to DJ on the back of this truck," Q confesses. " So me and the other DJ had to flip a coin and of course I lose, so I have gotta start now. Literally, two seconds in the tune some woman comes out screaming, 'Put the sound down, put the sound down!' And I am like, God, this going to be a bad day." "Then we moved on to Shepherd's Bush, Camden and it started to get really wild and by the time we got to Oxford Circus it's just magical. To see how many people come to- gether and how many people unite just for music and just the pureness of good times, and the energy that people have when that happens. It is the fact that it is unsuspected that people just really go crazy." 2017 / ISSUE 102 39 HIP HOP & RNB "D'BANJ: THE FUTURE FOR ME IS BEING THAT VISIBLE HOPE THAT I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE' " Global superstar D'Banj teams up with up & coming London based collective The Fedz on his latest track 'Comment Ca Va'. The track is an upbeat number ranging from soul, R&B to D'Banj's more well-known sound of Afropop. Speaking on the single D'Banj says, "I like the spin Bluey Robinson put on the track." follow @TheFedzMusic @iamdbanj Patience Takyuka | Guestlist

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