Last week, D’Banj released a new album called “Stress Free.” The project was his first in four years, and you can take a peep at the lead single of the same name below.
“I’m very happy to have Seun Kuti on this track #stressfree, this is actually the first time we are working on a song together and we made this magic over a year ago,” D’Banj said in a recent interview with Punch Magazine. “He strikes me as the earthly lineage of the source of Afrobeat and I had to go to the very source to bring out this masterpiece. You really cannot separate the name Kuti from Afrobeats and Seun Kuti is known for his unapologetic approach to his craft bringing out the very best at every pitch. As you can see the horns are very very striking.”
But questions about the artist’s past have already arisen in the wake of this new single dropping. Fans pointed out that in 2020, D’Banj was accused of rape and kidnapping, and his hiatus had less to do with a potential “break” and more to do with fighting the charges.
For those asking: https://t.co/dQPjGnN2Up
— Cowboy Conny (@TheConradJay) October 12, 2021
The Guardian reports that Seyitan Babatayo accused the star of rape, and when she refused to retract her statements, she was targeted by the police, fans, and even D’Banj himself. What’s more, her alleged treatment sparked outrage in Nigeria, especially when she claimed she was forced to retract her statements under threat of duress.
“I was isolated from my family, coerced, pressured and intimidated in person by D’banj and his team to retract all statements and to announce that my testimony was a publicity stunt,” she said. “D’banj through his team has continued to harass me with incessant calls and boasting that he can buy off anyone within the justice system in Lagos.”
D’Banj has denied all the charges, and subsequently filed a countersuit against his victim for 1.5 billion Naira (about $2.4 million USD). The case is still pending, as of this writing.