By Ayeotan Shola
Michael Collins Ajereh Popularly known as don Jazzy dropped a few hints on how he made his Record Label, Mavins Dynasty the foremost Label in the Nigerian Entertainment Industry and even in Africa.
Don Jazzy who was a co-founder of the defunct Mo’Hits went on to set up Mavin Records after the former crew broke up.
In less than 3 years of establishing Mavins Records, the genius hit music producer who has been dubbed the undisputed King of Beats has changed the way Nigerians listen to music with timeless hit tunes of various genre without replicating beats and he has revolutionized the industry.
He has been called Africa’s Answer to Timbaland, another producer with flamboyant beats and a distinctive style.
Forbes magazine even listed him as the 36th Most Powerful Celebrity in Africa.
In An Interview with City People, he shared some power tips on how he made his dream possible.
*Read Excerpts below.
How does it feel running the biggest and the most successful record label in Nigeria today?
I will say it’s been God, it handwork, a good team and a dedicated staff, when everyone’s hand is on deck, there is absolutely no problem running a successful company, I feel very blessed because I didn’t think it was going to be easy as it has been, am not saying that it was easy, but then I didn’t think it was going to be that easy to be able to maintain balance and to be at the fore front of the game and I must say thank you to god, my fans, because my fans are very stubborn, they have been there to make sure that we get the love, like you guys we know that you deserve the best, we know that you are putting in your best, and we will not let you down as long as we don’t let them down, so I don’t see anything stopping us.
People also say you have the Midas Touch, that any artistes you touch becomes a star?
I don’t know about the Midas touch, but I think what it is, is that, I understand the market first, I also understand people to a large extent, the common problem with people in the industry is not really understanding the individuals they deal with, either the artiste of their staffs, I run a very beautiful organization where everyone is friends. We are family, I don’t come and start using veto power, because I am the boss, the greatest idea might come from the little guy there. So I listen to everybody and it works. As for music I try to experiment sometimes, but I don’t go out of the box to say I want to over experiment in a way that it is not what people want. If it is akara that you want to sell, it’s the akara that you will sell. You don’t have to start putting jam inside akara. Then it’s not akara anymore, it is something else, the least you can do is to put small pepper to taste, you cannot now go over outside the box and say you want to put your name on top of the akara and stuffs like that. Over the years there has been the kind of music Nigerians like. This is the kind of music my mother and my father dances to and their friends too, then we just stick to the formula and it works for us.
