Don Jazzy and The Mavins in an exclusive photo shoot for THISDAY Style
In this interview culled from ThisDay Style, the hit producer says he believes the hit label ‘lives on’.
Tell me a bit about yourself; what was your childhood like?
Well, I was born in Umuahia but spent
most of my childhood in Lagos after our family moved here. I am the
eldest of four kids. I have always loved music and started banging drums
and instruments when I was a kid. As I grew older, I started
experimenting with different sounds even if they didn’t make sense.
What inspired you to go into music?
I have always been surrounded by music
growing up. My father was in the music business and retains a very
special interest in it until today. Music was part and parcel of our
everyday life.
Was it an easy take breaking into the Nigerian entertainment industry?
God has been extremely generous to me so
thankfully it has not been so bad. But believe me, there were some
trials. After we set up, we even considered selling it off when some
offers came in. If not that there were some delays, we may have sold for
like N1m. Fortunately, it was not to be and God allowed us go from
strength to strength.
Contrary to some of your
predecessors, it didn’t take you long to create a niche for yourself as
the don of the Nigerian entertainment and the beats master. What was the
secret behind your success?
God almighty, a lot of hard work, a
wonderful team, loads of practice and study of the music game, knowing
what the people want, and loving what I do.
The birth of MAVIN signifies a new era for you. How do you feel about it?
I feel gingered and ready to work as
always. Nothing stops. We will just keep working. I’m excited because
things look beautiful so far for a new company. I am the kind of person
who always looks forward to what he does. MAVIN is like a new child for
me and I am so excited about it. On the day we launched I could hardly
even sleep.
There have been a lot of
speculations and wild rumours; could you clear the air as to real reason
behind the breakup of the record label?
Most of the things out there have been
fabricated. I have not even been giving interviews until after the
launch of MAVIN so where the stories came from, I do not know. There was
no major problem behind the split. D’banj and I just decided we wanted to branch out and try different things musically and professionally.
The dictionary definition of the
MAVIN means someone who is dazzlingly skilled in his field an expert so
to say. Was there a particular reason to the choice of this name for
your record label? Were you perchance trying to pass a message to your
fans?
Yes! You always think hard when creating
a company. You think about what beat describes you or the company or
how people see you as. So MAVIN meaning genius kind of sounded sexy (Laughing)
although people have been complaining that we are forcing them to read
the dictionary for the meaning of the MAVIN and even Solar Plexus, the
name of the new album. Everybody has his or her own unique skill in
life, whatever it is you do, don’t just be amazing at it, be a MAVIN at
it.
There’s a fresh addition to the
group in person of Tiwa Savage, a clear diversion from the all-male feel
of the group. If at all an addition, why a female artist, and why Tiwa
Savage?
Even at, I wanted to sign a female
artiste but the opportunity never really came up. Tiwa and I have a
connection musically. We work well together that’s why she was first
choice to get activated.
Do you have any plans to push MAVIN deep into the international market? And do you intend to go about it?
Yes we all definitely want to grow. And
we intend to go about it one step at a time. Slow and steady wins the
race. We are Nigerians and this is our base but African music is hot in
the world right now so we must meet that demand too.
Where did you draw inspirations from during the creation of Solar Plexus?
Well the name itself actually came from
my dad. He loves winding us with big grammar. The inspiration for the
album itself came from God. I just wanted to make songs that were
different from songs out at the moment production wise. Although I
played with sounds not common in the Nigerian market now, I am glad it’s
working fine meaning we Nigerians are now opening up our ears to alien
sounds little by little.
Seeing as the album was created
just a little while after the breakup of records, how were you able to
concentrate in the midst of all the mayhem?
It wasn’t easy. But I am someone that
doesn’t have any trouble and don’t like trouble each other. I have built
myself up in a way that not a lot of things bother me. There is nothing
you can’t achieve with hard work and prayers. I always just try and let
the music do the talking.
Is there any possibility of
reconciliation between you and D’banj, not only in terms of the
brotherly friendship that existed between you but also to create music?
(Laughs) Who said we quarrelled? There
can only be reconciliation when people have quarrelled before. We are
good. We even worked together recently on the ‘Oliver Twist‘ remix and performed in New York.
Is Don Jazzy a musician or a producer?
(Laughs) All of the above.
A last word on the death of Mo’Hits any regrets?
None. No matter how much people call it
that, it actually can’t die. The great songs we made as will outlive you
and I. Mo’Hits lives on in every one of us.
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