Born Michael Collins Ajereh, but famed and widely known by his brand name “Don Jazzy”, he is indeed the boss of the Music production in Nigeria.
Don Jazzy for an intro is a music producer – the biggest in Africa, a songwriter, a singer, and a businessman. Although he is yet to do a single with himself as the sole artist, Don Jazzy is the second richest musician in Nigeria and Africa.
Revered as the king of collaborations, he is the brain behind the defunct Mohits Group – a label that produced the likes of internationally acclaimed music stars D’Banj and Wande Coal.
He is currently the CEO of The Mavins which is the biggest music group in Africa at the moment. How he arrived here will be revealed in the succeeding texts.
Childhood and Early Life
Michael was born in Umuahia, Abia State Nigeria, his maternal home on November 26 of 1982 although he hails from Isoko, Delta state Nigeria. The family would later relocate to Ajegunle, a suburb of Lagos, Nigeria where the young Michael was bred in what seemed like a humbling environment.
Don Jazzy’s Educational Background
The don received his basic education from the Federal Government College Lagos, Nigeria, and went further to study Business Administration at Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria.
It’s not entirely clear if he completed his university education in AAU and where his presumably sheer passion for music started.
Early Background in Music/ Music Career
His early beginnings were characterized by the flair and prodigy for music and the act of production. Young Michael at age four was already playing drums and singing in his local church. He would take a leap further when he began learning how to play the guitar at age 12.
How He Got His Start
When you kick off your early life at age four with drumming, you are certainly going to become some drum Lord at 18, and so it was for the narrative of Don Jazzy that at 18 and in the year 2000, he was invited by his uncle to come to play the drums for a neighborhood church in London.
So Don Jazzy moved to London and began work in earnest – drumming for the said neighborhood church. He would juggle drumming and working as a security guard for McDonald’s in London while also working with some music acts around.
Mohit’s Record: Formation, Fame, and Split-Up
As fate would dictate, Don jazzy met fellow Nigerian music act; Dbanj in London and both parlayed on a partnership to return to Nigeria in 2004 and form the Mohit’s Record Label which rose to become one of the greatest staples where party jams and gaga music where reeled out.
Lots of albums were dished out from the group, sending the Nigerian entertainment industry into a fit of excitement, great artists were also made in the likes of Wande Coal, D’Prince, and Dr. Sid and for the heydays of the Mohit’s Group, they were the talk of the town.
Michael was behind all the fame and glory, producing and doing background vocals for all of the artists signed unto the label. So prodigious did Michael become that in 2011, he worked with Kanye West and Jay-Z at Very Good Beatz and also worked with them in the production of the Lift Off and the album watch the throne featuring Beyoncé.
However, in March 2012, Don Jazzy and his music partner Dbanj parted ways heaping the cause on their divergent artistic views.
Mavins Record
After the split, Mohits’ record became history and Dbanj led an independent career that thrived successfully beyond the shores of Africa. The Don on the other hand established the Mavins Dynasty, his own music group and empire on May 7, 2012 where he then went ahead to continue breeding new acts.
He was optimistic about the music empire and proclaimed it to become the powerhouse of music in Africa. Artists like Reekado Banks, Koredo Bello, and Dija were the new kids on the blocks.
They rode on the pedestal in the Mavins Dynasty to become stars in the Nigerian music industry, Don Jazzy further reflected his knack for breeding young acts with talents to match up with the industry demands.
Nigerian female superstar in music, Tiwa Savage also became part of the Mavin crew and thus the first lady of the Mavin Dynasty, alongside Dr. Sid and D’Prince. Together, they supplied the fuel for the entertainment industry in Africa with hit songs like Ada Obi, Dorrobucci, Arise, and a few others.
Don Jazzy: Awards and Recognitions
Don Jazzy has been credited for his works in the music industry of Nigeria and has a few awards to his name which include
The Headies 2011 – Producer of The Year
The Headies 2014 – Producer of The Year
Nigerian Music Awards 2006 – Producer of The Year
City People Entertainment Awards 2015 – Special Recognition
Nigerian Entertainment Awards 2007 – Music Producer of The Year
Don Jazzy’s Networth And Assets
From his music productions, album sales, business, and as CEO of the Mavins Group, Don Jazzy is reportedly worth an estimated $100 million.
He lives a life of affluence in an N300 million mansion in one of the most coveted neighborhoods on Lagos Island and goes in posh cars worth millions of naira.
He is set is to launch a new recording studio which he claimed had gulped a little over half a billion naira to build.
Endorsements and Deals
For all his pure craft and rare aficionado in the act of music production and singing as well, Don Jazzy has enjoyed some mouth-watering deals from famous brands in the Nigerian business world.
He entered into a deal with telecom giants, MTN Nigeria worth 25m, entered another which worth an N100 million with Samsung Africa. He was also the brand ambassador for Loya milk in a deal worth N50m.