Michael Collins Ajereh (born 26 November 1982), better known as Don Jazzy, is a Nigerian Multi award-winning record producer, singer-songwriter, musician, former CEO ofNigerian record label Mo' Hits Recordsfounded in 2004 and current CEO of theMavin Records label which he founded in May 2012 after his split up with childhood friend and Mo'Hits partner,D'banj. Born in Umuahia in Abia state, his first signing was D'banj who was at that time also the Vice-President of the label and now President after split.
Don Jazzy's first full credit production work was in 2004 on Tongolo forNigerian singer D'banj. He went on to produce D'banj's first studio album titled No Long Thing released in 2005.
He has produced tracks for Dr SID,Wande Coal, D'Prince, Darey, Naeto C,Olakunle Excel et Zanga, Sauce Kid,Ikechukwu & Tiwa Savage. He also collaborated with Jay-Z and Kanye West on the production of Lift Off, featuring Beyoncé on the album Watch The Throne, released on 8 August 2011.
He recently was rated as the 36th. "Most powerful celebrity in Africa" according to Forbes
Michael Collins Ajereh was born inUmuahia and hail from Delta state. His family moved to Ajegunle city in Lagosstate where he was raised, and graduated from Federal Government College Lagos. Michael Had always had a flair for music singing and playing the drums from the age of four. He developed a passion for the bass guitar at the age of 12, he went on study Business Management at the Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma in Edo state.He moved to London in the United Kingdom in 2000 after his Uncle invited him to come play the drums for the neighbourhood Church.
Various odd jobs followed including working at McDonalds and as a security guard. Already imbued with an intimate knowledge of traditional and percussion instruments, Don Jazzy further built on his musical knowledge during his UK stint. Finding fellow kindred sprits in the likes of Solek, JJC, Kas, The 419 squad and D'Banj, the gang would spend unrelenting hours practising, recording and performing different types of music.
His appetite for a full-time career in music could no longer be satiated when, in 2004, he partnered with D'Banjto set up the Mo' Hits label. Within two years, the prolific producer had wrapped up two albums (No Long Thing and Rundown/Funk You Up) with his former Mo' Hits partner and was working on a third, Curriculum Vitae. By this time, he had already started becoming a household name with the trademark intro – It's Don Jazzy Again!
In 2008 there were further production credits for the best selling album of that year, The Entertainer Don Jazzy repeated the trick with Wande Coal's Mushin 2 MoHits, an album that was described as one of the best albums to ever come out of Nigeria
Although not acknowledging himself as a recording artist,he is responsible for doing most Background Vocals for Artists he produces for and sometimes does complete verses. His musical dexterity can be heard through his beats and well calculated vocals he assists to the likes of D'Banj, Sauce Kid, Dr SID, Ikechukwu, Kween,D'Prince and even Jay-Z and Kanye West on their Watch The Throne trackLift Off, featuring Beyoncé.
The soft-spoken humble producer who is known to grant less interviews, is an avid user of social networking sites with Twitter being his top. With over 200K followers, he is known to give birthday shout-outs to fans, give airtime recharge cards, iPads, and even money via Twitter. Such connection to fans, has earned him a song by some Twitter fan, special for his birthday, sing him praises and wishing him a long-life.
His love for exquisite African Fabrics and Male Indian-Gowns isn't a secret, but he is known to go with his own liking, switching whenever he feels like. At one point in 2011, he was frequently noticed to wear pajamas on daily-bases. He is also known to wear sunglasses, carry walking sticks, of which he has several and alternating bling chains, African jewellery and rosary.
Later in the year,on 7 May Don Jazzy kept his promise of a new beginning, taking to Twitter to announce his new Record Label known as Mavin Recordsand further promised to release a compilation album of the label artists the very next day. The album which was executive-produced by him, has gathered critical reviews, while blessing the fans with hit songs like Amarachi,Forever, Oma Ga, Take Banana and Chocolate, others are such a C.P.R,YOLO and the labels anthem I'm a MAVIN.
The multiple award winning producer also announced that Tiwa Savagewould be joining the Mavin family. The signing of Savage, one of Nigeria's leading vocalists, is seen as a major coup for the budding record label and Don Jazzy promised fans that there are many more exciting faces to be "activated" by the label in the near future.
Don Jazzy was quoted saying, I see Mavin Records being the power house of Music in Africa in the shortest possible time
And for the love of social networking, the new label proceeded to make their own social network site known asMavin League which is a platform for the labels fans to socialise and interact, but also a place for latest news and updates about the label.
The label boasts an addition of Tiwa Savage to part of the former members of Mo' Hits Records who is now the label first lady, with a promise of more addition of "Mavins" in the near-future. On 5 November 2013, he had a cold fight with his former label act wande over stolen of music production from him. While on 7 Nov his record labelreleased official statement of wande coal departure from the label.
In September 2014, Don Jazzy calls on Reekado Banks & Di’Ja for Arise dedicated to Nigeria. This is a clarion call to all Nigerians to wake up.
He has won the following awards
- 20016 Nigerian Music Awards (NMA) - Producer of the Year
- 2007 Nigerian Entertainment Awards - Music Producer of the Year
- The Headies 2011 – Producer of the Year for the songs "Over The Moon", "Mr Endowed" and "Pop Something"
- The Headies 2014 – Producer of the Year for the song "Dorobucci"
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