NaijaTalTalk- iPlayRepublic- Meet The Producer- Michael Collins Ajereh, Don Jazzy

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Michael Collins Ajereh
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 of Mo' Hits Records and current CEO of Mavin Records.Born in Umuahia in Abia state, Alongside his friend and partner they created the Mohits record label.


Don Jazzy's first full credit production work was in 2004 on Tongolo for Nigerian 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, Emeka Infiniti, 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.

Early life

Michael Collins Ajereh was born in Umuahia. His family moved to Ajegunle city in Lagos where he was raised, and graduated from Federal Government College Lagos. He 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. In 2000 he moved to London, UK after his Uncle invited him to come and play the drums for the local 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 kindred spirits in the likes of Solek, JJC, Kas, The 419 squad and D'Banj, the gang would spend unrelenting hours practicing, 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'Banj to 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 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! He also owes a lot of his production prowess to lectures from popular O'town big boy Emeka Infiniti who he worked with in mid 2000.

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.

Voice, fashion and social networking

Although not acknowledging himself as a recording artist,he is responsible for doing most background vocals for artists he produces, and sometimes sings complete verses. His musical dexterity can be heard through his beats and well calculated vocals he provides 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 track Lift Off, featuring Beyoncé.

Jazzy is an avid user of social networking sites with Twitter being his favourite. With over 200K loyal followers, he has been known to give birthday mentions, mobile airtime recharge cards, iPads, and even money.

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-basis, in an interview he said, [6] He is also known to wear sunglasses, carry walking sticks, of which he has several and alternating bling chains, African jewellery and rosary.

Mo'Hits/G.O.O.D. Music and Mo'Hits End

In 2011 his talents got him noticed by Kanye West who signed him up as a producer on his GOOD Music label. With over a 100 production tracks to his name, Jazzy has worked with a host of local and international celebrities. In spite of his whirlwind superstardom, Don Jazzy has never forgotten his humble beginnings and is very passionate about charitable causes.A video surfaced in the internet on YouTube, showing the signing of the deal,and Kanye West made a surprise appearance at the Koko Concert in London to officially show support and awarded D'Banj with his chain, as a gesture of welcoming him to GOOD Music.

However, after 8 years of hard work and struggles to set up the Mo' Hits label, around March 2012, rumours of irreconcilable differences between the label heads had been circulating, the die-hard fans of the record label and fans of the synergy of Don Jazzy and D'Banj where torn apart,with tweets by Don Jazzy saying.

Samsung deal, Mavin Records and Mavin League

MAVINS
 
On the wake of the split up, Samsung unveiled their "Built for Africa" products including an Afro-Pop home theatre which has been developed through the EQ tuning of a sound optimised equaliser – undertaken by leading African celebrity, Don Jazzy. The launch took place in Cape Town, and Don Jazzy had the following to say, "Previously, in 2011, Samsung were focused on the consistent improvement on sound quality and levels – which they were very successful in however, product innovations such as this one will drive the demand and brand loyalty towards their products far more and as long as they continue with this type of product development and drive I am sure they will continue to deliver strong, market relevant products – built specifically with the African consumer in mind," concludes Don Jazzy.

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 Records and 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 Savage would 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 as 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 as Mavin League which is a platform for the labels fans to socialize 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 November, his record label released official statement of Wande Coal departure from the label.

In September 2014, Don Jazzy calls on Reekado Banks and Di'Ja for "Arise" dedicated to Nigeria. This is a clarion call to all Nigerians to wake up.

Production discography

Albums

  1. Anaconda 3:34
  2. Booty Call 5:13
  3. Close To You 3:43
  4. Hey Girl 5:08
  5. Igbe Mi 5:40
  6. Masquerade 4:02
  7. No Long Thing 3:15
  8. Ololufe (Club Mix) 4:21
  9. Stop The Violence 6:37
  10. Why Me (Remix) 5:16
  11. Jasi 2:50
  • Wande Coal – Mushin2Mohits (2008)
  1. I Know U Like It 3:10
  2. You Bad 4:05
  3. Se Na Like This 4:12
  4. Kiss Ur Hands 3:54
  5. Confused 4:20
  6. Se Ope 3:22
  7. Now It's All Gone 4:24
  8. Bumper 2 Bumper 3:44
  9. Who Born The Maga 3:04
  10. That's Wots Up 4:42
  11. Bananas 3:59
  12. Taboo 4:24
  13. Jehovah 4:02
  14. Ololufe 4:56
  15. Ten Ten 3:47
  16. My Grind 4:48
  17. Been long you saw me
  18. Private trips
  19. Go low 3:50
  20. The kick 3:10
  21. Rotate 3:20
  1. When This Song Comes On
  2. Over the Moon (feat. K-Switch)
  3. Something About You
  4. Winchi Winchi (feat. Wande Coal)
  5. Pop something (feat. D'Banj)
  6. Ba Mi Jo (feat. Ikechukwu, M.I & eLDee
  7. Baby
  8. E Je Ka Jo (feat. D'Banj)
  9. Pillow
  10. Something About You (Silva Stone Remix)
  11. Winchi Winchi (feat. Wande Coal, Sway DaSafo & Dotstar)
  1. Intro by MAVINS (Michael Ajereh, Sidney Esiri)
  2. I'm A MAVIN by MAVINS (Michael Ajereh, Tiwatope Savage, Sidney Esiri, Wande Ojosipe, Charles Enebeli)
  3. Oma Ga by Tiwa Savage (Michael Ajereh, Tiwatope Savage, Sidney Esiri, Wande Ojosipe)
  4. YOLO by Dr SID (Michael Ajereh, Sidney Esiri)
  5. See Me Ri by Wande Coal (Michael Ajereh, Sidney Esiri, Wande Ojisipe, Towa Ojosipe)
  6. Take Banana by D'PRINCE (Michael Ajereh, Charles Enebeli)
  7. CPR by Dr SID (Michael Ajereh, Sidney Esiri)
  8. Forever by Wande Coal (Michael Ajereh, Sidney Esiri, Wande Ojosipe, Towa Ojosipe)
  9. Why You Over There by D'PRINCE (Michael Ajereh, Charles Enebeli)
  10. Chocolate by Dr SID (Michael Ajereh, Sidney Esiri, Charles Enebeli)
  11. Pretty Girls by Wande Coal (Michael Ajereh, Wande Ojosipe)
  12. Amarachi by D'PRINCE (Michael Ajereh, Charles Enebeli)
  13. Outro by MAVINS (Michael Ajereh, Sidney Esiri)

Singles

Mo' Hits Artists
  • D'Prince
  1. Omoba
  1. I like What I See (feat. Wande Coal)
  2. Ooze (feat. D'Banj)
  3. Give It To me (feat. D'Banj)
  • D'banj
  1. Tongolo (2005)
  2. Soko (2005)
  3. Mobolowowon (2005)
  4. Why Me (2006)
  5. Run Down (2006)
  6. Kimon (2008)
  7. Olorun Maje (2008)
  8. Gbono Feli (2008)
  9. Entertainer (2008)
  10. Suddenly (2008)
  11. Fall in Love (2008)
  12. Igwe (2008)
  13. Mr Endowed (2010)
  14. I do This
  15. Scape Goat (2010)
  16. ashanti (2010)
  17. Mr Endowed (Remix) (feat. Snoop Dogg) (2010)
  18. Oliver Twist (2011)
  • Wande Coal
  1. Bumper 2 Bumper
  2. You Bad
  3. Kiss Your Hand
  4. Who Born the Maga
  5. Been Long You Saw Me (feat. Don Jazzy) (2011)
  6. Go Low (2011)
  • Dr SID
  1. Something About You (2009)
  2. Winchi winchi (2009)
  3. Pop Something(feat. D'Banj)
  4. Over The Moon (2010)
  5. Chocolate
  6. Y.O.L.O
  7. C.P.R
  8. Afefe
  9. Chocolate West African Remix (ft Ice Prince Sarkodie Elom Adablah Lynxxx)
  10. Chocolate East African Remix (ft Musik Maestro)
  11. Lady Don Dada
  12. Love Mine
  13. Talented
  14. Baby Tornado
  15. Baby Tornado Remix (ft Alexandra burke)
  16. Surulere (ft Don Jazzy)
  • Mo'Hits Allstars
  1. Ten Ten
Non–Mo' Hits Artists
  • Darey – Escalade part 2
  • Darey – Stroke Me
  • Shank – Never Felt
  • Naeto C – Asewo
  • Ikechukwu – Like You (feat. Wande Coal)
  • Ikechukwu – Wind am well (feat. Don Jazzy and D'Banj)
  • Ikechukwu – Do (feat. D'Banj)
  • Ikechukwu – All on Me
  • Ikechukwu – Critical (feat. D'Banj
  • Ikechukwu – Now is the time (feat. Don Jazzy)
  • Sauce Kid – Under G
  • Kanye West & Jay-Z – Lift Off (feat.Beyoncé)
  • Weird MC – Ijoya

Awards

Filmography

Don Jazzy made his debut Nollywood career in Moses Inwang's "The Last 3 Digits". The star decorated movie also starred A-list celebrities and comedians like Ali Baba, A.Y, Nonso Diobi, Dr. Sid and a host of others.

Controversy

At the Headies Awards 2015, Don Jazzy and Olamide openly threw harsh words at each other over the outcome of the much converted “Next Rated Award”. The Next Rated Award which is arguably the biggest award of the night comes with a lot of recognition (and the bonus of a brand new Hyundai Car). The favorite for the award Lil Kesh (Signed under Olamide's YBNL record) surprisingly failed to win the award as it went to Mavin artist Reekado Banks. Apparently this angered Olamide so he stormed unto the stage and vent his anger. The two CEOs eventually settled their fight and issued a joint apology.

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