Nigerian music executive Michael Collins Ajereh, popularly known as Don Jazzy, has shared his belief that Afrobeats artists and producers created more impactful music during the period when they lived together in record label houses equipped with studios and other creative facilities.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Crea8torium podcast, Don Jazzy reflected on the collaborative environment of the Mo’Hits Records era, recalling how an unexpected moment involving D’Prince contributed to the creation of Olorun Maje by D’Banj.
“I have a theory that says that most of the great music that we made in Afrobeats was when all of us were living together. For instance, D’Banj’s ‘Olorun Maje,’ the idea was from D’Prince and Sunday Are, who was our manager then.
“Sunday Are was complaining that D’Prince didn’t want to go to radio interviews. He came to report to me but I didn’t even listen because I was working in the studio. So, I told him to go and report to D’Banj because he is like a military man. After he reported, D’Banj started shouting at D’Prince. Then D’Prince now came back into the studio where I was with Sunday Are and pretended like he was dusting some equipment and then began to sing, ‘Some people they want make I cry, some people they want make I die, why? Olorun Maje oooo.’
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“The lyrics just fell precisely to the beat I was making at that time. I told him to pause that I like it. That was how the song was born. Also the song ‘You bad, you want it’ was from Dr SID, who randomly walked into the studio and started rhyming to a beat I was making,” he recalled.
Don Jazzy further noted that the process of making music today has changed significantly compared to the earlier days of their collective work in the industry.
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He maintained that his own creative approach has remained the same, explaining that he typically enters the studio with a specific artist in mind when crafting a beat.
He also encouraged emerging creatives to build stronger relationships and spend more time together, stressing that collaboration and closeness can enhance artistic cohesion and output.
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