23rd November, 2013
By Ayo Adelusi
Musicians and artists have always received all the plaudits for creating hit songs, but record producers also deserve to share that recognition.
Over the years several talented and era-defining producers have walked these streets, mesmerizing us with their melodious beats and brilliant musical ingenuity. These producers have not only given us great songs, they have carried the music industries on their shoulders and brought Nigerian music into the limelight.
We are inspired to write about two greatest Nigerian music producers of this generation (from the late 90’s till date).
Don Jazzy
Michael Collins Ajereh, better known as Don Jazzy, is a Nigerian record producer, singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He co-founded the now-defunct record label Mo’ Hits Records in 2004. Following the closure of the aforementioned record label, Don Jazzy set up Mavin Records on May 8, 2012.
Don Baba J, as he is fondly called is from Isoko in Delta State. His mother is an Igbo princess from Abia state and his father is the origin of the Isoko people. He was born in Umuahia, Abia State. His family moved to Ajegunle, Lagos where Ajereh was raised.
Don Jazzy attended the co-educational high school, Federal Government College Lagos. Ajereh found an interest in music early in life and at age 12, began to play the bass guitar. He also gained knowledge of traditional and percussion instruments. Ajereh enrolled in business management studies at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo state.
In 2000, Ajereh visited London.His uncle had invited him to play the drums for the local church. In London, Ajereh gained employment at McDonald’s as a security guard. He continued his interest in music, associating with Solek, JJC, Kas, The 419 Squad, and D’Banj. Ajereh learned producing skills from Emeka Infiniti at the O-Town record company.
In 2004, Ajereh collaborated with D’Banj to form Mo’ Hits Records. In the next two years, Ajereh produced the albums No Long Thing and Rundown/Funk You Up. A third album, Curriculum Vitae, had also been started. Around this time, Ajereh developed a recognizable introduction, “It’s Don Jazzy Again!”
In 2008, Ajereh was credited in the production of The Entertainer by D’Banj. He also contributed to the production of Wande Coal’s Mushin 2 MoHits, an album that was described as one of the best albums to ever come out of Nigeria.
Although Ajereh did not take credit as a singer, he performed background vocals for artists he produced. These performances include vocals for D’Banj, Sauce Kid, Dr. SID, Ikechukwu, Kween, D’Prince, Jay-Z. Ajereh provided vocal performance for Kanye West’s song Lift Off with Beyoncé on the Watch The Throne album.
In 2011, Ajereh was employed by Kanye West as a producer at Very Good Beatz. Ajereh worked with Jay-Z and Kanye West on the production of Lift Off, featuring Beyoncé on the album Watch The Throne which was released on 8 August 2011.
In March 2012, Don Jazzy and D’Banj abandoned their partnership citing artistic differences.
On 7 May 2012, Ajereh announced a new record label, Mavin Records. Ajereh said, “I see Mavin Records being the powerhouse of Music in Africa in the shortest possible time.” On 8 May 2012, he released an album featuring the artists signed to his label.
The songs on the album included: Amarachi, Forever, Oma Ga, Take Banana and Chocolate, YOLO, and the anthem I’m a MAVIN. Mavin records signed the vocalist, Tiwa Savage. Ajereh built a social network platform called “Marvin League” to complement and market his label.
On 5 November 2013, Ajereh had a conflict with an artist, Wande Coal who left the label two days later.
In September 2014, Ajereh produced a Nigerian social activist song with Reekado Banks and Di’Ja called Arise.
In 2012, Don Jazzy appeared in Moses Inwang’s movie The Last 3 Digits in Nollywood. Inwang also cast Ali Baba, A.Y., Nonso Diobi and Dr. Sid.
At the Headies Awards 2015, Ajereh argued with Olamide. The two disagreed about who should have won the “Next Rated” award. Lil Kesh of YBNL records lost to Reekado Banks, Ajereh’s artist. The winner of the award received a car. Apologies on both sides were posted afterward.
John Oboh AKA Mighty Mouse
John Oboh was a Nigerian musician and producer who created the AJ beat music genre. John studied music at Dublin Ireland and later formed a duet with Mr Remi which came up with the hit soung ‘Folashade’ in the 1990s. John traveled to back to Nigeria, where he first came up with his unique style, AJ beat, which was a fusion of Esan samba beat, Raggea, Jazz, and other instrumentals and percussions. His music and production was notable for having a street vibes
A common motif in his work is a call-and-response in the chorus, with figurative lyrics. He sung mostly in Nigerian pidgin English.
If you’ve ever wondered who’s the maestro behind Daddy Showkey record-breaking hit song “Shoki,” and Daddy Fresh’s song ” Faka Fiki Faka ” look no further than John Oboh. He is a singer and producer, it was his sister Mabel Oboh who influenced his start up of his digital studio in olodi Apapa (AJegunle).
He taught himself basic production techniques and used knowledge he acquired while studying music in Ireland. His style of music was influenced by his passion for traditional African beats and his love for reggae before he decided to pursue music production fully.
He is a Nigerian record producer and artist who goes by the stage name Mighty mouse. He was born at Oshodi Lagos Nigeria. He went to a local government primary school at olodi Apapa Lagos and secondary education, at Trinity Secondary School olodi Apapa Lagos. It is recorded that he pioneer his first beat when he was only fifteen years old, and he later created a genre, now known as AJ music in 199I before producing “Shoki” for renowned Nigerian legend, Daddy Showkey.
Mighty Mouse, initially began his music career as an amateur musician when he started as a disc jockey with Radio Nigeria when he was only 15 . He picked up the basics experimenting with local Esan samba beats, afrobeats, afropop, and R&B as a way to make money by selling beats to small artists before creating his own Genre called AJ music beats with his own production “If Them No ready”. He later decided to take on production full-time in 1991.
He is a producer that knows how to produce highly infectious tunes that easily becomes a fans favourite in the 1990s. When it comes to having ears for great sound, John Oboh aka mighty Mouse is unrivalled for miles. The music producer now in his 50s, is a core part of the recent milestones in AJbeats’ global takeover. He has produced for the likes of Daddy Showkey and Marvelous Benji, Scottish Piper Norman MacLeod He staked a claim in Nigerian music with ‘shoki’ by Daddy Showkey and Dengo pose, one of the standout records of Baba fryo debut album and other musicians in Nigeria and beyond.