Mavin Records founder, Michael Collins Ajereh also known as Don Jazzy, has stated that his driving force is the memory of selling akara with his mother in Ajegunle.
He was a guest on the Zero Conditions podcast, where he talked his childhood experience of selling akara with his mother hoping the ‘big customers’ would notice him and offer him money.
The music producer who said that period in his life shaped him, added that he doesn’t believe most people who say they suffered really did.
Speaking on his humble beginnings, Don Jazzy said; “I remember it like it was yesterday… I remember sitting down with my mum frying akara there, sitting on the bench there in Ajegunle, and any big man that passes by with their Peugeot 504 or Mercedes 230 or whatever and they come to buy akara.
I also remember the thought in my head, ‘I wish this man would just look at me and go Young boy just take this, I know that you need it’ or something like that.”
The music executive further said that now he is successful, his experience has made it impossible for him to meet any person without helping in some way, or without giving back to the community.
Don Baba J said he sees himself in any person he meets that is struggling and is moved to help in any way.
“I have a problem with people meeting me and not getting impacted,” he explained.
Watch the podcast:
Meanwhile in other news…
CorrectNG reported earlier that Don Jazzy disclosed that legendary ghetto dancehall musician, Daddy Showkey was his childhood role model.
The music executive made this known while appearing as a guest on The Leaderboard podcast hosted by Fisayo Fosudo, noting that he was inspired by Showkey and Baba Fryo to do music while growing up in Ajegunle, Lagos.
Don Jazzy also revealed that he started his music career as an instrumentalist in the church because he couldn’t afford studio sessions then.
According to the Mavin boss; “My music inspiration started from Ajegunle because dem Daddy Showkey, dem Baba Fryo, a lot of all these Ajegunle musicians that we looked up to.
“I used to tell my guys that when I started making music, I pretty much just wanted to blow and be Daddy Showkey because anywhere you went to in the country, you will hear, ‘If you see my mama, hosanna’ or ‘Somebody call my name, Showkey.’
“Trust me, the lyrics are national anthems. I pretty much wanted to do that. So, I used to go to church and play instruments. It was the only place that you can…Unless you want to go to studios which would cost money. At that time, we couldn’t afford to have sessions. So, the best place that you can get free equipment is the church. Instead of doing the ragga, the reggae, you go and do gospel first.”
