[CELEBRITY BIO] Michael Collins Ajereh aka Don Jazzy’s Biography.

 Michael Collins Ajereh (born November 26, 1982), better known as Don Jazzy, is a Nigerian Multi award-winning record producer, singer-songwriter, musician former CEO of Nigerian record label Mo’Hits Records founded in 2004 and current CEO of the Mavin 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.

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 and assisted in background vocals for Dr SID, Wande Coal, D’Prince, Darey, Naeto C, Olakunle Excel at Zanga (O.A.U), Sauce Kid, Ikechukwu & Tiwa Savage. He also collaborated with Jay-Z and Kanye West on the production of Lift off featuring Beyonce on the album Watch The Throne, released on August 8, 2011.

He recently was rated as the 36th. “Most powerful celebrity in Africa” according to Forbes.

Early life

 Michael Collins Ajereh was born in Umuahia by Abia State Parents, who are from Isuikwuato L.G.A in Abia state. His family moved to Ajegunle city in Lagos state where he was raised, and graduated from Federal Government College Lagos. Michael 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 neighborhood 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 Dbanj, the gang would spend unrelenting hours practicing, recording and performing different types of music.

Jazzy’s 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 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

Fashion and Social Networking

 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 1.21 million followers on Twitter, 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. He also has more than 800k followers on his Instagram page.

 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, they are more comfortable. I prefer to call them colourful trousers. He is also known to wear sunglasses, carry walking sticks, of which he has several and alternating bling chains, African jewelry and rosary.

Samsung Deal, Mavin Records and Mavin League

 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.

Later in the year,on May 7 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 (C.P.R) Kiss of Life,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 saying, I see Mavin Records being the power house of Music in the shortest possible time. There were some controversies after Dbanj left and next up was Wande Coal.

This didn’t shake Don jazzy as he signed in three new promising act that are already famous with their songs. Their names include Korede Bello, AphroDija, and Reekadobanks.

Production Discography

Albums

D’banj – ‘No Long Thing‘ (2005)

D’banj – Rundown/Funk You Up (2006)

D’banj – The Entertainer (2008)

Mo’Hits All Stars- Curriculum 

Vitae (2007)

Anaconda 3:34

Booty Call 5:13

Close To You 3:43

Hey Girl 5:08

Igbe Mi 5:40

Masqurade 4:02

No Long Thing 3:15

Ololufe (Club Mix) 4:21

Stop The Violence 6:37

Why Me (Remix) 5:16

Jasi 2:50

Wande Coal – Mushin2Mohits (2008)

I Know U Like It 3:10

You Bad 4:05

Se Na Like This 4:12

Kiss Ur Hands 3:54

Confused 4:20

Se Ope 3:22

Now It’s All Gone 4:24

Bumper 2 Bumper 3:44

Who Born The Maga 3:04

Thats Wots Up 4:42

Bananas 3:59

Taboo 4:24

Jehovah 4:02

Ololufe 4:56

Ten Ten 3:47

My Grind 4:48

Dr SID Turning Point (2010)

When This Song Comes On

Over the Moon (feat. K-Switch)

Something About You

Winchi Winchi (feat. Wande Coal)

Pop something (feat. D’banj)

Ba Mi Jo (feat. Ikechukwu, M.I & ElDee)

Baby

E Je Ka Jo (feat. D’Banj)

Pillow

Something About You (Silva Stone Remix)

Winchi Winchi (feat. Wande Coal, Sway DaSafo, & Dotstar)

MAVINS – Solar Plexus “MAVIN Records” (2012)

Intro by MAVINS (Michael Ajereh, Sidney Esiri)

I’m A MAVIN by MAVINS (Michael Ajereh, Tiwatope Savage, Sidney Esiri, Wande Ojosipe, Charles Enebeli)

Oma Ga by Tiwa Savage (Michael Ajereh, Tiwatope Savage, Sidney Esiri, Wande Ojosipe)

YOLO by Dr SID (Michael Ajereh, Sidney Esiri)

See Me Ri by Wande Coal (Michael Ajereh, Sidney Esiri, Wande Ojosipe, Towa Ojosipe)

Take Banana by D’PRINCE (Michael Ajereh, Charles Enebeli)

CPR by Dr SID (Michael Ajereh, Sidney Esiri)

Forever by Wande Coal (Michael Ajereh, Sidney Esiri, Wande Ojosipe, Towa Ojosipe)

Why You Over There by D’PRINCE (Michael Ajereh, Charles Enebeli)

Chocolate by Dr SID (Michael Ajereh, Sidney Esiri, Charles Enebeli)

Pretty Girls by Wande Coal (Michael Ajereh, Wande Ojosipe)

Amarachi by D’PRINCE (Michael Ajereh, Charles Enebeli)

Outro by MAVINS (Michael Ajereh, Sidney Esiri)

Singles

Mo’ Hits Artists

D’Prince

Omoba

I like What I See (feat. Wande Coal)

Ooze (feat. D’Banj)

Give It To me (feat. D’Banj)

D’banj

Tongolo (2005)

Soko (2005)

Mobolowowon (2005)

Why Me (2006)

Run Down (2006)

Kimon (2008)

Olorun Maje (2008)

Gbono Feli (2008)

Entertainer (2008)

Suddenly (2008)

Fall In Love (2008)

Igwe (2008)

Mr Endowed (2010)

I do This

Scape Goat (2010)

ashanti (2010)

Mr Endowed (Remix) (feat. Snoop Dogg) (2010)

Oliver Twist (2011)

Wande Coal

Bumper 2 Bumper

You Bad

Kiss Your Hand

Who Born the Maga

Been Long You Saw Me (feat. Don Jazzy) (2011)

Go Low (2011)

Dr SID

Something About You (2009)

Winchi winchi (2009)

Pop Something(feat. D’Banj)

Over The Moon (2010)

Mo’Hits Allstars

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.Beyonce)

Weird MC – Ijoya

Awards

Nigerian Music Awards (NMA) 2006 Producer of the Year

Nigerian Entertainment Awards 2007 Music Producer of the Year

The HEADIES (2011) – PRODUCER OF THE YEAR