“It’s Don Jazzy again!” — once you hear that phrase in a song, you are almost guaranteed that the track will be a hit. The man is our own Quincy Jones, that legendary music producer who crafted Michael Jackson’s monstrous Off the Wall and the earth-shaking Thriller albums.
Don Jazzy has delivered to Nigeria the kind of songs that can make us change the country’s name. Working with gifted artistes like D’banj, Tiwa Savage and Ayra Starr, Don continues to evoke far more than emotional reactions — his works gleam with glitz, depth, and the kind of steaming talent that only he can assemble.
Mbok, my favourite is when he sang with the beautiful Johnny Drille — What Have You Done to Me? Between these two, they have captured me o. If you’ve never heard any of their collaborations, it’s like you are living under a rock, I tell you.
Don Jazzy has held strong musical influence for well over 10 years. His massive partnership with D’banj produced Nigeria’s first music billionaires, straddling technology, embracing the new streaming culture, and parlaying it into multi-million-naira concerts in Lagos and beyond — driving “Dirty December” and pushing Lagos firmly into the entertainment capital of the world.
Don was, for a brief stint, an in-house producer with the mercurial madman Kanye West. Ohhhhh kai — as I’m writing this, I am listening to the massive How Are You My Friend, another collab with the same Johnny Drille, and it is turning my head into meat pie.
Don Jazzy continues to maintain relevance with a cupid combination of massive talent, huge philanthropy, and a compelling dose of humility, which earn him deep respect across all strata of society.
Aghhhhhhhhhh kai kai kai kai kai, I have died oooooo — the hit song Anyway just came up o! The video has garnered over 10 million views on YouTube and carries a comedic appeal, with Don and Johnny garbed in 60s psychedelic outfits and the beats compelling you to stand up and dance.
Yes ooo, I leave the laptop momentarily and start digging it with my staff, while Michael grabs his phone to capture my steps for posterity.
This is the power and influence of a young man from Delta State who first went to the UK in 2000 to play drums in a church and work as a security man before joining forces with UK-based Nigerian acts like JJ Skillz to birth one of the most profound music careers in the world.
Who will now say that Don Jazzy does not deserve to be on this Power List? Let the person stand up so we can stone—
You know what? Let me not say more.
Wow.
Duke of Shomolu
Don Jazzy’s entry in the Maddtimes Power list Coffee table book
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