Don jazzy opens up

Since his shocking break-up with
his erstwhile partner, and co-
owner of Mo’ Hits, Dapo
Oyebanjo a.k.a D’banj, prolific
music producer, Don Jazzy
whose real names are Collins
Edjereh has maintained sealed
lips until last week when he
floated a new record label called
Mavin Records. The label
parades the brightest and the
best acts from the defunct
Mo’hits including Wande Coal,
Dr Sid, The Prince and the new
entrant, Tiwa Savage. In this
interview, Don Jazzy reacts to
series of rumours and
speculations that trailed his
over-piblicised break up with
D’banj. Members of his new
label also share their dreams
and expectations as far as Mavin
Records is concerned.

What is MAVIN all about and what
inspired it?

It is spelt MAVIN Records and not
Marvin. If you check the dictionary it
simply refers to somebody that is a
genius or a champion, a sensation,
hotshot, superstar, wizkid or
whatever . So basically, we decided
to call the company that name
because we are all geniuses in our
different fields coming together in a
record company.

How much would you say the event
of the past few weeks have helped
in the emergence of Mavin Records.

Basically, we do not believe in
channeling our energies towards
what has happened in the past. But
basically to put up your energy to
transform our Ffuture. We wouldn’t
say we don’t have the memories of
things that has happened but we
just pray to God that as we are
moving forward that such situations
never occur again and we just pray
for the best.

What have you been able to put in
place to ensure that what happened
in the past does not repeat itself?

We can’t really say what happened,
we can’t really put a hand on what
went wrong so there is nothing one
can do. Individually, we will just
have to do our best and keep
praying that it doesn’t happen
again. It’s not that anyone planned
it, it happened and it just
happened , so we are not in any
position to say it’s not going to
happen again. Nobody is God?

Do you in any way feel demystified
about what happened, because the
impression of the people out there is
that you are invulnerable, not
penetrable?

Demystified! I don’t really get it
(Cut in) There is this notion about
Don Jazzy being somebody that is
invulnerable, cannot give in, (so to
say)?
Demystified? I don’t really think my
integrity or my person has been
damaged in any way, I believe that
once you cannot hide the light, a
gold fish has no hiding place.
Whatever you are is like time will tell
who you are. I can’t really say that
people who think that they know
who I am know who I am, just like
some people that want to assume
they know who I am by what they
read or what they want to hear.
I’m not in any position to start
convincing you or anyone to believe
otherwise or believe anything. I just
believe that at the end of the day
God will vindicate all of us and you
will see who we are.

What do you think will change in
your transition from MO’HITS to
MAVIN?

It has been a moving trend from
MO’HITS to MAVIN, the only thing
that has changed is the name
From MO’HITS to MAVIN and the
addition of new people and basically
we will keep moving. So, obviously
when you are moving you hope to
move from point A to point B so we
got to a point we stop we change
gas, we refill and we are still going
to get to point B at the end of the
day.

Are you surprised about the loyalty
of Wande Coal, D’Prince and DR.
SID.

Am I surprised? No, I don’t see any
reason I should be surprised. I’m not
surprised , there is no need for me
to be surprised just like I have said
nothing has changed, we are still
the people that we are, we are still
ourselves as we dey before, na so
we dey, we still dey here , and
there is no cause or time to doubt
any body’s loyalty.

You have a new addition to the
boys, Tiwa Savage, what’s the
attraction? Is she the female artiste
you have always wanted on board in
Mo Hits?

I have been talking about a female
artiste for a long time and Tiwa
Savage and I have been talking
about adding a female artiste to
MO’HIT Records for long time now.
It’s not that we didn’t know we will
end up together at some point. We
knew from day one that she came
into this country that this is going to
happen and because at that point
she was not ready.
Obviously, she can’t wait and I have
to encourage her to go ahead and
make some things for herself and
which she did wonderfully as an
artiste. Now there is room for an
addition and so we will continue
from where we left off.

Now let’s talk about MAVIN what is
special about it and what are we
expecting?

Basically, I will say that we have all
seen that situations can change like
the way people perceived you, the
way people accept your music, the
way people talk about you and
whatever. So, we know now that we
need to do all work harder, gather
more momentum to create more
music and stuffs so everybody is
basically gingered, everybody is
more fired up now to work and we
don’t see anything stopping us as
we are basically just going to put all
our energy. Now in MAVIN Records
everybody is concentrating on the
work and we intend to put out as
much as many tracks and albums
as possible. Trust me, I’m going to
flood the market.

What I thought is perhaps MAVIN
will introduce one artiste, one album
but you are coming out with a
collective album?

It’s not like it’s a group. You can tell
everybody here is an individual
artiste and successful on his or her
own. I must say everybody have at
least one to three singles already in
the past so we basically just want to
bring them out. I didn’t take part in
this album I only produced the
album. We were like this is Mavin
Records everybody, please meet us;
this is what we are for now.
Individual album is going to follow
any moment from now and there is
no time to wait at all .

(Cut in) There no single before the
release of this album?

No, there is no self formula at the
moment so like I said I don’t really
like to give people that publicity
stunts of he his coming or
anticipating. When you see it, you
see it, when you see it, you take it.

Will Don Jazzy be a sole artiste on
MAVIN Records or an in- house
producer and the CEO?

I’m not going to say I’m never going
to be an artiste but I don’t see it any
time soon.

Who are you looking up to as the
cash cow?

Everybody. Basically, the record
label is not built in a way one person
supposed to be the leader.
Everybody is giving equal
opportunity to grow and it all
depends on how the crowd sees
you. People have their opinions
about what they like and stuffs like
that so how you appeal to your fans
will determine how they take you
but we intend to put more push and
more backing into everybody even
the new people that we will add
tomorrow.

There were so many insinuations
about life in MO’HITS, that life was
regimented such that when
someone talks others keep quiet,
how democratic is MAVIN going to
be this time around?

A lot of stuffs that you guys have
heard about MO’HIT Records trust
me, they are really wrong, but I
wouldn’t talk about MO’HIT Records
because we are talking about MAVIN
Records and moving forward now
and I will say we would try as much
as possible to communicate a lot of
the truth to you guys before people
insinuate all sorts of stuff like in the
last three months I have seen
different kinds of interviews and
blogs and whatever that people
have written and they say that they
spoke to me.
Like I was reading a blog the other
day and I saw Exclusive Phone
Interview by Don Jazzy bla bla bla
and they wrote like a full
conversation. The person said this
and I said this and that I said this
and the truth is I have not had such
interview with anyone. I have not
spoken to any reporter this year.

Could that be true?

Yes, they are not quoting anybody
they were quoting themselves may
be they have one imaginary Don
Jazzy they were talking to or the
other because the Jazzy they quoted
is not me, I really do not speak to
anybody regarding any situation or
any issues, I have not put out any
press statement saying whatever on
this issue so people just really
assumed. They were quoting
themselves.

Jazzy what lesson would you say
you have learnt from your past
experiences that may likely help you
in this new movement?

DON: They are not lessons that are
new. Change, like they say is the
only constant thing in life and I
have just confirmed again that
really things happen, relationship
ends, good things must come to an
end they say, one will just try much
as possible to see that good things
that we have last for long but
sometimes they do happen we just
pray GOD to help us live as long as
possible to see more of the good
things than having the good things
to end and then because I have
already known there is nothing
much to say now about that past.
Really, my entire mind is focused on
moving ahead.
Basically to put up your energy to
transform our future. We wouldn’t
say we don’t have the memories of
things that has happened but we
just pray to God that as we are
moving forward that such situations
never occur again and we just pray
for the best.
What have you been able to put in
place to ensure that what happened
in the past does not repeat itself?
We can’t really say what happened,
we can’t really put a hand on what
went wrong so there is nothing one
can do. Individually, we will just
have to do our best and keep
praying that it doesn’t happen
again. It’s not that anyone planned
it, it happened and it just
happened , so we are not in any
position to say it’s not going to
happen again. Nobody is God?

Do you in any way feel demystified
about what happened, because the
impression of the people out there is
that you are invulnerable, not
penetrable?

Demystified! I don’t really get it
(Cut in) There is this notion about
Don Jazzy being somebody that is
invulnerable, cannot give in, (so to
say)?
Demystified? I don’t really think my
integrity or my person has been
damaged in any way, I believe that
once you cannot hide the light, a
gold fish has no hiding place.
Whatever you are is like time will tell
who you are. I can’t really say that
people who think that they know
who I am know who I am, just like
some people that want to assume
they know who I am by what they
read or what they want to hear. I’m
not in any position to start
convincing you or anyone to believe
otherwise or believe anything. I just
believe that at the end of the day
God will vindicate all of us and you
will see who we are.

What do you think will change in
your transition from MO’HITS to
MAVIN?

It has been a moving trend from
MO’HITS to MAVIN, the only thing
that has changed is the name