The founder of Mavins record, Michael Collins Ajereh aka Don Jazzy, has opened
up on how he never had money issues with his partner, D’Banj while they ran
Mo’Hits records.
In a live programme with the Ubi Franklin, the Special Adviser on Tourism to
Governor Ben Ayade, Don Jazzy said he enjoyed an uncommon relationship with
D’Banj while they both ran a record label together.
“The way I am with people in my company like myself and D’banj, money issues didn’t occur. I and D’Banj were so in sync that D’Banj can go to Oba of Lagos and return with N10 million and we would still share that money.
It doesn’t have anything to do with performance o,” he shared while stating the
need for record label executives to have a good relationship with their
artistes.
Continuing, Don Jazzy said, “If you are not in a good relationship with the
artiste that is when he or she will go outside collecting shows and not tell
you.
So bond with your artistes more, it’s not everything that contract can solve but it is good to have a structure in place so that if by any chance things get out of hand you can step in and the contract can be what you guys can use to solve your problem but I try to make sure that it doesn’t get to that.”
The music producer and recording artist also shared how he has successfully managed
his label in the last eight years.
He said, “There is no structure
in Nigeria, but then I have been hearing that from Mohits time, from years ago
so I said to myself what are we going to do now, we have to look for a way.
So I came up with some form of way that we can work in our part of the world
because everything I read on the Internet didn’t seem like it was viable in our
own space. It is on this live show that I began hearing 80/20, I don’t even
think I have heard 70/30 before.
I know that things like that dey for Oyinbo contracts but here it cannot work.
Here, you are signing a contract with their father and mother, uncle, their
Egbon and the Baale, and Oba of Lagos.
So at the end of the day, you have to study human beings and look at how we
operate in general, our culture is different, everything is different so you
have to incorporate that into your business.
“But then also they are a few things I put in my head as I’m running my record
label which I think most of us that run record label don’t put in our head, it
is a business where the profit we are supposed to make is not that much, have
you seen the name of Universal group owners name on Forbes list before, you
would not see any record label executive there other than the record label executives
that are their artistes or producers or stuff like that. So looking at that I
was like okay so fine that means this business, a record label doesn’t make
much money like that.
“So I try to work and understand the artiste if you are making money and the artiste
is not, first off the mother is the first person that will come for the artiste.
If the artiste cannot beat their chest that they have moved from point A-B
that’s when they will be having this plenty talk.
I haven’t had anybody leave my record label while they are under contract so in
that regard, I don’t relate, all my artistes have finished their contracts and
ensured added extra care set before they go.
I don’t wait for them to come and tell me that you need to upgrade the terms of
your contract, I already know that you’re a big boy, don’t worry I will help
you upgrade it so that you know that we are equal partners, so that way they
don’t feel that need to go out and venture into this whole record label
business because jumping to go and start a record label business most people
will realize at some point that it is not beans so for me I try as much as
possible to have a very good relationship with my artistes,” he said.
Rounding off his session, Don Jazzy said, “I try to create a scenario where we
trust each other, that way we can work to a point where capturing all these
numbers in the books for years is easy for us to explain to investors that this
is what it looks like and in my case, I was lucky enough that I didn’t go
searching for investors, investors came looking for me.
But the investors came through, did their due diligence, looked at the books
and it looked like good business and we are in business. So I feel like most
people don’t capture these things in the book.”
Don Jazzy’s Mavins record is home to top music acts like Dr. Sid, Ladipoe,
D’Prince, Rema, and Crayon.
The record label once had on its bill Di’ja, Tiwa Savage, Wande Coal, Reekado Banks, and Korede Bello.