How Don Jazzy Is Having The Last Laugh

When Mo' Hits split up in 2012, the general consensus was that D'Banj would fare better than his other half Don Jazzy. Critics cited D'Banj's personality and business acumen as the reasons why he would flourish. Don Jazzy's chances of making it to the top spot was seen as slim by many who thought his skill as a producer wouldn't be enough for him to get back to the top. For a minute it seemed this prediction would come true. Despite the master stroke of signing Tiwa Savage to Mavin Records on a joint partnership, Don Jazzy's record label started off on a shaky note with the hasty release of the compilation album Solar Plexus. The reviews were largely negative despite the album yielding a hit in D'Prince's 'Take Banana.'The less than impressive start didn't stop there as people wondered why D'Prince's album was the first LP to be pushed out from the label when hotter acts Wande Coal and Tiwa Savage hadn't released anything despite having highly anticipated albums.The biggest blow was the exit of Wande Coal from Mavin in the middle of 2013. Seen as the star player of the label, Wande Coal's blurry departure Mavin spelled doom for the young imprint.Change is hard. People demand for change, but when it comes we cry for the old way to be restored. Obviously being solely in charge of a label was a new thing for Don Jazzy. He had shots to call, graphs to plot, and egos to manage. The first year of Mavin's existence was shaky. When it seemed as if Mavin was bound to be a vanity imprint catering only to largely average acts, Don Jazzy returned to what he knew how to do best- producing mega hits.The first bona fide hit Mavin Records released was 'Eminado' by Tiwa Savage. It was a hypnotic single that firmly put her back on the pop charts. Please bear in mind that Ms. Savage hadn't registered a pop hit of that magnitude since 'Love Me 3X' in 2011.Proving not to be a fluke, another Don Jazzy constructed single 'Surulere' by Dr. Sid was released months after. 'Surulere' had sudden impact, rising through the charts and burning up dance floors all over the country in a matter of weeks. The song considerably raised Dr. Sid's profile and even scored him an MTV MAMA nomination which is usually reserved for A-listers.Third time is the charm right? Well I am sure you know what came next. 'Dorobucci' was the final bomb from the Mavin factory. Featuring all the Mavin stars and the starlets (Reekado Banks, Di'Ja and Korede Bello), the monster hit single finally established Mavin Records at the premier record label in Nigeria.Two years after its creation, Mavin Records is the most active and arguably most successful record label in the land. All its top stars are MTN ambassadors, and the new acts look promising.By sticking to what he knows best, Don Jazzy now has the hottest music imprint in Nigeria. What he has done is no mean feat. The label has turned out to be successful irrespective of Wande's departure. Losing a star player isn't easy, just take a look at EME.Most people don't get a second chance in this cut throat business. Don Jazzy is having a renaissance and Mavin Record is his finest piece of work yet.