Nigerian music producer and Mavin Records founder, Don Jazzy, has revealed that he almost left Nigeria and quit music following the collapse of Mo’Hits Records in 2012.
The 42-year-old recalled the emotional toll of Mo’Hits’ breakup, describing it as one of the lowest points in his career.
“Honestly, not much shakes me. I’m cut from a different cloth. When something goes wrong, I ask, ‘Can we fix it?’ If yes, we fix it. If not, we move on. When Mo’Hits ended, I thought that was it. I almost packed up to move abroad,” he said to Rolling Stone Africa.
The Mavin boss Jazzy noted that the encouragement of close friends stopped him from abandoning music entirely.
Their advice, he said, led to the creation of Mavin Records, now regarded as one of Africa’s most successful music labels.
“Friends encouraged me to stay and start again, and Mavin Records was born. Since then, I’ve learned not to let anything break me. Even losing my mother two years ago was deeply painful, but life has to move on. You fix what you can and keep going,” he noted.
Mo’Hits Records, co-founded by Don Jazzy and D’Banj in the mid-2000s, was one of Nigeria’s most influential music labels. The imprint revolutionised Afrobeats with its style and sounds with singers such as Wande Coal, Dr SID, and D’Prince.
Albums like Mushin 2 Mo’Hits and Curriculum Vitae shaped the sound of a generation, while Don Jazzy’s production style became the industry benchmark. At its peak, Mo’Hits symbolised excellence, creativity, and brotherhood in Nigerian music.
But in 2012, internal disagreements led to the label’s collapse, ending an iconic era that fans still celebrate.
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More than a decade later, from the ashes of Mo’Hits, Don Jazzy built Mavin Records, extending the legacy with new global stars like Grammy-nominated Rema and Ayra Starr, and also the likes of Tiwa Savage, Korede Bello, Johnny Drille, Magixx, Ladipoe, and Crayon.
Don Jazzy also listed his top five greatest Afrobeats albums of all time, a reflection, he said, of his respect for the genre’s pioneers.
“Number one, Mushin 2 Mo’Hits, produced by me. Then Grass 2 Grace by 2Baba, Superstar by Wizkid, The Entertainer by D’Banj, and Aṣa’s self-titled debut album,” he stated.
From producing D’Banj’s Tongolo and Suddenly to delivering hits like Oliver Twist, Eminado, and Dorobucci, Don Jazzy’s touch has been a defining force in shaping modern Afrobeats.
Despite his iconic status, the record label founder stated that he remains grounded about the genre’s future.
“Some people think Afrobeats is slowing down. But there’s so much great African music the world hasn’t even discovered yet.
“Attention spans are shorter now, but that’s okay, new artists will keep emerging and pushing Afrobeats to the next level,” he said in the interview.
The producer also discussed his investment in young talent during his appearance on The Echo Room podcast, where he revealed the staggering cost of launching a new artist today.
“It costs between $100,000 and $300,000, that’s about ₦150 million to ₦500 million, to activate a new artiste under Mavin,” he disclosed.
The music executive explained that his focus goes beyond profit, emphasising the need to build artists with strong character and vision.
“Beyond the music, I focus on the vessel, the person. I look at their personality, their hunger, their vision. You can’t always predict who will blow, but sometimes you can feel when someone truly wants it,” Don Jazzy said.
