Nigerian music executive Don Jazzy has shared insights on how the early days of Afrobeats produced some of its most iconic records, attributing the success to artists living and working together under the same roof.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Crea8torium podcast, Don Jazzy recalled the Mo’Hits Records era, when artists and producers lived together in a shared house equipped with a studio. He explained that this close environment allowed creativity to flow naturally and led to spontaneous hit-making moments.
He narrated how D’Prince once inspired the hit song Olorun Maje by Dbanj during a casual studio moment. According to him, the idea came after a heated exce involving D’Prince and their manager, Sunday Are, over missed radio interviews.
Don Jazzy explained that while he was working in the studio, D’Prince returned and began singing lines inspired by the earlier incident, which immediately matched the beat he was producing at the time.
“That was how the song was born,” he said, adding that many classic Afrobeats records emerged from spontaneous interactions rather than structured studio sessions.
He also recalled how Dr Sid casually walked into the studio and contributed to another hit track, further reinforcing his belief that proximity and collaboration played a major role in shaping the sound of Afrobeats during that period.
Don Jazzy noted that modern music production has ced significantly, with artists now working more independently. However, he maintained that he still prefers going into the studio with a clear intention to create for specific artists.
He advised upcoming creatives to embrace collaboration and spend more time together, arguing that shared environments help strengthen creativity and build stronger musical chemistry.
Leave a comment