Six years after their fall out at The Headies music awards in 2016, Olamide ‘Olamide’ Adedeji and Michael ‘Don Jazzy’ Ajereh remain names that cannot be relegated to a background hum when Nigerian music is being talked about.
Yes, Olamide’s diatribe caused a scene and would remain one of the most controversial moments in the famed award show. But that incident has stayed in the past where it belongs; the duo have since made up and have retained their status as talent hunters who bless both budding talents and music lovers. Olamide and Don Jazzy are godfathers of the new wave of stars, and if no one else exploits the return of The Headies, under whose auspices the bigwigs collided, to blow their trumpets, I, for one, would.
During the 10th edition of The Headies awards, ‘Don Baba’ was in charge of the stars who gave us the critically acclaimed ‘Dorobucci’ – a song sung in the marketplace and hummed in choir stands. Di’Ja, Reekado Banks, Korede Bello were some of the newest signees at the time. They joined Tiwa Savage, Dr SID, D’Prince and Wande Coal, who had stayed with the record label boss when his Mo’ Hits Records fell through.
That team gave us a new dimension to what Nigerian sound could offer. Whether a single or an album, the assembly of budding and experienced stars smashed charts and opened pathways of dreams for fellow up-and-comers. Suddenly, inspired young artists realised they could be and become. It was an internal wave of sound and talent that portended what was to come for Nigerian Pop music.
Of course, Don Jazzy’s influence had been notable and noticeable for a long time. He had experience working with strong personalities such as D’banj when Mo’ Hits Records was thriving and had signed Wande Coal, who is today one of the most outstanding vocalists Nigeria has produced. Perhaps it might not have come as a surprise, then, when Don Baba announced on social media on Tuesday, August 25, 2022, that he reached out to his newest set of signees by himself. Ayra Starr, Boyspyce, Rema, and most recently Bayanni – to cite a few examples.
But you should be surprised. Which other label boss searchlights talents and turns them into celebrities overnight? Which other boss passionately uses his personal accounts to publicise his signees? Which other boss is high up there but close enough to the grassroots to drive meaningful musical conversations and weigh in on pop culture trends? Only Olamide, in my opinion, comes close.
Olamide, a product of the street, as he has time and time again reminded, has given back to the streets on all counts. He came into the limelight in 2010 with his debut single, ‘Eni Duro’. A lyrically profound and visually fresh hardcore Yoruba rap song that couldn’t have come at a better time, the song dropped when music fans longed for the preservation of the late DaGrin’s hip-hop coup. In then came Olamide, through the help of Street talent scout ID Cabasa, who had signed him into his Coded Tunes record label.
Since becoming a known star, the young man has not hoarded his blessings and has made sure to share them with other up-and-coming musicians. Through the YBNL Nation boss, over seven artistes have shot to fame, using his platform and collaboration as a springboard. Chinko Ekun, Adekunle Gold, Temmi Ovwasa, Lyta, Pepenazi, Yomi Blaze, Viktoh and Lil Kesh are some of the names that readily come to mind. Don’t forget Portable, whose ‘Zazu Zeh’ could have been a fluff if Olamide hadn’t jumped on the track.
Also standing stately behind the wheels of the trending export, Nigerian music, is Fireboy DML and Asake, YBNL signees, who are instrumental to the changing fate of Nigerian music on the global scene. Asake’s life-changing moment with Olamide, termed miraculous, sums it up.
“Getting signed to YBNL was a miracle, one of my friends, Yemolee, played my songs for Olamide to listen to. He liked ‘Omo ope’, and we did the remix together. After the song and video were released, he asked me to come to the house and casually asked, “will you like to join the family?” I was blown away with excitement and took the deal as fast as it came. Today it remains one of the best decisions I ever made”, said Mr Money.
Olamide and Don Jazzy held it down at The Headies in 2016. Don Jazzy won a Special Recognition Award, while his signees Reekado Banks and Korede Bello won the Next Rated Award and the Best Pop Single Award, respectively. Olamide, on his part, did not only receive the most nominations but also won the Best Street-Hop Artiste, Best Collabo, Album of the Year and Artiste of the Year. Under the tutelage of his label, Adekunle Gold won the Best Alternative Song.
Fast forward to 2022, and the duo have further solidified themselves as music label dons, consolidated their place as talent incubators and positioned themselves as inevitable forces in the music scene. With a forecast of 44 million U.S dollars by 2023, the number of Nigeria’s music revenue is sustained, however little, by the the record labels run by Olamide and Don Jazzy.
Besides, their names do not only feature on The Headies principal nominees list, but their work behind the scenes ensures that they are well represented by their mentees. Mavin Records has a total of 16 nominations in The Headies 15th edition, with Ayra Starr at the forefront of this sway. For YBNL Nation, Fireboy DML carries the mantle, spearheading the label’s 7 nominations.
Don Jazzy and Olamide have gone from visionaries to industry godfathers whose past and present projects are heroes of a thousand faces. Their good heart, in a society where such is hard to find, spoke for them six years ago and will speak for them for years to come.