Michael Collins Ajereh professionally known as Don Jazzy, is a Nigerian record producer, singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur.
He is the founder and CEO of ‘Mavin Record‘, he also co-founded the now-defunct music label, MO Hits Records with D’banj.
| Real Name | Michael Collins Ajereh |
| Stage Name | Don Jazzy |
| Age | 40 years (as of 2023) |
| Date of Birth | 26th November, 1982 |
| Gender | Male |
| Place of Birth | Umuahia, Nigeria |
| State of Origin | Delta State |
| Tribe | State of Origin |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Height | 6″0 (182cm) |
| Number of Siblings | 3 |
| Profession | Producer, Musician, CEO Mavin Records |
| Relationship Status | Single |
| Related Acts | Olamide, Rema, Tiwa Savage, Ayra Starr. |
Biography
Don Jazzy was born on November 26, 1982, in Umuahia, Abia state.
He hails from the Isoko tribe in Delta State, however, his story began in the vibrant and energetic neighborhood of Ajegunle in Lagos.
When he was a young boy, his family left Umuahia for Ajegunle, Lagos, where he spent his formative years and developed a passion for music at an early age.
At just four years old, he began learning how to play the drums and by the age of 12, he was already proficient in playing several musical instruments, including the Bass guitar.
Education
Don Jazzy attended Federal Government College, a co-educational high school situated in Ijaniki, Lagos.
After completing his high school education, he applied to Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, where he studied Business Management for 4 years and graduated with a BSc degree.
Don Jazzy’s time at the university was pivotal in shaping his personal and intellectual growth, providing him with the necessary backdrop for the business ventures that would follow.
Family and Parents
Don Jazzy, was born to a family of musical enthusiasts.
His father, Mr. Collins Enebeli Ajereh, is an accomplished production manager and businessman who hails from Isoko, Delta State.
His mother, Mrs. Patience Ajereh, is an Igbo princess from Abia State.
Interestingly, Don Jazzy was born on the same day as his father, making their birthday a double celebration.
Siblings
Don Jazzy has three siblings; James Enebeli Collins, Joy Enebeli (now Joy Solano), and Charles Collins Enebeli, who is popularly known as D’Prince.
Brother
D’prince is Don Jazzy’s younger brother.
He is a Nigerian Afropop recording artist, record executive, and entrepreneur
Like his brother, D’Prince has a great sense of humor and a passion for music.
D’Prince began his music career in 2005 when Jazzy returned from the UK and encouraged him to join the newly formed Mo’ Hits record label.
Together, they produced hits such as “Omoba” and “Give It to Me.”
After the Mo’ Hits era ended, D’Prince went on to establish his own record label and artist management agency called Jonzing World.
Under this label, he has brought to light talented artists like Rema and Ruger.
Music Career
Don Jazzy’s music career started in 2000 after he traveled to the United Kingdom for the first time to visit his uncle.
His passion for music was ignited when he was invited to play the drums for a local church.
While in London, Don Jazzy worked as a security guard at McDonald’s until 2004 when he met other music enthusiasts like JJC, Dbanj, Kas, the 419 squad, and Solek, leading to the birth of Mo’hit’s records.
During this time, he learned how to produce music from Emeka Infiniti at O-Town Record Company.
He continued to produce records for a variety of artists such as Wande Coal, Sauce Kid, Dr. SID, Ikechukwu, Kween, and D’Prince under Mo’ Hits.
In 2011, he was employed by Kanye West as a producer at Very Good Beatz, and he had the opportunity to work with Jay-Z and Kanye West on the production of Lift Off, featuring Beyoncé.
After the Mo’ Hits era came to an end in 2012, Don Jazzy and D’banj went their separate ways, and this marked the start of his new record label, Mavin’s Record.
Mavin Records
In May 2012, Don Jazzy founded Mavin Records.
Under his guidance, Mavin Records has signed some of the best singers in Nigeria including Tiwa Savage, Reekado Banks, Korede Bello, Rema, Ayra Starr, Crayon, Lifesize Teddy, Ladipoe, and Johny Drille.
Is he a singer or a producer?
Don Jazzy is primarily a music producer.
While he sometimes sings, his main role in the music industry is producing music for various artists.
How Did He Discover Ayra Starr?
Don Jazz discovered Ayra Starr in 2019 after coming across one of her song covers on Instagram.
He reached out to her and the next year, made her an official Mavin’s record artist.
Achievements and Awards
Don Baba J has won many music awards across a wide range of categories.
Some of his notable awards are;
- Nigerian Music Awards (2006) – Producer of the Year.
- Nigerian Entertainment Awards (2007) – Music Producer of the Year.
- The Headies 2011 – Producer of the Year for Over The Moon, Mr. Endowed, and Pop Something
- The Headies 2014 – Producer of the Year for Dorobucci
- City People Entertainment Award (2015) – special recognition award
- The Beatz Award TM 2019 New Discovery Producer.
- Music Influencer of the Year (2023) – Pulse Influencer Awards
Age
Born on the 26th of November, 1982 he is 41 years old as of 2024.
Height
Don Jazzy stands at a height of 6 ft. He’s one of the tallest producers in the music industry.
Children
As per our research, Don Jazzy has no children, despite rumors claiming he has four in private.
He has denied these rumors multiple times, even addressing them while answering questions from fans about his past marriage.
However, he affectionately refers to the young artists under his record label as his kids.
At 40 years old, He is happily focused on his music and business ventures.
Wife
Currently, Don Jazzy is not married.
However, he was once married to Michelle Jackson, a UK-based model and writer, when he was 20 years old.
However, the marriage which took place in 2003, lasted only two years and produced no children.
The Mavin CEO kept his marriage to his ex-wife a secret until he shared an old wedding picture on his Instagram.
He expressed regret for the failed marriage and described Michelle as a beautiful person with a soft heart.
Although he blames himself for the divorce, Michelle later revealed in an interview that the producer’s music career was the cause of their separation.
She also mentioned that if given another chance, things would have been different.
Is Don Jazzy married to Rihanna?
Don Jazzy is not married to Rihanna and has never been in a relationship with her.
However, the record producer has admitted to having a huge crush on Riri and enjoys posting funny photoshopped pictures of himself with her.
Net Worth
We already covered Don Jazzy’s net worth extensively in this article
Film appearance
Don Jazzy starred in the 2012 Nollywood movie ‘The Last 3 Digits‘.
Social media
Below is a list of his social media platforms:
