Don Jazzy Says Collaborative Living Played A Key Role In Shaping Afrobeats’ Biggest Records

Music executive Don Jazzy has said that some of Afrobeats’ most iconic records were created during a period when artists and producers lived together and shared in-house studio spaces, allowing for constant collaboration and spontaneous creativity.

According to Ireporter Online, the Mavin Records boss made this known during an appearance on the Crea8torium podcast, where he explained that close proximity among creatives in the Mo’Hits era significantly boosted productivity and inspired hit-making moments that might not have happened in a more separated setup.

He cited D’Banj’s “Olorun Maje” and Dr Sid’s “You Bad, You Want It” as examples of songs that emerged naturally from everyday studio interactions. He recounted that the idea for “Olorun Maje” stemmed from a casual situation involving D’Prince and then-manager Sunday Are, which eventually evolved into a recording session that birthed the hit track after D’Prince spontaneously turned the moment into music over a beat he was working on. He also recalled that Dr Sid once walked into the studio and freely improvised over a beat, which led to the creation of “You Bad, You Want It.”

He further explained that while the creative process in Afrobeats has become more dispersed in recent years, with artists working from different locations, he believes the earlier model of shared living and constant in-person collaboration played a major role in shaping the genre’s biggest successes. He added that he still prefers going into the studio with a clear idea of the artist he wants to work with and encouraged younger musicians to embrace closer collaboration to strengthen their craft.