Nigerian artiste and music executive, Michael Collins Ajereh, popularly known as Don Jazzy, has said that he has made it his goal to help young artistes grow.
Speaking in an interview with Fisayo Fosudo, Don Jazzy explained that years ago he and his colleagues began their careers with hardly any guidance and believe that new artistes can benefit from what they have learnt.
“My priorities have changed over the years. I basically started as a musician but along the line, I started doing different things. Finding, growing young artists into global superstars and things like that. I feel like it’s my calling to help people grow. I have a strong conviction that I know how to work with people.” he said.
Don Jazzy noted that although he does not want to make building the Nigerian ecosystem and new atiste his sole focus, it is essential to ensure that artistes know the right paths to choose.
The Mavin Records CEO stated that he is “leveraging on the huge brand that I had built to just impact people’s lives.”
He added that just as he is helping other other artiste who have the knowledge on how to succeed in the industry must also provide guidance to artistes who look up to them.
“If I see young artists now, I’m like, ‘if this person doesn’t have like guidance before they get to a certain level, they might just be lost.’ It would be nice if we could speed up the process.
“It would be nice if somebody that has been down the road before…You know where the potholes are, you can just tell the person, ‘I don pass this road before. Avoid this road, follow here.”
Don Jazzy also advised young artiste to seek the counsel of experts who are willing to share with them their story.
“If the person that has gone there before and knows the road, does not want to show somebody the road, you can not be following for no reason. So, I feel like anybody that has any update about how to survive, should share the update.”