Don Jazzy has said that some of the most successful Afrobeats records were created during a period when artists and producers lived together under one roof in record label houses equipped with studios.
Speaking on the Crea8torium podcast, the Mavin Records executive reflected on the early Mo’Hits Records era, noting that the close living arrangement played a major role in fostering creativity and collaboration.
He explained that spontaneous interactions in the shared environment often led to the creation of hit songs, citing an example involving D’Prince, D’Banj, and former manager Sunday Are.
According to him, a disagreement over missed media appearances escalated within the house before D’Prince turned the moment into music inspiration. Don Jazzy said the singer improvised lyrics in the studio, which eventually evolved into D’Banj’s hit track Olorun Maje.
He also recalled another instance where Dr SID spontaneously contributed ideas while he was working on a beat, resulting in another well-known record, You Bad, You Want It.
Don Jazzy said such creative moments were common during that era because artists were constantly interacting, sharing ideas, and building off each other’s energy in real time.
He contrasted that period with today’s music-making process, noting that the industry has become more dispersed and less collaborative in physical spaces.
However, he added that his personal approach has remained unchanged, as he still prefers to enter the studio with a clear intention of creating music tailored to specific artists.
The producer encouraged younger creatives to embrace more collaboration and closer interaction, arguing that stronger connections among artists can improve musical output and cohesion in the industry.
