Nigerian music mogul and Mavin Records boss, Don Jazzy, has responded to rising claims that some artistes signed to his label are often overlooked or denied equal promotion.
The legendary producer addressed the growing debate following recent controversies involving current and former Mavin artistes, as well as comments from controversial street-hop singer Portable, who questioned the long-term success of some ex-Mavin acts after leaving the label.
Reacting to the allegations, Don Jazzy dismissed suggestions that Mavin Records would intentionally suppress any artiste under its management, stressing that such a move would be financially and strategically pointless.
According to him, building an artiste requires years of investment, branding, studio work, marketing and industry support, making it illogical for a label to spend heavily on talent development only to later abandon or frustrate the same artiste.
“It’s like throwing money away,” the Mavin founder said while explaining the realities of running one of Africa’s biggest music labels.
The conversation gained more attention after singer Crayon stirred reactions online with emotional posts aimed at Mavin Records and some of its executives before eventually deleting them. His comments reignited conversations around artiste welfare, royalty structures and label politics within Nigeria’s entertainment industry.
Despite the criticism, Don Jazzy insisted that Mavin Records remains committed to discovering and nurturing talents for global success. Over the years, the label has produced several Afrobeats stars, including Rema, Ayra Starr, Johnny Drille and Tiwa Savage.
The respected executive producer recently also opened up on the challenges of managing younger Gen Z artistes, noting that disagreements often emerge over promotion strategies, online visibility and social media engagement in today’s fast-paced music industry.
