Mavin Records
Mavin Records (also known as the Supreme Mavin Dynasty)[1] is a Nigerian record label founded by record producer and recording artist Don Jazzy on May 8, 2012. The label's inception came to fruition following the closure of Mo' Hits Records, a record label owned by the aforementioned producer and D'banj.[2] The label is home to recording artists such as Korede Bello, Dr SID, D'Prince, Di'Ja, Johnny Drille, Ladipoe, DNA Twins, Rema and Crayon. It also houses producers such as Jazzy himself, Altims and Baby Fresh.[3] In 2014, DJ Big N became the label's official disc jockey.[4] Tiwa Savage, Wande Coal, Reekado Banks and Iyanya were all formerly signed to the label.[5] On May 8, 2012, the label released its compilation album Solar Plexus.[6] In January 2019, Mavin Records secured a multi-million dollar investment from Kupanda Holdings, a subsidiary of Kupanda Capital and TPG Growth.[7]
| Mavin Records | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 8 May 2012 |
| Founder | Michael Collins Ajereh |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Various |
| Country of origin | Nigeria |
| Official website | www |
History Unegbu Emmanuel Uchechukwu
Signings, website launch, endorsements, and musical releases
Mavin Records started as a result of D'banj's departure from Mo' Hits. Prior to commenting on D'banj's exit from Mo' Hits, there were allegations that D'banj signed over Mo' Hits to Don Jazzy.[8] In an interview with Sunday Punch, Don Jazzy addressed D'banj's departure from Mo Hits, saying, "We were working together and all was going on well. It got to a point where I looked at the situation and we both decided that it was not working and we had to move on". Don Jazzy alluded to being hesitant of a name change.[9] According to BellaNaija, the term "Mavin" describes someone who is gifted and skilled in any field.[10] Upon establishing the rebranded record label, Don Jazzy said he sees Mavin Records being the power house of music in Africa in the shortest possible time.[10] After rebranding Mo' Hits to Mavin, Don Jazzy signed Nigerian singer Tiwa Savage. Pulse Nigeria reported that Jazzy admires the singer's work ethic and drive.[11] Pulse Nigeria also reported that Mavin Records signed producers Aluko "Altims" Timothy and Sunday "BabyFresh" Enejere.[12]
On May 7, 2012, the record label launched its official website and the Mavin league, a social networking site designed to cater to their fans worldwide.[13][14] Don Jazzy signed endorsement deals with Samsung and Loya Milk after establishing the label; Tiwa Savage also signed an endorsement deal with Pepsi. Within a year of becoming a revamped brand, the record label released "Take Banana" and "Oma Ga" as singles from its debut compilation album Solar Plexus.[15][16] In February 2014, Don Jazzy signed Di'Ja, Reekado Banks and Korede Bello to Mavin Records a week after each other.[17] On May 1, 2014, Mavin Records released the hit single "Dorobucci" to critical acclaim.[18] On February 25, 2015, Don Jazzy and Tiwa Savage both signed endorsement deals with Konga.com.[15] On October 31, 2016, several media outlets in Nigeria reported that Iyanya signed a record deal with Mavin Records. Both Iyanya and Don Jazzy confirmed the report on Instagram.[19] On February 28, 2017, Don Jazzy announced the signings of Johnny Drille, Ladipoe and DNA to Mavin Records.[20] In March 2019, he also announced the signing of Rema to Mavin.[21] On May 31, Mavin unveiled the signing of Crayon.[22] The next day, the record label released the collaborative single "All is in Order".[23]
Departures
Wande Coal and IP theft controversy
Reports about Wande Coal's departure surfaced after he released and promoted the single "Kilaju" without the support of Mavin Records.[24] On November 5, 2013, Wande Coal released a song titled "Baby Face" and said Shizzi produced it for him. Subsequently, Don Jazzy went on Twitter and accused Coal of intellectual property theft.[25] He uploaded a studio demo of "Baby Face", which was supposedly recorded the previous year. Wande Coal tweeted several times, debunking Jazzy's allegations.[25] He also tweeted a link to the "original" studio version of the song.[25] Entertainment lawyer Demilade Olaosun spoke to Premium Times newspaper about intellectual property (IP). He said the song is a property of Mavin Records since it was produced, arranged and voiced by an official of the label.[25] The lawyer also stated that since Wande Coal's recording contract was not made available to the public, speculations cannot be made about the IP of the recording sound.[25] On November 7, 2013, Mavin Records sent out a press release officially announcing Wande Coal's departure. The press release came shortly after the Twitter feud between Don Jazzy and Wande Coal.[25]
Iyanya, Reekado Banks and Tiwa Savage
In a radio interview with Beat FM in February 2018, Iyanya announced his exit from Mavin Records, saying, "I’m now signed to Temple Music but I’m a Mavin for life. It was not a beef. I was there and it was time to move on".[26] In December 2018, Reekado Banks announced his departure from Mavin Records on Instagram.[27] In May 2019, Universal Music Group announced the signing of Tiwa Savage.[28] During said announcement, it was revealed that Savage left Mavin Records.[28] Don Jazzy congratulated Savage on her UMG signing and said she will forever be remembered at Mavin.[29]
Accolades
Mavin Records was nominated for Best Record Label of the Year at the 2013 City People Entertainment Awards.[30] The label won the aforementioned category at the 2014 City People Entertainment Awards.[31]
| Year | Awards ceremony | Award description(s) | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | City People Entertainment Awards | Best Record Label of the Year | Won |
| 2013 | Nominated |
Artists
Current acts
| Act | Year signed |
Releases under the label |
|---|---|---|
| Dr SID | 2012 | 1 |
| D'Prince | 2 | |
| Di'Ja | 2014 | 2 |
| Korede Bello | 1 | |
| Johnny Drille | 2017 | — |
| Ladipoe | 1 | |
| DNA |
— | |
| Rema | 2019 | 3 |
| Crayon | — |
Former acts
| Act | Year signed |
Year left |
Releases under the label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiwa Savage | 2012 | 2019 | 3 |
| Wande Coal | 2012 | 2013 | — |
| Reekado Banks | 2014 | 2018 | 1 |
| Iyanya | 2016 | 2017 | 1 |
Producers
Current producers
- Don Jazzy
- Altims
- Baby Fresh
Discography
Albums
| Artist | Album | Details |
|---|---|---|
| The Mavins | Solar Plexus |
|
| D'Prince | Frenzy |
|
| Tiwa Savage | Once Upon a Time |
|
| Dr SID | Siduction |
|
| Tiwa Savage | R.E.D |
|
| Reekado Banks | Spotlight | Released: September 1, 2016
|
| Korede Bello | Belloved | Released: March 11, 2017
|
| Iyanya | Signature (EP) | Released: March 28, 2017
|
| Tiwa Savage | Sugarcane (EP) | Released: September 22, 2017
|
| Di'Ja | Aphrodija (EP) | Released: December 15, 2017
|
| Poe | T.A.P | Released: October 5, 2018
|
| Rema | Rema (EP) | Released: March 22, 2019
|
| D'Prince | Lavida (EP) | Released: May 3, 2019
|
| Rema | Rema Freestyle (EP) | Released: June 17, 2019
|
| Di'Ja | Di'Ja (EP) | Released: July 5, 2019
|
Singles
| Artist | Title | Year | Album | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D'Prince | "Take Banana" | 2012 | Solar Plexus | N/A |
| Tiwa Savage | "Oma Ga" | |||
| D'Prince | "Take Banana" (Remix) | Frenzy | October 31, 2012 | |
| "Real G" (featuring M.I) | ||||
| "Goody Bag" | ||||
| "Call Police" | ||||
| Wande Coal | "The Kick" (featuring Don Jazzy) |
2013 | Non-album single | January 23, 2014 |
| Wande Coal | "Rotate" | April 26, 2013 | ||
| Dr SID | "Lady Don Dada" | Siduction | May 2, 2013 | |
| "Love Mine" | May 5, 2013 | |||
| D'Prince | "Birthday" | Non-album single | May 6, 2013 | |
| Dr SID | "Talented" | Siduction | May 12, 2013 | |
| "Baby Tornado" | August 21, 2013 | |||
| Tiwa Savage | "Eminado" | Once Upon a Time | October 8, 2013 | |
| Dr SID | "Surulere" | Siduction | November 13, 2013 | |
| D'Prince | "Gentlemen" (featuring Davido and Don Jazzy) |
2014 | Non-album single | January 27, 2014 |
| Di'Ja | "Yaro" | February 14, 2014 | ||
| Reekado Banks | "Turn It Up" (featuring Tiwa Savage) |
February 21, 2014 | ||
| Korede Bello | "African Princess" | February 28, 2014 | ||
| D’Prince | "Ojoro Cancel" (featuring Wizkid) |
March 7, 2014 | ||
| The Mavins | "Dorobucci" (featuring Don Jazzy, Tiwa Savage, Dr SID, D’Prince, Reekado Banks, Korede Bello and Di’Ja) |
May 1, 2014 | ||
| Dr SID and Don Jazzy | "Highlife Dorobucci" | May 2, 2014 | ||
| The Mavins | "Adaobi" (Reekado Banks, Korede Bello and Di’Ja featuring Don Jazzy) |
May 27, 2014 | ||
| Di'Ja | "Yaro" (Remix) (featuring Ice Prince) |
July 29, 2014 | ||
| Reekado Banks | "Chop Am" | August 8, 2014 | ||
| Korede Bello | "Cold Outside" | August 15, 2014 | ||
| D'Prince | "Oyo" | September 5, 2014 | ||
| The Mavins | "Arise" (featuring Don Jazzy, Reekado Banks and Di’Ja) |
September 20, 2014 | ||
| Tiwa Savage | "My Darlin" | October 8, 2014 | ||
| The Mavins | "Looku Looku" | October 31, 2014 | ||
| Di'Ja | "Awww" | December 12, 2014 | ||
| D'Prince | "Oga Titus" | December 23, 2014 | ||
| Korede Bello | "Jingle Bell" | December 25, 2014 | ||
| "Godwin" | 2015 | January 28, 2015 | ||
| Reekado Banks | "Katapot" | February 14, 2015 | ||
| D'Prince | "Nonso" (featuring Reekado Banks) |
March 16, 2015 | ||
| Godywn [upper-alpha 1] | "Promise" (featuring Di’Ja) |
March 27, 2015 | ||
| Dr SID | "Chop Ogbono" (Remix) (featuring Olamide) |
May 5, 2015 | ||
| Di'Ja | "Amen" | June 29, 2015 | ||
| Reekado Banks | "Corner" | July 9, 2015 | ||
| "Sugar Baby" | July 10, 2015 | |||
| "Tomorrow" | July 11, 2015 | |||
| Dr SID | "Kabiyesi" | August 6, 2015 | ||
| D'Prince | "Kwolity" | August 21, 2015 | ||
| Korede Bello | "Somebody Great" (featuring Aṣa) |
September 29, 2016 | ||
| Di'Ja | "Falling For You" (featuring Patoranking) |
October 2, 2015 | ||
| D'Prince | "Bestie" (featuring Don Jazzy and Baby Fresh) |
November 16, 2015 | ||
| "Tarity" (featuring Phyno) |
November 25, 2015 | |||
| Tiwa Savage | "Standing Ovation" (featuring Olamide) |
2016 | R.E.D | January 14, 2016 |
| Reekado Banks | "Oluwa Ni" | Non-album single | January 15, 2016 | |
| Di'Ja | "Take Kiss" (featuring Baby Fresh) |
January 25, 2016 | ||
| Tiwa Savage | "Bad" (featuring Wizkid) |
R.E.D | March 22, 2016 | |
| DJ Big N | "Erima" (featuring Dr SID and Wizkid) |
Non-album single | March 26, 2016 | |
| Reekado Banks | "Machinery" (Dice Ailes Cover) | April 7, 2016 | ||
| Johnny Drille | "Romeo & Juliet" | 2017 | July 14, 2017 | |
| "Awa Love" | 2018 | February 9, 2018 | ||
| "Halleluya" (featuring Simi) |
July 23, 2018 | |||
| The Mavins | "All is in Order" (featuring Don Jazzy, Rema, Korede Bello, DNA, and Crayon) |
2019 | May 31, 2019 | |
Notes
- Although Godywn worked with Don Jazzy and Di'Ja, he isn't signed to Mavin Records.[33]
References
- Akan, Joey (28 February 2015). "See new photos of Don Jazzy, Tiwa Savage, Dr Sid, D'Prince, Reekado Banks, Korede Bello, Di'Ja, CéDric Kazoyulo". Pulse. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
- "D'Banj, Don Jazzy split". Daily TImes Nigeria.
- "About - Mavin Records". Mavin Records. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
- "Let's introduce you to Mavin Records official DJ, Big N". Nigeria Entertainment Today. 20 February 2015. Archived from the original on 14 August 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
- "Wande Coal leaves Mavin Records". 36NG. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
- "Solar Plexus by Various Artists". iTunes. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
- Ingram, Tim (30 January 2019). "NIGERIA'S MAVIN RECORDS SECURES MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT FROM KUPANDA HOLDINGS". Music Business Worldwide. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
- "Don Jazzy Presents- MAVIN Records, Signs On Tiwa Savage!". PulseNigeria. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
- "Mavin Records Is Not A New Label Its Mo'Hits Re-branded!". PulseNigeria. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
- "BN Exclusive: From Mo'Hits to Mavin Records! The New Music PowerHouse Label – Don Jazzy, Tiwa Savage, Dr SID, Wande Coal & D'Prince". Bellanaija. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
- "Mavins- Don Jazzy And Tiwa Savage, More Than A Record Deal???". Pulse Nigeria. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
- "MAVIN Records Take On Two New Producers". Pulse Nigeria. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
- "At Last, Don Jazzy unveils own record label". Vanguardngr.com.
- "Don jazzy launches Social Networking Website". BusinessDayOnline. Archived from the original on 2012-05-12. Retrieved 2012-05-13.
- "It's Already a Year? Don Jazzy's Mavin Records turns One". Bellanaija. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
- "Nigeria: Don Jazzy's Mavin Records Is One". Allafrica. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
-
- Alonge, Osagie (14 February 2014). "Don Jazzy signs new act Di'ja to Mavin Records, 2 more to follow". Nigerian Entertainment Today. Archived from the original on 10 March 2014. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- "Another Mavin Activated! Don Jazzy presents Reekardo Banks Feat. Tiwa Savage – Turn It Up". Bellanaija. 21 February 2014. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- Abimboye, Micheal (28 February 2014). "Donjazzy signs new artiste, Korede Bello". Premium Times. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- "Dorobucci (feat. Don Jazzy, Dr. Sid, Tiwa Savage, Reekado Banks, Di'Ja, Korede Bello & D'Prince) - Single". iTunes. 1 May 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
- "Iyanya dumps label for Mavin". Vanguard. 31 October 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
- Johnson, Ayodele (28 February 2017). "Mavin's boss signs Johnny Drille, Poe, DNA Twins to record label".
- Ohunyon, Ehis (23 March 2019). "Don Jazzy announces the signing of a new artist to Mavin Records". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
- "PULSE EXCLUSIVE: MAVIN unveils new artist, Crayon". Pulse Nigeria. 31 May 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
- "Exclusive: Mavins - 'All Is In Order' ft Don Jazzy, Korede Bello, DNA, Crayon, Rema [Video]". Pulse Nigeria. 31 May 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
- "Wande Coal part ways with Mavin Records?". tooxlcusive. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
- "Mavin announces Wande Coal's departure amidst furore over intellectual property rights". Premium Times. 7 November 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
- Augoye, Jayne (7 February 2018). "Singer Iyanya confirms exit from Mavin Records". Premium Times. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
- "Reekado Banks quits Mavin Records". Vanguard. 7 December 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
- Murray Stassen (May 2, 2019). "TIWA SAVAGE, ONE OF AFRICA'S BIGGEST STARS, SIGNS EXCLUSIVE GLOBAL DEAL WITH UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP". Music Business Worldwide. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
- "Don Jazzy Pens Touching Tribute As Tiwa Savage Departs Mavins For Universal Music Group". Sahara Reporters. 2 May 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
- Aiki, Damilare (19 June 2013). "Ice Prince, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Sarkodie, Nse Ikpe-Etim, Yvonne Okoro, Tonto Dikeh & BellaNaija Nominated for the 2013 City People Entertainment Awards - See the Full List". Bellanaija. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- Jasanya, Olamide (24 June 2014). "Who won what at City People Entertainment Awards 2014". thenet.ng. Nigerian Entertainment Today. Archived from the original on 28 June 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
- Efagene, Oke (20 December 2013). "It's here! Dr Sid releases new album 'SIDUCTION'". YNaija. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
- "MAVIN RECORDS PRESENT: GodWyn Ft. Di'Ja – Promise". 360nobs. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
