Issue 01: The Mavin Blueprint

Mavin Records, The Nigerian record label powerhouse whose layers of success and leadership in the last decade became a blueprint standard.

The Mavin Blueprint

The Nigerian record label powerhouse whose layers of success and leadership in the last decade became a blueprint standard for professional talent management.

By Chiamaka Ruth and Adedeji Adebusuyi

Edited by Adedeji Adebusuyi

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Mavin Records is one of Africa’s biggest mainstream record labels with artists who have relatively positioned Afrobeats at the frontline of the global stage in the last decade. Their consistency in grooming exceptional artists, sourcing talents, and their expertise in branding have been reputedly unique and distinctive among their respective Nigerian peers, including Africa—a feat made possible not only by their impeccable marketing styles, growth strategy, resourceful partnerships, and artists' success but also by a defined corporate structure, Mavin Global Limited (Holdco). The label is an ecosystem of sound, music and culture. Over the years, it has intentionally carved itself into the hearts of Nigerians and Africans, making their impact impossible to ignore.

Mavin Records was founded in 2012 by Michael Collins Ajereh “Don Jazzy” shortly after the closure of Mo Hits Records. A record label owned by the renowned Nigerian artist, D’ Banj. Ever since, it has become a powerhouse for music and entertainment. A major stake in the label is owned by Universal Music Group (UMG) following an acquisition deal in February 2024. Although the terms of the acquisition were undisclosed, a report from Billboard revealed that at the time Mavins Records was valued at $125 million with a sale price in the region of $150 million to $200 million. Also revealed by DLA Piper Africa, despite the major acquisition of the label, the management of the company—especially with respect to autonomy and creative independence—still exclusively resides with Don Jazzy and Tega Oghenejobo, who was promoted to the position of Chief Operating Officer in 2024.

In addition, as one of the companies that invested in the label in its formative years, Kupanda Capital still maintains its partnership with the label as a minority shareholder while also serving as a strategic advisor.

In recent years, Afrobeats has gained a massive reception and an audience base, giving the surge in the number of talented artists, international headlined shows and concerts, global charting projects, strategic collaborations and brand partnerships. The attraction is often linked to culture-infused lyricism, unique styles and groovy sounds that resonate with Gen Z—a trend portrayed especially by emerging artists.

Mavin Records has been significantly influential at the forefront of Afrobeats growth by actively nurturing and spotlighting homegrown talents whose fame and crafts are adeptly pronounced by their partnership with the label. The first project released by Mavin on May 18, 2012, “Solar Plexus,” featured D’Prince, Tiwa Savage, Wande Coal and Dr SID, with 12 songs appearing on the project. Subsequently in 2014, the label signed new younger artistes who were actively influential in reshaping the 2010s Afrobeats sounds with collaborative records such as “Adaobi,” “Dorobucci,” and “Jantamata,” as well as several individual hit songs. These artists are Reekado Banks, Korede Bello and Di’ja.

"Label’s signing process is multifaceted and majorly defined by artists and other talents putting themselves out."

The next wave of talents from the label was spurred by the multi-million-dollar equity investment partnership deal with Kupanda Holdings. In 2019, Rema was discovered through Instagram when his cover of D’Prince’s 2018 hit song, “Gucci Gang”, went viral. Subsequently, he signed a label contract with Jonzing Record, a subsidiary of Mavins Records, and since then, he has gone on to achieve incredible landmarks on the global stage. He performed at the 2023 Ballon d’Or ceremony and raked in huge streaming numbers with records such as “Calm Down” remix with Selena Gomez. The remix hit over 1 billion streams and made him the first Afrobeats artist to do so. Calm Down reached the top 3 on the Billboard 100 Songs Chart. He also became the youngest Afrobeats artist to sell out The O2 Arena in London.

Similarly, Arya Starr, another peer who has predominantly redefined the perception of female Afrobeats acts alongside Tems and Tyla, was discovered by Don Jazzy online through the several covers she uploaded online. Her success also peaked with several international collaborations, a successful sophomore album, global stage performances and a Grammy Award nomination for the Best African Music Performance in 2024 for her hit record, “Rush”, in 2024.

“It’s like finding a rare stone but still having to go through the refining process.”

Other artists are Crayon, Ladipo, Johnny Drille, Bayanni, Boy Spyce, Magixx and Elestee, whose individual sophisticated music styles have allowed them to carve a niche for themselves, hence proving that Mavin was not only chasing mainstream charts but was equally committed to diversifying the soundscape of Nigerian music. The label’s roster became a microcosm of Afrobeats itself: eclectic, boundary-pushing, and always in dialogue with the world.

In a conversation with BET in 2024, Tega revealed that the label’s signing process is multifaceted and majorly defined by artists and other talents putting themselves out. He also disclosed that aside from the roles of the marketing, A&R, and partnerships departments playing their crucial roles, instrumental to the artists’ growth are the artists’ radical perception of themselves, their consistency, talent and passion.

A major interest in the structure of the company is the Mavin’s music academy. A private platform built for the nurturing of talents before they enter into the mainstream. Upon discovery by the label, artists are enrolled into a one-to-two-year programme at the music academy for grooming. “It’s like finding a rare stone but still having to go through the refining process,” Arya Starr says in a conversation with MixMag.

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