What has been your most memorable experience as a DJ?
If I must remember anything, it’s not going to be a very pleasant one. It was the day I was to perform on a stage which was about 8ft off the ground and the woods used in constructing the stage suddenly collapsed.
How did you survive it?
It ended up being a great night for me even though people were saying it was embarrassing. But for me it wasn’t, rather it was embarrassing for the people that constructed the stage. Some of my equipment fell on my feet. I quickly put everything together and the show continued. It turned out to be a very good experience for me. Another one was when someone held me at gunpoint to play a song. He wanted me to play a particular song for him. The first time he approached me, I promised him that I would play it. But when he came the second time, I did not sound nice to him. The third time he pulled a gun and ordered me to play the song immediately.
Was there any time your mood affected the way you mixed your music?
There were times I wasn’t in the mood to play music. But the good thing is that I love music and that is why I went into the DJ business. I was on stage when I lost my mum; I was also on stage when my dad passed away. Those were the worst moments of my career as a DJ. I couldn’t abandon the shows; the music had to play on. My siblings called me while I was on stage that my dad just passed on. It’s not as if I didn’t feel the pain, but I couldn’t just get off the stage. I had to go on with the show without disclosing the sad news to anyone. It was not the best of times for me. I have done the DJ job for close to three decades now but I have never had a bad day.
Are you planning to set up an Academy where DJs will be trained?
Of course yes. The Academy was supposed to have kicked off last year but due to some reasons it couldn’t.
Was there any point you wanted to quit because you could not cope with the challenges any more?
Is there anybody who never wanted to quit his or her job at some point in Nigeria? This country has been unfair to a lot of people. What we earn can’t be compared to what our counterparts in other countries are paid, especially when it comes to the business of being a DJ. When I started the business, nobody saw it as a lucrative venture. They believed it was my hobby so they always felt they were doing me a favour each time they tell me that I would be on the wheels during their birthday parties.
Like I said before, I used to buy every song I played then with my money. So, every Monday I would be busy paying for the records I either borrowed from people or acquired with the peanut I made during the weekend. Last year, I launched my book titled, ‘The Jimmy Jatt Story’. The book recounts my story as a DJ. While I was coming up, there were times, I had no money to buy new records or transport myself to my destination. I usually jump from one bus to another claiming to be a staff. So, when you listen to 2face’s song where he’s saying ‘you are claiming to be staff because you have no money’ it is not fictitious, it is a real life story. I would hang at the back door of a long bus, where the conductor who is collecting the fare would not possibly get to me before I jump down to join another bus. A few occasions, when they did, I ended up claiming to be a staff. It worked for me while it lasted.
How affordable are you?
I am very affordable. In fact, I am the cheapest DJ in the country. Unfortunately, many people have not bothered to find out what I charge for a show because they have this mindset that it will run into millions. Honestly, I think I am one of the cheapest DJs in town.
What genres of music do you like the most?
Before I started my career as a DJ, I loved hip hop music. Then as an aspiring entertainer, I was into rap music before I later delved in the world of the DJs. I had a demo tape
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