Nigeria’s Biggest Music Producers Unveiled

The history of Nigerian Hip Hop or Pop Music will be incomplete without the contributions of the talented men and women who work behind the scene to bring out the songs we listen and dance to.

The Hip Hop musicians would play and sing and they have been doing that for close to two decades now. Also, fans would go crazy listening to the music and sing along with the musicians, buy their records and albums and also pay to watch their shows.

But great singles and albums don’t just drop from Heaven; some people have to make it happen, they help to put the music together in the form that it would appeal to listeners and move them to buy. This takes the time, attention and dedication of a real professional.
While record companies and promoters pay big bucks to ensure that the talent they discover or come in contact with record albums that people want to buy, some people are paid to invent the tunes and lyrics and put the music together.

They are the music producers. In some cases, the recording companies pay them for their work, in other cases, music acts themselves go out of their way to pay them in order to help prop up their music and boost their careers for them. 

Here is a list of the biggest music producers in the country today who not only help musicians to serve some of the wave-making and money-spinning records to the listening public but also work to help singers and musicians to be at their best.

Cob hams Asuquo
While Jonah D Monarch was creating distinctive rap beats for Mode Nine and OJB Jezrel was busy creating the sound to build popular acclaim and big sales for Tuface Idibia, a songwriter, arranger and composer called Cobhams Asuquo was busy putting the final touches to some of the trademark sounds of the 90s and 2000s.

With great input into the debut album of Asa, Cobhams became an instant hit, giving the Nigerian audience a feel of soul music that beats the imagination. This technique allowed Cobhams to create singles after singles of superbly-arranged soul and R n B masterpieces and create a reputation for himself bigger perhaps than the artistes he has helped to produce.

Asuquo went further to prove his worth by signing up with Sony Music and writing songs for the international music company. He has also worked extensively with Darey Art Alade, Chidinma Ekile and Asa, producing several of their solo hits. Incorporating his uncommon and well-blended mixes, he produced timeless solo tracks like ‘Eye Adaba,’ ‘Lagimo,’ ‘Not the Girl,’ ‘In the music’ and ‘Jailer’ among several other hits. Though blind, his career and reputation blossomed and reached the zenith within and beyond the Nigerian music industry.

Don Jazzy

Sometimes in 2003, a record producer called Don Jazzy made history of sort in Nigerian pop music when he decided to work on his buddy D’Banj’s full album. He was not yet a successful producer of classical albums as at the time but Don Jazzy was only out to break away from his UK brand of music to an African laced Hip Hop. He sampled several beats and sounds as he initially wasn’t all that sure of what was before him, but he liked the vocals and personality of his buddy, D’Banj, the ‘Kokomaster’.

Don swallowed his reservations and after working and getting ideas from producer friends alike, he signed a recording contract with D’Banj in a jointly-owned recording company tagged Mo’Hits Inc. Don Jazzy nurtured D’Banj through his recording sessions and helped him hone his massive, but still raw talents.

Under his guidance, D’Banj has blossomed into one of the biggest stars to emerge from Nigeria. Other acts like D’Prince, Wande Coal, Dr. Sid and K-Switch, four other talented acts, also berthed in Mo’Hits Incorporated to become part of the Mo’Hits All Stars.

D’Banj as well as members of Mo’Hits All Stars wrote great songs between 2004 and now, but they recorded amazing songs within the period. Working with Don Jazzy, they expanded the boundaries of pop music and smashed all pre-conceived notions of what records made from the genre of music could sound like.

Don Jazzy has also produced for American stars like Jay Z and Kanye West within the short span of his career. He’ll always be remembered for helping to create some of the greatest tunes Nigeria has ever heard.

Dokta Frabz

If you bought a pop or hip hop record in the mid to late 2000s, chances are you might have heard the production of a young prince known as Dokta Frabz. He was responsible for the slick, smoky sound of records that oozed out of the Obi Asika-led Storm Records.
Frabz’ work was all over the radio and video channels. A successful young man and multi-instrumentalist in his own right, Frabz brought a sense of perfection to his production work. Although some complain about his work, music acts went after him every now and then to help produce their albums and the quality work he could get out of them with his Nsayne music productions (pronounced as Insane).

Frabz’ greatest strength is his ability to make synthesisers and other electronic instruments sound organic. Even in the mid 2000, when most pop music sounded like auditory plastic, Frabz’s skill at making music sound natural drew many artists to him. From Sasha to Naeto C, YQ and Omawumi, Frabz’s imprint on their albums are remarkable.

OJB Jezrel

If Dokta Frabz was the producer who defined what fine records sounded like in the mid 2000s, OJB Jezrel did the same in the 1990s. OJB started as an instrumentalist and singer doing his own thing all by himself.

Unsatisfied with the sound of the music productions around him, OJB taught himself how to engineer and produce albums. When OJB arrived on the scene, he went into producing full time and amassed a resume with some great music before deciding to release some albums.

OJB produced watershed albums for pop stars Tuface Idibia, Jazzman Olofin, Ruggedman and countless others. He produced and co-wrote one of Tuface’s biggest albums of all time- Grass to Grace.

Unknown to many, he was one of those who had a profound influence on rave kid, Wizkid, in his early days in Surulere area of Lagos State. OJB, never satisfied with previous work, continued to record his own records solo while also giving professional advice to several up and coming acts. He has become one of Nigeria’s hip hop/pop great experimenters and early adopters of new technology.

Jesse Jagz

Only a few people have done as much as Jesse Jagz Abaga, musician, songwriter and producer to keep the Nigerian hip hop music flying high. As a frontline producer and soundtrack supervisor, Jesse, like his brother Jude Abaga, has had a hand in some of the most popular hits and albums of the last five years

Whenever an artist wants to record an album deeply rooted in African music and well-blended percussions, they usually turn to Jesse to get the songs and sound they want. M.I, Iceprince, Brymo, Skales and others have all recorded songs with Jesse whose amazing recording skills helped them revive interest and sales in their music.

Jesse has also been an influential soundtrack coordinator, overseeing such classics as ‘Superstory’ and ‘Everyday people.’ When he isn’t busy putting together great sounds, he helps Iceprince and other music acts to compose hit songs. Jesse would forever be remembered for his production works on hit songs like ‘Oleku,’ ‘Jago’ and ‘Superstar’ amongst others.

Tee-Y Mix

Tee-Y Mix revolutionised popular music and created a brand new genre of musicians with his star-packed recording studio. He assembled perhaps some of the best collection of musicians in the history of popular music and helped bring to the world songs from Naeto C, TY Bello, Lara George, Inyanya to Capital F.E.M.I and many more.

Tee-Y knows how to spot talent, but more importantly, he truly knows how to package and give those talents some of the best tunes that have sold records. By creating a wholesome image through his production for his A-list of singers, he was able to bring back the seemingly lost feel of black American music in a way no one else has ever done.

Tee-Y Mix, it is widely said, employs a small army of incredible strings, chords and bazz and had a magician’s knack for matching artists with songs. One of his magic touches was his input into Naeto C’s ‘Akomi Ti Poju’. Little wonder, he is standing tall as one of the judges of the MTN Project Fame West Africa reality TV show.

J Sleek

Hip Hop isn’t the only genre with super producers. Recently, a youngster from FESTAC called J Sleek was also busy defining the sound of pop and helping to revive the careers of some of the genre’s biggest acts.

After a successful tutelage, Sleek ran into one of Nigeria’s most gifted singers, Tuface Idibia, to produce songs for his international album, ‘Unstoppable.’ With Sleek’s production, the singer revamped his almost dwindling career and was shot to instant national prominence for good or bad with their raw sound and controversial lyrics.

Once Tuface regained his position in the music industry, Sleek embarked on a successful solo career and became a producer for just about every rap artist who mattered. He worked on the records of Sound Sultan, Faze, W4 and others.

He was influenced by international funk stalwarts. J Sleek prefers the flexibility of using live musicians to create his beats. His tracks are always heavy on synthesisers, guitars and keyboards, creating a unique sound that have come to dominate the scene and continues to influence other productions.

Terry G

When young Gabriel Amanyi realised all he ever wanted to do was be in the music world, he settled for his choice and joined ex-Plantashun Boiz star, Faze, as a back-up singer. He was never given a chance to feature on a song let alone producing for some of the biggest stars in the industry.

However, his loss was undoubtedly an undying gain for the music industry. Starting a little label called Terry G Productions; Terry G was responsible for discovering some of the most influential tunes and sounds in the industry today.

Ruggedman, 2Shotz, Illbliss, Timaya, Jaywon, Ay.com, Drama and Side one are among the stars who laid down the tracks produced by the ‘Ginger’ cum ‘Aphako master.’ An artist’s producer first and foremost, he allowed young singers like himself to play around in the studio and finally arriving at the best take.

Terry always chose the takes he feels best captures the emotion of the song and the people performing it. He is one of the architects of street hop music. Terry will always be remembered for his fantastic ear for hit songs.

Samklef

Samklef wouldn’t have made the list but for his input on rave music kid, Wizkid’s ‘Superstar’ album. He stamped himself as one of the producers to reckon with after producing six tracks out of the entire album and fortunately, four out of the tracks became instant hit on the ‘Superstar’ album.

And with this success, he quickly became one of the most-sought-after producers in the business. Apparently impressed by his own success, Samklef went ahead to release his debut album with the smashing single, ‘Noni.’ Of course it didn’t matter much that Wizkid sang on most of the hooks in his songs, he still got himself a spot in the limelight.

Puffy T

After a somewhat successful stint as a drummer and pianist, Puffy T gave up performing and started his own recording studio. From the very beginning of his career as a producer under the watchful eyes of Zeeno Foster, Puffy T made a huge name for himself, working on big records from the emerging singer, LKT

He was also behind the controls for such milestone in the career of popular singer Olu Maintain as one of the most important actors in one of Nigeria’s records of all time ‘Yahoozee’. Puffy T took the raw, grungy sounds and polished them into classics that crossed over without losing their authenticity. After contributing his quota to the music industry, Puffy withdrew to the role of merely featuring in songs. But he still produces for other acts once in a while.

DJ Switch Works on Debut Mixtape

One of the leading Nigerian DJs, DJ Switch, is working day and night to ensure the success of his debut mixtape that is expected to be released next year. Born Olawale Adebayo Johnson, this Kwara State indigene, DJ Switch who works with Radio Continental, made his mark while working with international artiste like Busta Rhymes, R.Kelly, Nelly, Nas, Kanye West, Joe, T-pain, Akon, D’Banj, Tuface and some other acts on the bill of Star Mega Jam. 

In a chat with SBF, DJ Switch said he intends to showcase his musical brilliance with the release of his mixtape. “I’m prepared to show the music world what I’m made of and by this time next year, most of the songs on my mixtape would be on the lips of music lovers in Nigeria. That is all I can say for now,” he said.

Compiled by Silvanus, Lagos.