Don Jazzy urges Nigerian artists to drop pride, collaborate more

Don Jazzy calls out Nigerian artists for what he says is a dangerous drop in collaboration, arguing pride and ego are holding the industry back. Speaking on the On The Grind podcast today, the Mavin Records boss said most artists need to "drop their pride, grow up and understand that no man is an island. A tree cannot make a forest."

Jazzy built his career on collaboration—from his early days with D'banj to building Mavin into a label that thrives on collective creativity. He argues even multi-talented artists who write, produce, and sing still need outside perspectives to grow. "I came into this business collaborating with people and I am forever going to keep collaborating," he said.

The Nigerian music industry's global explosion came partly from cross-pollination—Wizkid featuring Drake, Burna Boy working with international producers, Davido's endless features. But insiders say younger artists increasingly treat features as transactions rather than creative exchanges, and cliques form around labels instead of sound.

For listeners, this matters because the next generation of Afrobeats hits depends on artists willing to step outside their comfort zones. The question isn't whether Nigerian talent exists—it's whether the ecosystem supports the kind of friction that creates greatness.

Are you seeing this trend in your own field—people choosing isolation over the uncomfortable but necessary work of collaboration?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/11/12/let-go-of-pride-collaborate-don-jazzy-tells-nigerian-artists-2/