He’s a master in his craft and when it comes to disc jockeying, he’s a pundit. I call him the father on many nations {as long as Disc jockeying in Nigeria in concerned}. He recently got Lagos locked down where the crème de la crème in the entertainment industry in Nigeria gathered to bless the Mic at his just concluded JIMMY’S JUMP OFF show. Sometime in the middle of the year, he launched his snap back cap which has become a fashion item amongst celebrities. He’s no doubt Africa’s finest when it comes to making you move and tear up the dance floor. I had a chart with “COOL” Dj Jimmy Jatt at his Lekki mansion and he gave me a little insight about his job and what it takes to be like him.
*You have built a brand for yourself, how have you been able to do so?
I think it’s just passion for what you do. I love what I do and I keep working at it with the hope of bettering myself and first of all the grace of God. And also the fact that people appreciate what you do, it just makes you step up your game all the time so you can become an effective brand.
*Qualities of a good DJ?
Your ability to read minds. Though you can’t read everybody’s mind. If you are able to read about 90% of the people’s mind it’s really a good shot for you.
*What does it take to get Jimmy Jatt play to in a show?
First, you have to make a phone call to contact me, tell me the date. If it’s free I would tell you what it would cost you and when you make the payment into my account and it reflects, then you have a date with me at your event.
Your definition of a good song?
It’s relative. It depends on what time the song flows. I always tell people who say stuffs like “the song does not have meaning; the song does not make sense”. What is a song made for? If it’s for the dance floor, you have to just get with the flow. And there are times when you just want to sit down and reflect and just let music flow, u wouldn’t want to hear a dance song. So a good song just applies to the situation at hand. It’s when you need the song that determines if it’s good at that time or not.
*One thing one must have at the back of their minds before going into the act?
It’s not like buying and selling. It’s not a store, it’s not a business that you tell yourself that I put in this amount of money and am expecting this amount. You must have the passion for music because if you are going to stand for hours and play for people and you really don’t have the interest, how do you intend to play for long? I have been on stage for about 11hours playing and it’s because of the passion I have for it. So the main key is that you need to have the passion for music and you need to love life itself for you to be a good DJ. The happiness within you transcends into the kind of music you dish out on the dance floor.
*How does it feel to be the most sorts after DJ in Nigeria?
Well that’s a privilege information you are giving me. For me, I just try and work on my hands and if you give me an opportunity to play, I work like I am trying to create a name for myself. You give me one small opportunity; I use it to get a bigger one that would give me ten more gigs. If I play in ten, I make sure I use it to get hundred more gigs. I don’t go and play like “hey I’m jimmy Jatt”. I go there like I need to create a long lasting impression and somehow for some reason, I have been able to improve for so long.
*When you started out, did you see yourself going this far?
Well sometimes you really don’t want to say you see most things that would happen. I won’t say so. I would say I just took it one day at a time. It’s like when you love something, you keep looking at it and keep looking at the next level and there is always a next level. You can never get to the height of anything in life. But some people always think that when they get to a particular point, they have gotten to the highest level and that’s because they do not realize that there are some people who have gone beyond where they are. So for me, I always believe that there is a next level, you will keep climbing and will keep making progress.
*Would you say you feel so fulfilled being a DJ?
I won’t say so. Let me tell you the truth. You look around you and you see a lot of people around you that have got a lot of money and you probably want to envy them because they are probably rich and all that. The truth is money is not everything all times. The joy and satisfaction you derive from what you do most time can’t be equated to certain things. Some people just wear tie everyday of their lives and sit in one place when they are suppose to be on stage singing for people. They don’t derive satisfaction from what they do but they make money from it. And at the end of the day, the money you are trying to make is to secure happiness because you won’t derive joy from it and you end up living a very boring life. I am living a very beautiful life because I derive joy from what I do and I do what I do because it makes me happy. So if you look at it from that angle, then I would say yes. I am much fulfilled.
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