There were DJs before me, and people I even look up to. How about considering the level you took it to…? I don’t think I pioneered the work of a DJ in this country. You could call me an icon but you would be disrespectful to other DJs if you call me a pioneer. I think that would be too much for me to take. Would you be comfortable if we describe you as an icon and pioneer?
I have seen people go bare-chested just to show their love to me. Some people would just jump on you without any care in the world. Several of them but I won’t describe them as crazy. You can’t measure the excitement and that was it.Ĭan you recall the crazy things female fans have done to you? I think that was when I had my first child. Wow! Happiest moments don’t have anything to do with being a DJ. When you look back, what would you say has been your happiest moment? But I never believed that I would be able to take it to this level. For me, it was like trying to prove to some people that, this is serious business and hopefully move on to something else. When I started, it wasn’t a job that people took very seriously. I won’t tell you that I knew being a DJ would take me to the level that is now compared to when I started. You set out to do something and you just don’t know it could take you to the next level. Did you believe it was going to be this big and was it always your dream to be what you are today? You redefined the disc jockeying business that used to be a job for never-do-wells. I look back to learn from experiences and probably mistakes and move forward, but I don’t regret. Looking back, do you have any regret about the choices you made? In this chat with Entertainer on the Red Carpet of AFRIMA 2016, Jimmy Jatt opens up on his life at 50 and how his wife has been a pillar of support. The Dee Jay attained the golden age recently and he celebrated in grand style. His annual show, Jimmy’s Jump Off has become popular among Nigerian music lovers, and it’s a signature event. Today, with over two decades in the profession and still counting, Jimmy Jatt is revered for his role in driving the hip hop industry to its present status in Nigeria. With the support of his brothers, Jimmy established Jatt Studios and changed his stage name to DJ Jimmy Jatt, in honour of his siblings. However, when he started out years ago, Jimmy Jatt was a rapper known as Master J, who recorded a string of demos, but after fruitlessly searching for a record label, he decided to become a Dee Jay. He is arguably the most revered disc jockey in Nigeria having inspired millions of youths with his deft skills on the turntable.