Oluwaforijimi "Jimmy" Adewale Amu (born October 15, 1966), professionally referred to by his stage name DJ Jimmy Jatt, is a Nigerian

disc jockey A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music festival), mobile ...

who is revered as one of the pioneering hip hop DJs in Nigeria. He started out his music career as a rapper under the sobriquet Master J but delved into DJing after his failure in getting signed by a

record label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...

despite releasing a handful of songs including a

demo recording A demo (shortened from "demonstration") is a song or group of songs typically recorded for limited circulation or for reference use, rather than for general public release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas in a fixed for ...

. He is best known for his Jimmy's Jump Off concert, an event he started in 2008 to become one of the most attended entertainment events in Nigeria. In 2006, he won the Hip Hop World Hall of Fame award at the maiden edition of

The Headies The Headies (originally called the Hip Hop World Awards) is a music awards show established in 2006 by the '' Hip Hop World Magazine'' of Nigeria to recognize outstanding achievements in the Nigerian music industry. The annual ceremony features p ...

for his contribution to hip-hop in Nigeria.

Early life and career

Jimmy Amu is a native of

Ijebu Ode Ijebu-Ode is a town in Ogun State, South Western geopolitical zone in Nigeria, close to the A121 highway. The city is located 110 km by road north-east of Lagos; it is within of the Atlantic Ocean in the eastern part of Ogun State and p ...

Ogun State Ogun State is a state in southwestern Nigeria. Created on 3 February 1976 from the former Western State. Ogun State borders Lagos State to the south, Oyo State and Osun State to the north, Ondo State to the east, and the Republic of Benin to th ...

, but he was born and bred in

Lagos Island Lagos Island (''Ìsàlẹ̀ Èkó'') is the principal and central local government area (LGA) in Lagos, it was the capital of Lagos State until 1957. It is part of the Lagos Division. As of the preliminary 2006 Nigerian census, the LGA had a p ...

Lagos State Lagos State ( yo, Ìpínlẹ̀ Èkó) is a state in southwestern Nigeria. Of the 36 states, it is both the most populous and smallest in area. Bounded to the south by the Bight of Benin and to the west by the international border with Ben ...

, Nigeria where he had his basic and secondary education. Born to a father who was a sound equipment dealer, Jimmy Jatt developed an interest in music at a tender age. He grew up listening to various

genres of music A music genre is a conventional category that identifies some pieces of music as belonging to a shared tradition or set of conventions. It is to be distinguished from ''musical form'' and musical style, although in practice these terms are some ...

including pop, afrojuju,

highlife Highlife is a music genre that started in present-day Ghana in the 19th century, during its history as a colony of the British Empire and through its trade routes in coastal areas. It describes multiple local fusions of African metre and wester ...

afrobeat Afrobeat is a Nigerian music genre that involves the combination of West African musical styles (such as traditional Yoruba music and highlife) and American funk, jazz, and soul influences, with a focus on chanted vocals, complex intersectin ...

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

, hip-hop,

rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...

and

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest atte ...

. He began his career as a rapper under the stage name Master J but had to switch to DJing after he failed to secure a record-label contract upon releasing several songs and demos. He soon became popular as a DJ for hosting a street carnival called "Road Block", an event which involved lyrical

rap battle Battle rap (also known as rap battling)Edwards, Paul, 2009, p. 25. is a type of rapping performed between two or more performers that incorporates boasts, insults and wordplay. Battle rap is often performed or freestyled spontaneously in live ...

s between upcoming and underground rappers. In 2007, he released a mixtape titled ''The Definition'', a compilation of songs which features several Nigerian artistes including

Sound Sultan Sound Sultan (born Olanrewaju Abdul-Ganiu Fasasi; November 27, 1976 – July 11, 2021) was a Nigerian rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, comedian, and recording artist. He was regarded as one of the pacesetters of modern hip hop music in Niger ...

2Baba Innocent Ujah Idibia MON (born 18 September 1975), known by his stage name 2Baba, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist. Noted for his vocal range, lyrical depth, and longevity, he is widely regard ...

Mode 9 Babatunde Olusegun Adewale(born June 14, 1975), popularly known by his stage name Modenine, is an English-born Nigerian rapper. In 2014, he released a song titled "Super Human" with Jamaican-American rapper Canibus. Early life Mode9 was born in ...

Naeto C Naetochukwu Chikwe, stage name Naeto C, is a Nigerian rapper, Afrobeat artist and record producer. Early life He was born in Houston, Texas and is of Nigerian origin. The Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha appointed Naeto C, as his Speci ...

9ice 9ice, born Alexander Abolore Adegbola Akande (born 17 January 1980), is a Nigerian musician, songwriter and dancer. He is known for his powerful use of the Yoruba language in his music as well as his proverbial lyrics and unique style of deliv ...

Ruggedman Michael Ugochukwu Stephens, known professionally as Ruggedman, is a Nigerian rapper from Ohafia, Abia State. Career A graduate of political science from Lagos State University, Ọ̀jọ́, Ruggedman started exploring music in 1999. He produ ...

, eLDee, M.I among others. The mixtape included "Stylee", a song which features vocals from 2Baba, Mode 9 and ElaJoe and went on to be nominated in two categories at the 2007 edition of the Channel O Music Video Awards. With a T.V programme called Jimmy's Jump Off, several collaborations, awards and nominations and endorsement deals; DJ Jimmy Jatt is highly recognised and revered for pushing hip-hop in Nigeria.

Discography

Studio albums

*''The Definition'' (2007) *''The Industry Vol 1'' (2014) *''Urban Heartbeat'' (2017)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jatt, DJ Jimmy 1966 births Living people People from Ijebu Ode Musicians from Ogun State Nigerian hip hop DJs Nigerian hip hop musicians African DJs