Dj Jimmy Jatt: Unrivalled King of Turntables in Nigeria

Whenever you listen to the radio or you attend parties or clubs, you expect the atmosphere to be electrifying and not have a sombre or mourning feel. Well, the turn-up magic does not just occur spontaneously. It is people like DJ Jimmy Jatt that breathe life into the medium or the places mentioned with the melodious tunes that they dish out and blare out from their speakers.

He is highly regarded in the Nigerian entertainment industry as one of the pioneers of the contemporary form of his art. So, who is DJ Jimmy Jatt, who is, arguably, the king of turntables in Nigeria?

DJ Jimmy Jatt Biography

DJ Jimmy Jatt, named Oluwaforijimi Jimmy Adewale Amu at birth, was born on October 15, 1966, in the Lagos Island area of Lagos State. Although he was born in Lagos, he is from Ijebu Ode in Ogun State. His father was a sound equipment dealer while his mother was a teacher.

DJ Jimmy Jatt had his primary and secondary school education in Lagos.

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Career

DJ Jimmy Jatt became interested in music at a young age, largely due to his father’s business of studio equipment sales. He was exposed to a wide range of musical genres while growing up, including jazz, hip-hop, rhythm and blues, pop, highlife, afrobeat, and afro juju. 

He started his music career as a rapper under the alias, Master J. Despite releasing multiple tracks and demos, he was unable to land a record label contract. He subsequently switched careers and became a disc jockey, popularly known as a DJ. He entered the disc jockey business in the 1990s with the aid of his siblings.

His stage name, JATT, was derived from his name, his surname and his older siblings: Jimmy, Amu, Tunde, and Tayo,  (JATT). He opened a studio on Odo Street in Lagos and this assisted him in reaching his target audience and elevating hip-hop music and his DJing abilities in Nigeria’s entertainment sector. He quickly rose to fame as a DJ for organizing the Road Block street festival, which included lyrical rap bouts between underground and up-and-coming rappers.

He released The Definition, a mixtape in 2007 which comprises tracks by several Nigerian artists, including Sound Sultan, 2Baba, Mode 9, Naeto C, 9ice, Ruggedman, eLDee, and M.I. A single from the mixtape, Stylee, which had vocals from 2Baba, Mode 9, and ElaJoe, was nominated in two categories for the 2007 Channel O Music Video Awards. He also released The Industry, Vol. 1 in 2014.

The DJ is also well-known for being the creator and host of Jimmy’s Jump Off, a television programme which featured several Nigerian DJs exhibiting their craft. He has featured in numerous events and performed on stages alongside artists like Akon, 50 Cent, Sean Paul, LL Cool J, and Usher, among others. He was chosen as Nigeria’s representative at the Red Bull Music Academy in Tokyo in 2011. In 2013, the Remy Martin VIP party was hosted in his honour in recognition of his musical contributions. 

DJ Jimmy Jatt is renowned for promoting hip-hop music in Nigeria. He is well-known and admired in the Nigerian entertainment scene, in general, which is evident in the several collaborations, accolades and nominations, and sponsorship deals he has racked up over the years. He paved the way for many DJs in the industry through his works.

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