Mavin Records is Nigeria’s most influential Afrobeats label, founded by Don Jazzy in Lagos in May 2012. It built global stars including Rema, Ayra Starr and Tiwa Savage through a private artist development system. Universal Music Group bought a majority stake in 2024 for close to $125 million. Right now, the label is proving that system still works, with Ayra Starr releasing her third album, Starr Girl, on August 14.
Mavin’s Current Run Proves the System Still Works
Mavin Records is having an active run this year, led by Ayra Starr’s rollout for her third studio album and a fresh collaboration between her and labelmate Rema. The pair released “Who’s Dat Girl” in October, their first single together as co leads. Rihanna then used the track behind a Met Gala video in May, pulling new global attention toward the label. Starr also signed an international management deal with Jay Z’s Roc Nation, while staying signed to Mavin for her recordings. That combination, a label backed by Universal Music Group and management backed by Roc Nation, shows how far Mavin’s infrastructure now reaches beyond Lagos.
Mavin Records: Origin, Founder and Headquarters
Don Jazzy, born Michael Collins Ajereh, founded Mavin Records in Lagos in May 2012. He launched it right after Mo’ Hits Records collapsed, the label he had co founded with D’banj in 2006. Mo’ Hits produced major Nigerian music for 6 years. Then creative and personal tensions between the 2 co founders ended it.
Don Jazzy did not stop there. He started Mavin the same year with artists from the old Mo’ Hits roster, plus a major new signing in Tiwa Savage, positioned as the label’s First Lady. The debut Mavin album, Solar Plexus, announced the label’s arrival that same month.
The name itself carries meaning. A maven is an expert in a specific field, so Don Jazzy chose a name that projected mastery from the start. Today, Mavin operates as Mavin Global, reflecting its international reach, and its in house Lagos studios remain the base for every artist on the roster.
The Mavin Artist Academy: How the Label Builds Superstars
Mavin builds superstars through its Artist Academy, a private programme that trains newly signed artists for at least 18 months before any public release. Most Nigerian labels launch artists quickly. Mavin does the opposite on purpose.
Don Jazzy designed the Academy after watching a pattern repeat across Nigerian music. Talented artists launched too early. They burned through public goodwill before their craft was ready. So the Academy became a direct fix for that problem.
Both Rema and Ayra Starr went through it before releasing a single song. Rema joined in 2019. Ayra Starr signed in 2020. Neither artist released music until the team confirmed they were ready. As Don Jazzy told Music Business Worldwide, once talent is identified, the label keeps them in the Academy for as long as preparation takes.
5 Core Areas the Academy Covers
- Vocal and performance training brings raw talent to a stage ready standard before any live show
- Studio immersion builds recording discipline and a defined sound identity for each artist
- Media and press training prepares artists for interviews and public narrative control
- Industry education covers contracts, royalties, publishing and brand partnerships
- Roster bonding builds relationships between artists, the same bonds now producing “Who’s Dat Girl”
The A&R Team Behind the World Building Process
Rima Tahini Ighodaro leads Mavin’s 10 person A&R team as Senior Vice President of A&R and Creatives. She calls her process “world building” for each artist. Billboard described her role as central to both Rema’s and Ayra Starr’s careers. Rema once brought his finished album to her house while she was on maternity leave, a detail that shows how close Mavin keeps its artists and staff.
How Don Jazzy Finds and Signs Artists
Don Jazzy scouts most new talent through Instagram. He found both Rema and Ayra Starr this way. Ayra Starr had fewer than 5,000 followers when a stranger sent her cover video to him. His reply came hours later: come to the studio. She later called it a dream come true, since getting signed to Mavin had always meant becoming a star.
Beyond personal discovery, Don Jazzy also crowd sources talent tips from his own followers. His signing philosophy goes past musical skill too. As he put it, he focuses on the person first, their hunger and their vision, not just the voice.
Mavin Records Full Artist Roster
Mavin currently carries 12 active artists across Afrobeats, alternative pop, rap and Afro fusion. The label also has a track record of launching artists who go on to build major independent careers after they leave. Newer signings like Bayanni and Boy Spyce now sit alongside a wider wave of new African artists worth watching, built on the same development model that launched Rema and Ayra Starr.
Current Mavin Records Artists
| Artist | Year Signed | Genre | Key Achievement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rema | 2019 | Afropop / Trap | “Calm Down” is the first African led track past 1 billion Spotify streams |
| Ayra Starr | 2020 | Afropop / R&B | Grammy nominated for “Rush”; third album Starr Girl arrives August 14 |
| Ladipoe | 2017 | Hip hop / Rap | Leading rap voice on the roster; “Feeling” featuring Benson Boone reached global ears |
| Johnny Drille | 2017 | Alternative Folk | The roster’s most distinct sonic identity |
| Crayon | 2019 | Afropop | “Bami” and “Shoot Your Shot” built a strong pan African streaming base |
| Magixx | 2022 | Afropop / R&B | Self titled debut EP praised for melodic depth |
| Bayanni | 2022 | Afropop | “Sake of Love” signalled Mavin’s next generation wave |
| Boy Spyce | 2022 | Afropop | Part of the label’s post UMG talent pipeline |
| Lifesize Teddy | 2023 | Afro fusion | Built for a Gen Z audience |
| DJ Big N | 2019 | DJ / Afro house | In house DJ and label ambassador |
Former Mavin Records Artists
| Artist | Period at Mavin | Why They Left | Current Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiwa Savage | 2012 to 2019 | Signed a direct global deal with Universal Music Group | Active global solo career |
| Wande Coal | 2012 to 2016 | Left after contract end | Active independent releases |
| Korede Bello | 2014 to 2020 | Mutual end; shifted toward gospel music | Active, independent direction |
| Reekado Banks | 2014 to 2018 | Founded his own Banks Music label | Runs Banks Music in Lagos |
| Dr SID | 2012 to 2016 | Exited with the Mo’ Hits era roster | Reduced release activity |
Rema and Ayra Starr: Mavin’s Two Biggest Success Stories
Rema and Ayra Starr are the clearest proof that the Mavin system works. Both were signed as teenagers. Both finished the Academy first. Ayra Starr And Rema became global Afrobeats stars without losing their Nigerian identity.
Rema: From Teenage Signing to 1 Billion Streams
Rema signed to Jonzing World, a Mavin subsidiary, in 2019 at age 18. After the Academy, he debuted with a self titled EP that showed off his trap influenced Afropop sound. His breakout came with “Calm Down.” A Selena Gomez remix turned it into a global hit, and the song reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. It later crossed 1 billion Spotify streams, becoming the first African led track to do so.
Rema also became the youngest Afrobeats act to sell out London’s O2 Arena. His album HEIS won Album of the Year and Best Male Artist at the Trace Awards, and he later headlined a sold out show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. That run keeps him firmly inside the list of Africa’s most famous music artists, alongside labelmate Ayra Starr.
Ayra Starr: From 5,000 Followers to a Third Album
Ayra Starr signed to Mavin in 2020 at age 18, after Don Jazzy messaged her when she had fewer than 5,000 followers. Her self titled debut EP arrived in January 2021, led by the hit “Away.” Her 2022 album, 19 and Dangerous, made her Nigeria’s leading young female Afrobeats voice, and “Rush” became a global TikTok hit that later earned a Grammy nomination for Best African Music Performance, cementing her as one of the most successful African female artists working today.
This year, Starr is releasing her third album, Starr Girl, on August 14 through Mavin. In July 2025, she signed an international management deal with Roc Nation while staying with Mavin for recording. She then released “Hot Body,” followed in October by “Who’s Dat Girl” with Rema, their first single as co leads. In May, Rihanna used the track in a Met Gala video, pulling fresh global attention toward both artists.
The Mavin Records and Universal Music Group Deal
Universal Music Group bought a majority stake in Mavin Global in 2024, the largest acquisition in African entertainment history. Investment bank Shot Tower Capital ran the bidding process. TPG Growth, the majority holder since 2019, exited fully.
The price sat near $125 million, with Mavin’s total valuation reported between $150 million and $200 million. Kupanda Capital kept a minority stake and stayed on as strategic adviser. UMG Chairman Sir Lucian Grainge said Mavin’s artists had been catalysts in turning Afrobeats into a global phenomenon.
Mavin kept full creative control after the deal. Don Jazzy remains founder and CEO, and Tega Oghenejobo remains COO. UMG instead added global infrastructure, including distribution through Interscope, Republic Records and Virgin Music, the same network that already carried “Calm Down” and Ayra Starr’s earlier releases.
Mavin Records vs Other Nigerian Record Labels
Mavin’s closest rivals for artist development sit inside the same labels behind the ongoing Davido versus Wizkid rivalry, 30BG and Starboy Entertainment. Each label built its reputation differently, and the table below lines up how they compare.
| Label | Founded | Founder | Top Artists | Standout Achievement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mavin Records | 2012 | Don Jazzy | Rema, Ayra Starr, Ladipoe | Largest African label acquisition; first 1 billion stream African led track |
| YBNL Nation | 2012 | Olamide | Asake, Fireboy DML | Launched Asake, who headlined Madison Square Garden |
| Starboy Entertainment | 2013 | Wizkid | Wizkid, Terri | Wizkid entered the Spotify Billions Club via “One Dance” |
| 30BG | 2011 | Davido | Davido, Peruzzi | Sold out all 20,000 seats at Madison Square Garden |
| Chocolate City | 2005 | Audu Maikori | M.I. Abaga, Blaqbonez | Nigeria’s longest running independent label |
Mavin Records Key Facts at a Glance
- Full name: Mavin Global, formerly Mavin Records
- Founded: May 2012 in Lagos, Nigeria
- Founder and CEO: Don Jazzy (Michael Collins Ajereh)
- COO: Tega Oghenejobo
- SVP of A&R: Rima Tahini Ighodaro
- Current owner: Universal Music Group, majority stake
- Active artists: 12
- Biggest streaming milestone: Rema’s “Calm Down” past 1 billion Spotify streams
- Latest release on the way: Ayra Starr’s third album, Starr Girl, out August 14
Frequently Asked Questions
Don Jazzy, whose full name is Michael Collins Ajereh, founded Mavin Records in Lagos in May 2012. He launched it right after Mo’ Hits Records dissolved.
Universal Music Group holds a majority stake, following a 2024 acquisition worth close to $125 million. Don Jazzy and Tega Oghenejobo still lead the label with full creative control.
The current roster includes Rema, Ayra Starr, Ladipoe, Johnny Drille, Crayon, Magixx, Bayanni, Boy Spyce, DJ Big N and Lifesize Teddy. Past artists include Tiwa Savage, Wande Coal, Korede Bello and Reekado Banks.
Mavin trains new signings through its Artist Academy for at least 18 months before any public release. The Academy covers vocal training, studio recording, media skills and music business education.
Ayra Starr is releasing her third studio album, Starr Girl, on August 14 through Mavin Records. The rollout already includes “Hot Body” and “Who’s Dat Girl,” her first single as a co lead with labelmate Rema.