Parents warned their children to stay away from me –Jimmy Jatt

 

Jimmy Jatt
| credits: File copy

Popular disc jockey, DJ Jimmy Jatt, has been in the profession for 25 years. He shares some of his experiences with Saturday Beats

When you started your craft 25 years ago, did you ever think you would become a global brand?

In anything you want to do, there is always a risk factor. To be honest, at no point in time did I decide to be a disc jockey and I am surprised myself that it’s what I’ve been doing till now. It was something I thought I could be doing ‘in the mean time’ then. I did not think about how far it would take me, but I was very hopeful. If you start a job, you would expect to get to the top of your career someday. For me, I felt that someday, what I do would pay off and take me to the top. And I thank God the job has taken me places.

Did you get support from your parents at the initial stage you started your career?

I got support from my parents from the very beginning and my nuclear family too. But from my extended family and outsiders, I did not get any support. Back then, they used to see anybody who was into entertainment as someone who was practising all manner of vices. I worked hard because I saw their disapproval as a motivating factor for me. I started out when the profession was not seen as a good one and parents then used to warn their children to stay away from me. My family supported me because they knew the kind of person I was; they were not worried because they knew they brought me up well enough to know my right from my left and to make good decisions in life. I am a product of my family. They are fun-loving and they love music. Would you say you are fulfilled in life?

I think once you get to that point where you feel you are fulfilled, then the next thing to do is find your coffin. I am not yet fulfilled. I am still hoping that someday, I would make some impact and take things to the next level. I want to move things up more.

How have you been able to do this job for 25 years and still keep your family?

In my house, the policy is, ‘if you love me, you must love my job.’ My family loves me so much and they support whatever I do. They support it more than I do. My wife and I met while I was a DJ; she fell in love with me as a DJ.

How did you meet your wife?

I met her at a party; I mean where else would someone like me meet a woman?

What attracted her to you when you met?

Initially, it was her beauty; my wife is very beautiful. We dated for a while and then I found out that she was even more beautiful on the inside.

But people believe that the girls you meet in the club are loose girls…

There is a Yoruba saying that says something like that but it is a big lie. I am a living testimony of that. I always tell people that it is a big lie, I know people that met in church that their marriage did not last. I met my wife at a party, we became friends, started dating and we have been together for 24 years.

If you were asked to quit this profession, what else would you do?

I would not take such a decision, but if it happens that I quit, I would  definitely be somewhere in the music industry. I am a music person. If you want to take me out, I would probably be a record label executive. I would be in the business area of music but not on stage.

If you had practised as a lawyer, do you think you would have been famous?

I am more of a passion-driven person than money-driven person. I think that is what has sustained me even as a DJ. If I had been in the business for the money, I would have been out of the business in the first four years because there was no money in it as of that time. I am more of a passion-driven person, so if I start something, I am going to follow it passionately. If I had been into law, trust me, I would have followed it passionately and if you follow something passionately, it would take you to places.

What has kept you going for 25 years?

For me, the first thing that has kept me going is the grace of God. Also, the kind of job I do has helped me. You see people walking to the venue not looking so cheerful, but by the time they are leaving, they are very happy – which means the music and what I do has so much impact on them. This makes me happy, especially when people walk up to me to say they appreciate me. It makes me want to do more.