Ian Jazzi

Ian Jazzi
Ian Jazzi on Stage
Background information
Birth name	Ian Frederick Oshodi
Also known as	Ian Jazzi
Born	(1986-03-30) 30 March 1986 Osu, Accra, Ghana
Genres	Hip hop, Hiplife, Soul, Gospel
Occupation(s)	Rapper, poet, entrepreneur, actor, model
Instruments	Vocals, Keyboard
Years active	2007–present
Labels	UnwindENT
Associated acts	Sarkodie, Psalm 1, the Christ Junkie, Preachers, Jayso, Reggie Rockstone, Ayigbe Edem, Elom Adablah
Website	ianjazzi.com

Ian Frederick Oshodi (born 30 March 1986), better known by his stage name Ian Jazzi, is a Ghanaian/Nigerian recording artist, performer, record producer, actor, poet, model and entrepreneur. He pioneered a new wave of Gospel Rap in Ghana, after dropping popular singles "Get Some" and "Get Your Clap On" in 2003. Both were produced by Jayso. He is also credited with being among the pioneers of GH Rap which is a term to denote 'Hiphop made in Ghana'.

In 2009, Jazzi worked on an award-winning TV Commercial by Creative Eye, shot by Fingerprint Films, for the telecommunication company TIGO in Mumbai, India.^[1] Jazzi is also the creative director of The Unwind Agency,^[2] a model & advertising agency he founded in Ghana in 2009. In 2010, he co-produced and released his first mixtape album In Stereo Volume 1,^[3] which was well received in Ghana. Ian has also had opportunities to model for multi-national corporations such as Coca Cola, and has been the face of several advertising campaigns which include newspaper & magazine ads, billboards, and TV commercials.

Early life and education

Ian Jazzi was born to Frederick Oshodi and Patience Otuwaa Amponsah in Osu, Accra in Ghana. His father, a wealthy Nigerian businessman, died in a car accident before Jazzi's birth. His mother moved back to Ghana to live with her mother in Osu after Oshodi's death in Lagos. Jazzi attended the Datus Complex School,^[4] a boarding school in Tema, which he transferred to from the Bubuashie branch of the same school at the age of seven. When Jazzi was twelve, he lost his sister, Gifty-Jenny, who was thirteen at the time.

Music career

Ian begun rapping while in high school at Adisadel College in 2001. Heavily influenced by the 90's hip-hop scene, he would use his leisure time to beat his desk in the classroom and write rhymes. Upon graduation, he was admitted into The University of Ghana, Legon,^[5] where he studied Economics, Mathematics & Theatre Arts. While at university, he continued rapping and began recording and airing singles on the campus radio station, Radio Universe.^[6]

In March 2010, Ian Jazzi released his first mixtape, In Stereo Vol.1. While Jazzi was responsible for most of the production, it also featured productions from EL, the Canadian Producer Tnyce,^[7][8] Six45, and Jae Milla. It featured singers Raquel, Taurian Devueax and Yolanda Chioma Richards-Albert.^[9]

In October 2010, Ian Jazzi released his second mixtape, Ian Jazzi on the Heartbeats & Other Freestyles.^[10] This mixtape primarily featured Ian Jazzi freestyling over beats by renowned Ghanaian producer Jayso. It was a remix of hits produced for artists like Sarkodie, Sway DaSafo, R2Bees, and Kwaw Kesse. The purpose of the mixtape was to showcase Jazzi's versatile rap skills over more commercial beats; his poetic style, like his lyrical style, is primarily socially conscious, integrating elements of inspiration and spirituality.^[6]

In October 2010, Jazzi turned his attention to his new company, The Unwind Agency, completing several model and advertising related contracts for companies such as TIGO, Ecobank, Coca Cola, Brand Communications, Ramel International, Ghana's Gas Forum, Kingdom Africa Management, and MMRS Ogilvy. In addition he also released several singles on the side, featuring artists like EL, Trigmatic, radio/TV personality Jay Foley, Senam E.Twin Gbeho, and Radio Jock/rapper J.O.E.L. In the latter part of 2010 he collaborated with his friend EL and released "Envy".^[11] In February 2011, Ian Jazzi released his first music video, "The Real",^[12] off his upcoming sequel In Stereo Volume II – Turn The Volume Up^[13] and quickly followed it up with "Envy",^[14] in March 2011.

In August 2013, Ian Jazzi released the 32 track In Stereo Volume II – Turn The Volume Up mixtape,^[15] which featured Multi-Platinum Producer Coptic, rappers, Psalm 1, the Christ Junkie and D.E.M.

Acting career

While in High School, Jazzi was vice-president of the Drama club and was involved in most of the schools theatre productions. At the University of Ghana, he played Duncan in Shakespeare's Macbeth, and the role of Jerry in Harold Pinters 'Betrayal', among others.

Television

In 2008, Ian Jazzi hosted the NT1 poetry show on TV Africa,^[16] a studio recording of poets performing the spoken word, which lasted for a single season of 16 episodes. In 2010, Jazzi was contracted by Rite Multimedia,^[17] to host Basket Ball TV, also on TV Africa.^[18] The show covered the ongoing inter-community basketball competition held at Elwak Stadium, and was usually transmitted live from the stadium.

Also in 2010, Jazzi played the role of a playboy in Desperation,^[19] a romantic-comedy television series, directed by Dickson Dzapasu, which aired night-time in Ghana and Nigeria. In 2012, he played the role of a rich and arrogant youth who got into trouble in the investigative TV series, Peep,^[20][21] which was produced and directed by Shirley Frimpong Manso. In 2013, Jazzi played the role of Nana^[22] in the African movie, Potomanto,^[23] which was also produced and directed by Manso.

Discography

Mixtapes

1. In Stereo Volume 1 (2010)
2. Heartbeats & Other Freestyles (2010)
3. In Stereo Volume 2 – Turn The Volume Up (2013)
4. "O.K.K. (Osu King Kong)" (2016)^[24][25]

Television

1. Desperation (2010)^[26]
2. Peep, (2013)^[21][27]
3. Potomanto, (2013)^[22]

References