Jesse Garba Abaga (born 10 August 1984), known professionally as Jesse Jagz, is a Nigerian rapper, record producer and songwriter. He signed a record deal with Chocolate City in 2010 and released his debut studio album Jag of All Tradez that same year. He voluntarily exited the Chocolate City deal in 2013 and announced the launch of his independent label, Jagz Nation. Jagz released his second studio album Jagz Nation, Vol.1. Thy Nation Come in 2013; it included singles such as "Redemption", "Bad Girl", "Sex & Scotch" and "God on the Mic". His third studio album, Jagz Nation Vol. 2: Royal Niger Company, was released in 2014. He returned to Chocolate City in 2015 but left the label again prior to releasing his fourth studio album Odysseus in 2017. In May 2020, he released a 5-track EP titled Garba.
Music career
1984–2009: Early life and career beginnings
Jesse Garba Abaga was born on 10 August 1984 to Chris and Lydia Abaga. He grew up in Jos and is a member of Taraba State's Jukun ethnic group. His father is a pastor and his mother is a gospel artist and counselor. He joined his church's choir at the age of seven and later learned to play the drums on his parents' drum kit. He recorded an unreleased album with the short-lived music group Gospel Insanity in 2003. A year later, Abaga formed the group Eleven Thirty; they enjoyed local success before disbanding in 2006. Abaga first released music under the stage name Jesse Jagz shortly thereafter with his first hit single "Africa" in 2006, topping the charts of several local radio stations in northern Nigeria. In 2007, three of his singles had similar success, peaking within the Top 10 on several radio charts in the region. Jesse Jagz has produced songs for several artists, including Majek Fashek, M.I Abaga, Banky W, Ice Prince, Mode 9[Hyce_age], Proverb and Dekunle Fuji. In February 2009, he represented Nigeria at the Sauti Za Busara Music Festival.
2010–2013: Jag of All Tradez, Chocolate City exit and Jagz Nation, Vol.1. Thy Nation Come Jesse Jagz released his debut studio album Jag of All Tradez on 21 April 2010. It included the singles "Wetin Dey", "Pump It Up", "Jesse Swag", "Sugar Cane Baby" and "Bend Down Low". The album was produced entirely by Jesse Jagz and went platinum in Nigeria two months after its release. Described as a commercially driven pop project, the album was experimental in nature. In an interview with Adeoye Arubayi, Jagz said the album was a learning process and a way for him to explore the different music markets in Nigeria. Jag of All Tradez received generally mixed reviews from music critics. Keeps Magazine commended the album's production and Jesse Jagz's delivery, but ended the review saying that the record should have been shortened to ten songs. Oye Akd of 360nobs granted the album an overall verdict of 7.5 stars out of 10, commending it for being a diverse body of work that contained a "mixture of beats and rhymes that exemplify where Nigerian hip-hop should be today". Adeyinka Yusuff of BellaNaija awarded the album a 5/10 rating, praising its overall production while simultaneously criticizing its experimental nature.
In March 2013, Jesse Jagz announced his voluntary exit from Chocolate City and the launch of his own independent outfit Jagz Nation. Several media outlets such as Nigerian Entertainment Today and Pulse Nigeria reported that Chocolate City accused Jesse Jagz of owing them money and being a marijuana addict. However, the label debunked the reports through their PR firm, World PR Media. In an interview with Kolapo Olapoju, Jesse Jagz said he left Chocolate City because he got tired performing songs from his Jag of All Tradez album for three consecutive years. Moreover, he told Vanguard newspaper the label's management had showed little interest in promoting a track he recorded.