iLKA - ProfilesArchive

About Me

I was born and raised in Germany, moved to London about 16 years ago and have been working in the music industry for over 10 years now. My experience includes label/product/artist management, marketing, PR, international, artwork co-ordination & production.I have worked with various genres of music and now specialise in contemporary music from Africa and the Diaspora, as well as World music, Hip-Hop/Rap, R'n'B and Reggae music. I am very involved in the Nigerian music scene in particular, and I am working with African China and JJC & 419 Squad, and have also recently worked with Janet Gabriel, X2 and Inemo. I am passionate about good music, regardless of its origin, style etc. I work freelance and run my own PR & marketing consultancy (check out www.ilkamedia.com for full details). Apart from being a publicist, I am an artist manager (JJC & 419 Squad and African China), a writer & researcher, content editor of the BBC African music site Africa On Your Street (www.bbc.co.uk/africabeyond/africaonyourstreet) and a DJ. Current projects include: - the new Transglobal Underground album ('Moonshout', out 4 June) - an album by Zimbabwe's legendary Green Arrows ('4-track recording session', out now) - the crtitically-acclaimed debut album by Mali's Bassekou Kouyate ('Segu Blue', out now) - the Celebrating Sanctuary event (17 June) You should create your own MySpace Layouts like me by using nUCLEArcENTURy .COM's MySpace Profile Editor !

My Interests

MUSIC, concerts, travelling, markets, plants, photography, restaurants, cafes, current affairs, films

I'd like to meet:

Other people in the music industry, preferably in the African music industry (but also Reggae, hip-hop, World music etc.), from artists to DJs, journalists to promoters etc.Get Your Own! | View Slideshow

Music:

African music: Hip-hop, reggae, Soukous, Mbalax, Afrobeat, Kwaito, hip-life, Naija Pop, Coupe Decale, Juju, Bongo Flava, Rai || Caribbean music: Soca, Dancehall, Roots Reggae, Dub, Reggaeton, Zouk || Plus other global beats incl Indian, Arabic, Brazilian, Colombian, Turkish etc || Plus hip-hop, R'n'B, NeoSoul, Northern Soul, Folk, Alt.Country, Pop, Rock - anything that's good!

Movies:

The Lives of Others, Tsotsi, City Of God, The Straight Story, What's Up Doc, Hip-Hop Colony, Dirty Pretty Things, Boys Don't Cry, Almost Famous

Television:

Documentaries, comedy, C4 news, Sugar Rush

Books:

The Autobiography of Malcolm X, comic books by Matt Groening, books by Michael Moore & Bill Bryson, Rough Guide & Lonely Planet travel guides, Makes Me Wanna Holler (Nathan McCall)

Heroes:

My dad Check out this video of an Awilo Longomba rehearsal - it's brilliant!

My Blog

Bassekou Kouyate live in London and Norwich

BASSEKOU KOUYATE & NGONI BA TO RETURN TO THE UK IN NOVEMBER4 November 2007 - LONDON Cargo 22 November 2007 - NORWICH Arts Centre (Full info further below) Mali's ngoni master Bassekou Kouyate will be ...
Posted by iLKA on Tue, 09 Oct 2007 11:16:00 PST

AFRICA MINE: Music and Movement - A season of documentary films

A season of documentary films:AFRICA MINE: Music and Movement 23rd September - 7th October 2007Arcola Theatre, 27 Arcola Street, Dalston, London E8 2DJ Africa Mine six documentary feature films, ba...
Posted by iLKA on Wed, 05 Sep 2007 09:19:00 PST

Zimbabwe's legendary Green Arrows release compilation

THE GREEN ARROWS - '4-Track Recording Session'(Analog Africa/ AACD 061)Out now"A treasure." BBC Music Online"Contagiously danceable CD" The Independent on Sunday"Terrific low-fidelity recordings ... ...
Posted by iLKA on Wed, 02 May 2007 01:24:00 PST

MAGIC SYSTEM @ The Coronet, London, Easter Sunday, 8 April

IVORY COAST STARS MAGIC SYSTEM OF 'PREMIER GAOU' FAME TO VISIT UK FOR FIRST EVER FULL LIVE SHOW AT LONDON'S CORONET THIS EASTER SUNDAY====================================================== =8 April at ...
Posted by iLKA on Tue, 13 Mar 2007 10:07:00 PST

Out 26 March: Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba: Segu Blue

Out 26 March 2007Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba: 'Segu Blue'(Out Here Records/ OH 007)Bassekou Kouyate from Mali is one of the true masters of the ngoni, an ancient traditional lute found throughout West...
Posted by iLKA on Mon, 12 Mar 2007 05:50:00 PST

AFRICAN REBEL MUSIC - Roots Reggae and Dancehall (media reactions)

Out now:AFRICAN REBEL MUSIC - Roots Reggae and Dancehall(Out Here Records/ OH 004)18 tracks of contemporary African Reggae music from Uganda, Ethiopia, Gambia, Senegal, Kenya, Mauritania, Ivory Coast,...
Posted by iLKA on Mon, 12 Mar 2007 05:45:00 PST

URBAN AFRICA CLUB (media reactions)

Out now:URBAN AFRICA CLUB - Hip-Hop, Dancehall, Kwaito(Out Here Records/ OH 006)'Urban Africa Club' is a CD compilation of hip-hop, dancehall and kwaito from Africa featuring tracks by K'naan (Somali...
Posted by iLKA on Mon, 12 Mar 2007 05:42:00 PST

LAGOS STORI PLENTI - Urban Sounds From Nigeria (media reactions)

Out now:LAGOS STORI PLENTI - Urban Sounds From Nigeria(Out Here Records/ OH 005)'Lagos Stori Plenti Urban Sounds from Nigeria' is the first internationally released compilation that presents the new...
Posted by iLKA on Mon, 12 Mar 2007 05:39:00 PST

Afrolution Records to bring African Hip-Hop to London

Afrolution Records to bring African Hip-Hop to London:THE AFROLUTION AFRICAN HIP-HOP FESTIVALCargo, 8 October 2006 October 8th marks a coming of age for African Hip-Hop when Afrolution Records, the Lo...
Posted by iLKA on Wed, 27 Sep 2006 08:50:00 PST

Nigerian Independence event, London, 6 October

THE OFFICIAL NIGERIAN INDEPENDENCE DANCE SHOWCASE& THE GRAND FINAL OF MR NIGERIA UK 2006Friday, 6 October 2006, The Coronet, LondonNigeria will be celebrating her 46th year of independence on 1 Octobe...
Posted by iLKA on Tue, 26 Sep 2006 11:21:00 PST