By name teekay
AN INTERACTIVE MAP
Making smart deals requires knowing the right people. Here are the companies, executives and entrepreneurs driving the continent’s burgeoning business
GATEKEEPERS
By Tatiana Cirisano
Music Business
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EDITOR’S NOTE Billboard will periodically update this map. If you would like your company, firm or organization included or would like to update information that already appears here, please send a description of the business, the names of its principal executives, and email and phone contacts to africanow@billboard.com. We will only add companies that we can verify.
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Africori Johannesburg Yoel Kenan, founder/CEO Led by Kenan, a former international marketing executive for Universal Music Group and Sony BMG, Africori offers label services including digital distribution, marketing, analytics and promotion for a roster of over 600 artists and 170 companies including Afropop act Sauti Sol’s Sol Generation label. Africori just opened satellite offices in London and Lagos, says Kenan, and the company is expanding into bookings, public relations and radio promotion, with the goal of becoming the “artist development hub for African musicians,” he says. A partnership with Warner Music Group that was announced in April calls for the major’s Alternative Distribution Alliance division to distribute and promote Africori’s acts internationally. • info@africori.com
Sheer Publishing Johannesburg David Alexander, founder/managing director Since its founding in 1996, Sheer has grown into one of the largest independent music publishers in the region. Clients include South African rapper Cassper Nyovest, Kenyan Afropop band Sauti Sol, Cameroonian artist-executive Salatiel and Ghanaian singer Stonebwoy. The company, which Downtown Music Holdings acquired in May, has secured music placement for its clients in movies like Searching for Sugar Man and TV shows such as Private Practice. Sheer also has subpublishing agreements with Warner Chappell, Kobalt Music Publishing and Concord Music. • info@sheer.co.za • Phone: +27 11 438 7000
Apple Music Johannesburg Karl Anderson, head of music - Africa Apple Music has been operating on the continent since its 2015 launch in South Africa. In 2019, Apple Music introduced its Africa Now all-genre playlist, selecting Nigerian singer Burna Boy as an Up Next artist and highlighting such emerging African acts as Nigerian rapper-singer Rema and South African R&B artist Elaine with its New Artist Spotlight campaign. In April, the platform launched a global expansion push that has increased its presence on the continent from 13 to 38 countries.
Africa Creative Agency Johannesburg Colin Gayle, founder/CEO; Yvette Gayle, founder/COO/executive vp communications Over its four-year history, the Pan-African talent, digital marketing and branding agency founded by this husband-and-wife team of former U.S. label executives has linked up Ne-Yo with the Coke Studio Africa TV series for a collaboration, and A$AP Ferg with the African fashion brand Uniform for a clothing collection. More recently, ACA was involved in Netflix’s first-ever African original series, Queen Sono, which debuted in February and has been renewed for a second season. ACA client/actress/TV personality Pearl Thusi stars in the series, and Colin Gayle serves as its music supervisor. The show’s soundtrack has included music by the Kenyan Afropop band Sauti Sol, which also works with ACA, along with South African artists such as rapper Nasty C and singer-songwriter Amanda Black and Tanzanian stars Diamond Platnumz, Vanessa MDee and Rayvanny. • info@africacreativeagency.com • Phone: +27 10 596 1844
Warner Music South Africa Johannesburg Tracy Fraser, managing director Since its launch in 2013, Warner Music South Africa has developed local artists both in Africa and internationally, including Durban DJ-producer Sketchy Bongo, Lagos artist Superstar Ace, South African singer-songwriter Zahara and Bigstar Johnson, a winner of the South African hip-hop reality competition The Vuzu Hustle. In 2019, Warner Music Group also partnered with pioneering Nigerian independent label Chocolate City. • contactZA@warnermusic.com • Phone: +27 10 593 4260
Sony Music Entertainment South Africa Johannesburg Sean Watson, managing director SME has a combined roster of 80-plus African artists, including Davido, Wizkid and Sho Madjozi. In addition to Johannesburg, the label group maintains offices in Lagos, Nigeria and Ivory Coast. The lattermost outpost reports to Sony Music France. • Phone: +27 11 274 5000
Universal Music Group South Africa Johannesburg Sipho Dlamini, managing director, sub-Saharan Africa & South Africa The label group’s South Africa division has signed local acts Cassper Nyovest, Dr. Tumi, Mafikizolo, Prince Kaybee, Nasty C and Black Coffee, as well as artists from other countries, such as Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz. It launched two live-music companies in Johannesburg: booking agency UMG Live and ULive Africa, which have programmed and produced events like Afrochella. UMG also has offices in Nigeria, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Senegal and Morocco. • Phone: +27 11 722 0500
ACCES Conference Music in Africa Foundation Johannesburg Eddie Hatitye, director The music education nonprofit Music in Africa Foundation brings its ACCES Conference to a different city on the continent each year, gathering label executives, promoters, musicians and other industry leaders for three days of panels and discussions in the last week of November. The 2019 edition in Ghana drew over 2,000 attendees from more than 50 countries, with a speaker lineup that included executives from Nigeria’s Chocolate City Group and Universal Music Nigeria, as well as artists from Efya to Ebo Taylor. • Phone: +27 010 140 1317
The Music Imbizo Durban Sphe Mbhele, founder The international music business conference, held annually in Durban at the end of August since 2009, has featured late Ladysmith Black Mambazo founder Dr. Joseph Shabalala and Sire Records co-founder Seymour Stein. The event serves a dual purpose: 400 music industry “delegates” purchase tickets and participate in business panels, while roughly 2,000 music fans attend free workshops, exhibitions and other attractions. Due to the pandemic, this year’s conference, “African Unity - The Real Currency,” will be held online Aug. 26-29. • hello@themusicimbizo.co.za • Phone: +27 31 003 2938; or Mbhele at +27 72 058 667
South African Music Performance Rights Association Johannesburg Pfanani Lishivha, CEO The collective management organization administers neighboring rights for its membership of over 5,500 record companies and 17,000 recording artists. It distributed $12 million in royalties to its members in 2019, a 66% increase over 2018. In 2019, SAMPRA launched its first mobile app, which allows members to register new recordings and receive real-time support from SAMPRA’s customer service team. • info@sampra.org.za • Phone: +27 11 561 9660
Southern African Music Rights Organisation Johannesburg Mark Rosin, CEO Established in 1961, the performing rights collecting society represents over 17,000 composer and publisher members in South Africa, along with more than 4 million composers and authors worldwide. In 2019, the organization says, it collected $33 million in royalties and distributed $21 million. It also supports music education through its SAMRO Foundation, which administers scholarships to music schools across South Africa. • Phone: +27 11 712 8000
Composers, Authors and Publishers Association Johannesburg Jotam Matariro, CEO CAPASSO was founded as the mechanical royalties collecting society for South Africa, but it now also serves as a licensing hub for African content, working with collective management organizations across Africa to license performing and mechanical rights to digital streaming services. Streaming royalties now make up over 60% of all distributed funds, according to COO Wiseman Ngubo. “It’s the most vibrant and exciting time for the continent,” he says. • info@capasso.co.za • Phone: +27 11 447 8870
Sosela Legal & Advisory Johannesburg Nothando Migogo, co-founder/director After serving as CEO of both the Composers, Authors and Publishers Association and South African Music Rights Organisation, Migogo says she is dedicated to becoming “the consummate strategist in copyright licensing.” Her consulting firm offers legal and licensing strategy advice for both local and international copyright owners. Clients include Black Panther soundtrack breakout artist and South African rapper-singer Sjava and trade group Publishers Association of South Africa. Migogo says her firm has built a network of “local associates” who are well-versed in the finer details of doing business in their respective countries. “If you [do business] a certain way in South Africa, and you think you’re going to waltz into Tanzania and do exactly the way you do, you could be very disappointed,” she says. • info@sosela.africa, or Migogo at nothando@sosela.africa • Phone: +27 76 900 0354
Recording Industry of South Africa Johannesburg Nhlanhla Sibisi, CEO Established in the 1970s, RISA is the nonprofit trade association that represents the recorded-music industry in South Africa. The organization consists of 3,000 members — including all three major labels — and is responsible for producing the annual South Africa Music Awards as well as for awarding gold, platinum and multiplatinum sales and streaming certifications for songs and albums. • Phone: +27 11 886 1342
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MusicTime Johannesburg, Cape Town and Lagos, Nigeria Oye Akideinde, CEO/head of music Launched in South Africa in 2018, MusicTime is a revamped version of simfy Africa, the continent's first music streaming service, which went online in 2012. The service has quickly expanded to Nigeria, Ghana, Zambia, Eswatini, Cameroon and Congo, and plans to launch in more cities soon. With offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Lagos, the service pushes local and African talents through its custom playlists and telco partnerships, while offering a full catalog of international content. • music@simfy.africa
NIGERIA
Measurable Accurate Digital Solutions (MAD Solutions) Lagos Bugwu Okeke, founder/CEO One of Africa’s leading digital content aggregators, MAD provides real-time analytics on song performance in addition to digital distribution, digital marketing strategy and other services. Its list of clients and partners includes Apple Music, Spotify, Deezer, Boomplay and Shazam. • info@madsolutions.com • Phone: +234 809 111 1247
Boomplay Lagos Joe He, CEO Launched in 2015 and based in Lagos, Africa’s biggest streaming platform is controlled by China-based phone maker Transsion and Chinese internet provider NetEase. Boomplay CEO Joe He says that 86% of its 75 million global users are in sub-Saharan Africa. Major markets include Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda, Rwanda, Cameroon, Senegal and Ivory Coast. Thanks in part to licensing deals with all three U.S. major-label groups, it offers a catalog of 20 million-plus songs and videos, and a 2019 funding round that raised $20 million is fueling expansion. • biz.boomplay@transsnet.com or phil.choi@transsnet.com
Universal Music Group Nigeria Lagos UMG is expected to appoint a new leader for its Nigeria office and recording studio. That executive will report to the label group’s managing director for sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa, Sipho Dlamini, and oversee a roster that includes Nigerian singer-songwriters Yemi Alade, who was signed through the label group’s French-speaking Africa team; Tiwa Savage; Tekno; and WurlD, as well as local singer-songwriter-producer Larry Gaaga, rapper Alpha P and Ugandan singer-songwriter-guitarist Irene Ntale.
Mavin Records Lagos Michael “Don Jazzy” Collins Ajereh, founder/president Tega Oghenejopbo, COO Founded by singer-songwriter-producer Don Jazzy in 2012, Mavin Records has helped launch the careers of Nigerian artists Wande Coal, Dr. SID and longtime act Tiwa Savage, who departed the label after signing an exclusive international deal with Universal Music Group in 2019. Today, the label’s genre-spanning roster includes Nigerian crooner Rema, whose song “Iron Man” landed on Barack Obama’s summer playlist in 2019, and folk singer Johnny Drille. A multimillion-dollar equity investment partnership with Kupanda Holdings last year is fueling Mavin’s current expansion into content production, publishing and marketing and a planned U.K. outpost. • info@mavinrecords.com
Aristokrat Group Lagos Piriye Isokrari, founder/CEO Initially known as the label that discovered and developed Nigerian superstar Burna Boy, Aristokrat has grown to include divisions dedicated to live events, film and TV production and music publishing. In May, the music company signed a strategic partnership with Universal Music Group and Universal Music Publishing Group. The agreement includes a label deal, with Burna Boy’s African Giant producer Kel P, Nigerian singer-songwriter Jujuboy Star and Cameroonian artist Tneeya among its first signings. • info@aristokratgroup.com
TOURING/LIVE
YBNL Nation Lagos Olamide Adedeji, founder Founded by Nigerian hip-hop star Adedeji in 2012, the roster for this indie label includes Nigerian Afrobeats star Fireboy DML, who was the featured artist on Apple Music’s Africa Now playlist in March thanks to “Vibration,” the single off his 2019 debut album, Laughter, Tears & Goosebumps. In February, the label started its joint venture with the U.S. label, distribution service and music publishing company EMPIRE.
Davido Music Worldwide Lagos Davido, founder The label founded by superstar American-Nigerian singer-songwriter-producer Davido in 2016 is also home to Nigerian singer Mayorkun and rapper Dremo. DMW was led by president Oluwaseun “Sir Banko” Lloyd until he was named Sony Music West Africa GM in June 2019.
Chocolate City Group Lagos and Abuja Audu Maikori and Paul Okeugo, founders Maikori and Okeugo’s trailblazing label, licensing company, event-planning agency and management firm has signed acts like Femi Kuti (son of the late Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti), Ckay and Dice Ailes. In March 2019, Warner Music Group announced that Chocolate City would receive distribution and artist-services support from its indie label services group, Alternative Distribution Alliance, as part of a partnership deal. In addition to offices in Lagos and Abuja, Chocolate City has boots on the ground in Kenya. • info@chocolatecitymusic.com
Bankulli Entertainment London and Lagos Bankulli Osha, founder Osha, an architect of the Afrobeats genre who helped build Nigeria’s groundbreaking (but now defunct) Mo’Hits Records as an A&R executive and manager, has since earned a reputation as the “great connector” between African and U.S. artists: He introduced D’banj (whom he formerly managed) to Kanye West, which led to the Nigerian singer-rapper’s 2011 signing to G.O.O.D. Music. And last year, Osha co-wrote and composed two tracks for Beyoncé's Grammy Award-nominated Lion King: The Gift album. Now, he’s on to new projects: managing DolapoTheVibe, a Nigerian singer-songwriter he discovered on Instagram; running his Onebankulli merchandise company; and producing the documentary Chronicles of Afrobeats featuring interviews with pioneers of the genre from Rotimi to Don Jazzy and Jidenna. Says Osha: “I believe in connecting cultures and shining a light on other people.”
VA-PR and VA Management London and Lagos Vannessa Amadi-Ogbonna, founder Amadi-Ogbonna’s management firm has guided the careers of Nigerian singer-rapper-producer D’banj — whose 2012 hit “Oliver Twist” was one of the first Afrobeats songs to reach mainstream success in the United Kingdom — Tiwa Savage and her newest publicity signee, Fireboy DML. The public relations arm of her firm handles press for Davido. Amadi-Obgonna also opened a live-events division last year, when VA-PR produced sold-out shows for Davido and Savage at London’s O2 Arena. The company has offices in London and Lagos, with an outpost opening soon in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja. • info@va-pr.co.uk
Temple Management Lagos Idris Olorunnimbe, founder/CEO The 4-year-old talent agency represents clients in the art, sports, entertainment and media spheres. Its music roster includes Nigerian singer 9ice, actress-singer Bisola Aiyeola, DJ-producer Blinky Bill and Nigerian-American musician Chris Akinyemi. • info@thetemplecompany.com • Phone: +234 1 277 5550
Twenty20 Media Lagos Kamal Ajiboye and Asmaa Idrisu, co-founders The roster for this management company, which was founded in 2011, includes Nigerian singers Reekado Banks and Seyi Shay, who collaborated with Teyana Taylor on a remix of the latter artist’s song “Gimme Love” in September; DJ Neptune; and radio personality and YouTube Toke Moments vlogger Toke Makinwa. • team@twenty20media.org • Phone: +234 706 664 2805
The Plug Lagos Abiodun “Bizzle” Osikoya and Asa Asika, founders Osikoya, the former head of A&R at Mavin Records, and Asika, who is Davido’s manager, say they want to make their management company “the Roc Nation of Nigeria.” The roster includes Afropop heavyweights Davido, Mayorkun and Peruzzi. Founded in 2016, The Plug has since expanded into music publishing, distribution and sports management. The Plug is also known for its monthly Mainland Block Party series in the mainland district of Lagos, where Major Lazer and Joeboy performed in December, with sub-events in the island district of Lagos and Abuja. • info@plugng.com
Nativeland Lagos Teni “Teezee” Zaccheaus, co-founder; Seni Saraki, editor-in-chief, The Native In 2016, African youth culture publication The Native held the first edition of its music festival, Nativeland, where 1,000 attendees showed up for performances from Jhus and Skepta, among other acts. That number grew to 6,000 at its December 2019 edition at Muri Okunola Park, which also included a day of panels with music industry insiders. While the concert portion was briefly derailed when overcrowding led to the collapse of the festival’s VIP riser, it continued on with performances from both superstars (Dave, Octavian) and newcomers (Rema, Naira Marley). • @thenativemag.com • Phone: +234 809 791 7642
Flytime Promotions Lagos Cecil Hammond, CEO Flytime Promotions produces a range of West Africa’s biggest festivals and events, including the long-running annual Rhythm Unplugged concert and multiday Flytime Festival, which in December 2019 included performances from Boyz II Men, Megan Thee Stallion, Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage, Koffee and Mase. Now in its 16th year, Flytime has produced and organized over 50 sold-out concerts and events, including shows for D’banj, Wizkid and Olamide. • cecil@flytimemusicfestival.com
Eclipse Live Lagos Chin Okeke, co-founder/managing director Okeke launched this live-events promotion and production company in 2013 to bring affordable entertainment to young people in Africa. Eclipse Live is best known for its Gidi Culture Festival (often called “Africa’s Coachella”), which anchors Lagos Music Week every April. This year’s edition, which has been moved to October due to the pandemic, will be headlined by Rema, Flavour and Naira Marley. Eclipse also produces the music festivals Nativeland in Lagos and Palmwine in the United Kingdom. • hello@eclipseliveafrica.com
Afro Nation London Adesegun “SMADE” Adeosun Jr. and Obi Asika, co-founders London-based, Lagos-born entrepreneurs SMADE and Asika founded Afro Nation in 2019 with the goal of helping Nigeria’s biggest stars find new fans outside the continent. The traveling festival held its first two events that year in Portugal and Ghana, featuring Wizkid, Davido, D’banj, Olamide and Burna Boy. A Puerto Rico edition planned for March 2020 was canceled due to the pandemic. A version planned for Mexico is still scheduled to take place in September. • hello@afronation.com
emPAWA Africa Mr Eazi, founder Banku music pioneer Mr Eazi created this talent incubator in 2018 to award funding and promotion for music videos by emerging artists based in or originally from Africa. The program has enlisted artists like Diplo and Afrobeats producers such as E. Kelly, Juls and Guiltybeatz as program mentors, helping break artists including Joeboy. Last year, the program entered a partnership with YouTube for additional workshops and A&R coaching.
Metallic Inc. London Grace Ladoja, founder The Nigeria-born, London-based Ladoja is the mastermind behind this management company — which represents Skepta, Sarz and Octavian — and branding firm, which has provided creative direction for Nike, Fenty Beauty and Amazon Music. The company also produces Homecoming, the annual Easter weekend music festival and conference that Ladoja founded in 2018 as a “cultural exchange” between Nigeria and the world. “[Africa is] not all about Live Aid and poverty,” says Ladoja. “[This is] about being part of the new narrative.” • info@metallicinc.com
NaijaReview Lagos Ndika Michael, founder This artist management and A&R firm currently manages Nigerian singer and songwriter Niniola, who received a Grammy nomination for her role as a composer on Beyoncé’s 2019 Lion King: The Gift album, and also owns the music news site NaijaReview.com. In the past, the company has managed and handled A&R for acts like eLDee, Waje, Sojay, Sarz and E-Kelly, in addition to consulting on release strategy for Wande Coal and G-Worldwide, the former label home of Kiss Daniel. “We are known for spotting raw talents, and polishing them into the stars they should become,” Michael says. • naijareview@yahoo.com
NABSolute Media Lagos Victor Okpala, founder/CEO Short for “Not A Basic Solution,” this communications and public relations agency has used a data-driven approach to fuel the rise of Nigerian stars like Runtown, Reekado Banks and Ycee, plus emerging acts including Idahams and Elhi. Since launching in June 2019, the agency has also helmed media relations and management for the 2019 Livespot X Festival, headlined by Cardi B; produced video content to promote the 2019 Gidi Culture Festival; and in early 2020, fostered a music licensing deal to incorporate songs from 11 Nigerian artists across Red Bull events. • nabsolutehq@gmail.com
Livespot360 Lagos Deola Art Alade, CEO/managing director Dare Art Alade, chief creative director The digital, experiential and advertising agency has established a number of live-music festivals, including Love Like a Movie 1, 2 and 3, which featured headliners Kim Kardashian, Kelly Rowland and Ciara, respectively; Livespot X, which brought Cardi B to Lagos and Accra in 2019; and Born in Africa (BAFEST), where Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage and Naira Marley have headlined.
KENYA
Universal Music Group Kenya Nairobi John Andrews, GM In 2018, Universal Music Group acquired 70% of Kenya’s AI Records and began digitally distributing one of the largest catalogs of East African music in the world. AI Records director Andrews now runs Universal Music Group sub-Saharan Africa’s office in Nairobi. In addition to the AI catalog, the roster includes Kenyan acts such as Afropop band Sauti Sol and gengetone group Ethic Entertainment.
KAKA Empire Nairobi Kevin Ombima (aka King Kaka), founder/CEO Kenyan hip-hop star King Kaka heads up his own Nairobi-based label and artist management company, which represents seven local talents. Among them are rapper FemiOne, whose March hit “Utawezana” was fueled by a TikTok dance challenge, and Afrofusion trio JaDi.
AfricaCentric Entertainment Nairobi Marek Fuchs, founder/managing director Fuchs managed Kenyan Afropop band Sauti Sol from 2012 until 2019 when he helped the group launch its label, Sol Generation Records, and brokered its signing with Africa Creative Agency and Universal Music Group South Africa because, he says, “it was the right timing for the guys to go worldwide.” His latest venture, the consulting firm and talent agency AfricaCentric, spans music, sports, film and TV. The roster of talent he represents includes Kenyan artists such as rapper Muthoni Drummer Queen and DJ-musician-producer Blinky Bill. The agency also produces events like Tusker Oktoberfest — Kenya’s biggest festival, with 16,000 attendees annually — and the Safari Rally auto race, which has been postponed until 2021 due to the pandemic. • info@africacentric.com • Phone: +254 713 555 230
Addiktiv Limited Nairobi Tunde Daniel and Emily Bisase, co-founders This 360 entertainment services firm — which encompasses live-event promotion, public relations, marketing and more — has handled East African PR for artists like Sho Madjozi, Fireboy DML and Skales; booked acts like Femi Kuti and Diamond Platnumz for Kenya’s bimonthly Koroga Festival; and, in 2018, orchestrated Davido’s 30 Billion World Tour date in Nairobi. • addiktivlimited@gmail.com • Phone: +254 715 136 396 (Daniel), • +254 723 803 102 (Bisase)
Lynx Entertainment Accra Richie Mensah, CEO Established in 2007, this label is home to emerging Afrobeats artists KiDi, whose breakthrough 2017 hit, “Odo,” was remixed by Nigerian stars Mayorkun and Davido; and Kuami Eugene, who got his start as a contestant on Ghanaian talent show MTN Hitmaker in 2016.
Afrochella Accra Abdul Karim Abdullah, co-founder/CEO Kenny Agyapong, co-founder/COO Abdullah and Agyapong launched Afrochella in 2017 out of frustration over how few African artists played major festivals elsewhere. The inaugural one-day event drew 4,700 attendees for a lineup that included Ebony Reigns and Kwesi Arthur. The December 2019 edition at El Wak Stadium in Accra, Ghana, drew over 16,000 for a bill headlined by Tiwa Savage, Sarkodie, Samini and Wande Coal. Amid the pandemic, its founders are working with the Ministry of Tourism to create a plan of action for this year’s event, which they hope to expand to two days, with pop-up experiences in Kenya, South Africa and Senegal. Says Abdullah: “Our goal is to ensure the stories of African creatives in music, food, fashion and art across the continent are properly celebrated.” • info@afrochella.com
TanzAnia
Wasafi Classic Baby Dar Es Salaam Diamond Platnumz, founder WCB is Platnumz’s full-service management, recording, publishing and entertainment company. It represents some of Tanzania’s top acts, such as Harmonize and Rayvanny; radio station WASAFI FM; and YouTube channel Wasafi Media, which programs artist interviews and music videos for 1.3 million-plus subscribers.
KAKA Empire Nairobi Kevin Ombima (aka. King Kaka), founder/CEO Kenyan hip-hop star King Kaka heads up his own Nairobi-based label and artist management company, which represents seven local talents. Among them are rapper FemiOne, whose March hit “Utawezana” was fueled by a TikTok dance challenge, and Afrofusion trio JaDi.
AfricaCentric Entertainment Nairobi Marek Fuchs, founder/managing director Fuchs managed Kenyan Afropop band Sauti Sol from 2012 until 2019 when he helped the group launch their label, Sol Generation Records and brokered their signing with Africa Creative Agency and Universal Music Group South Africa because, he says, “It was the right timing for the guys to go worldwide" His latest venture, the consulting firm and talent agency AfricaCentric, spans music, sports, film and TV. The roster of talent he represents includes Kenyan artists, rapper Muthoni Drummer Queen and DJ, musician and producer Blinky Bill. The agency also produces events like Tusker Oktoberfest — Kenya’s biggest festival, with 16,000 attendees annually — and the Safari Rally auto race, which has been postponed until 2021 due to the pandemic. • info@africacentric.com • Phone: +254 713 555 230
Ivory Coast
Universal Music Group Ivory Coast Abidjan Franck Kacou, managing director, Universal Music Africa UMG’s outpost in French-speaking Africa reports to Universal Music France president/CEO Olivier Nusse. Its roster includes Ivorian hip-hop group Kiff No Beat, Cameroonian R&B/Afrobeats singer Locko, Togolese band Toofan and the late coupé-décalé artist DJ Arafat.
