Banky W, Wizkid, Skales Kick Off EME US Tour (Photos)

 

Weeks after releasing the first ever EME all star album, Empire Mates State of Mind . Wizkid, Banky W, Skales and other EME acts have kicked off the label’s debut US tour.

The long anticipated multi city tour began on American Independence day, Wednesday, July 4 and will end on Sunday September 2, 2012. 

According to EME, the tour will cover nine states in North America including New York, Chicago, Texas, and Atlanta.

Banky W, Wizkid, Skales, Rotimi, XO and other EME stars will also touchdown in the Canadian city of Toronto. 

On Wednesday July 4, Banky W, Skales, Rotimi and Wizkid kicked off the North-American tour with an amazing performance in Houston. Three days later with the exception of Banky W, the EME boys also hit Dallas. On Thursday July, 20 Wizkid and Skales will perform in Toronto. The tour heads back to America with Banky W, Wizkid, Skales and Rotimi performing in New York City.

EME associate and rapper XO Senavoe joins the train on Saturday August 18 in Atlanta. The EME crew performs in Washington DC, Chicago and New York which wraps up the tour. The North-American involves two of the Empire Mates Entertainment associates; Rotimi and XO Senavoe.

XO Senavoe is a half-Nigerian, half-Ghanaian rapper who has been making a name for himself thanks to his unique and rapid wordplay. The upcoming rapper has gotten huge co-signs from established acts such as Banky W and M.I. Last year he featured in the historic Nigerian BET Awards Cypher which included Mode 9, Sauce Kid, M.I, Ice Prince and Naeto C. This year he was one of the promising acts that featured on M.I Abaga’s Illegal Music 2 mixtape.

Rotimi is an American singer with Nigerian heritage. He was born in the city of New Jersey 22 years ago. His love for music started when his father started exposing him to the music of the late great Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and Reggae icon Bob Marley. At the age of 15 Rotimi wowed the Apollo Theatre crowd and won the first place position on Amateur Night. Later on he joined a group called NBH made up of two of Jay-Z’s cousins. He is presently recognized as one of the brightest up-coming multi talented artistes in the American entertainment industry.

The label is also working on a pan-Nigeria tour, with details to be announced this summer.

  

 

 

 

 

 

  

Full EME Tour Schedule

July 4 - Houston (Banky W/Wizkid/Skales/Rotimi) Presented by EME, Jr 'The Mayor' Martins, Fela of It's On Fashion

July 7 - Dallas (Wizkid/Skales/Rotimi) presented by Big A Ent and Townkrier

July 20 – Toronto, Canada (Wizkid/Skales) presented by Microbell Ent

July 21 – Vancouver, Canada – presented by Microbell Entertainment

July 28 - NYC (Banky W/Wizkid/Skales/Rotimi) presented EME and Audacyti Ent

July 29 – Providence, Rhode Island – A charity event presented by HP Family Entertainment

Aug 10 - Mpls (Wizkid/Skales/Rotimi) presented by AQ2 Ent

Aug 11 - Calgary (Wizkid/Skales) presented by Microbell Ent

Aug 18 - ATL (Banky W/Wizkid/Skales/Rotimi/XO) presented by EME, Konvict, Mr De Ja Vu & Takeover DJs

Aug 25 - DC (Banky W/Wizkid/Skales/Rotimi/XO) presented by EME

Sept 1 - Chicago (Banky W/Wizkid/Skales/Rotimi/XO) presented by EME and Afrobeat Productions

Sept 2 .NYC/NEA  (Banky W/Wizkid/Skales/Rotimi/XO)

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Hennessy Artistry

 

 

The idea for Hennessy Artistry is to blend music styles and acts, experimenting to create sounds that exhibit a unique blend of music; just the same way Hennessy encourages people to mix and blend the popular cognac.

Last year, they took Banky W, Tiwa Savage and eLDee round the country and even to Paris. This year's Artistry will kick off any moment from now. In fact they’re already selecting musicians and other things. Wonder who will replace Banky, Tiwa and eLDee...

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HENNESSY ARTISTRY 2012- We Know The Deal

I have an exclusive scoop on Hennessy Artistry. Someone just sent me this text, saying they’ve just kicked off plans to start this year’s project. And as you read this, Hennessy is discussing with artistes, producers, directors, lawyers and all. I hear they’re as usual, trying to keep the gist on the low, but trust me; nothing is hidden anymore in this age of Twitter and BBM. Click to see the artists who won’t be returning this year…
First – Tiwa, eLDee and Banky W are not returning this year, from what my sources told me. But they’ve not decided who to use. I’m not saying artistes are lobbying o. But let’s just say discussions are going on.

There’s going to be a major concert this year, as well as all those big Hennessy parties around the country.

Hennessy Artistry has featured Ice Prince, Sir Shina Peters, Nneka, Bez, MI, Kas, Jesse Jags, Banky, Tiwa and eLDee in the past.

Can’t wait to hear who will headline this year. I’ll be the first one to tell you, don’t worry.

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Wizkid, Banky W Announce The Release of First Ever EME album

The first-ever EME all stars album is done and ready to be unleashed. Featuring solo and collaboration appearances by all EME acts and select friends of the house, the album, already titled ‘Empire Mates State of Mind’, is a 22-tracked LP that boasts some of the finest tracks to come out of Nigeria this year.

The label says it took almost one year to put the EME album together, and fans who have had a preview listen admit the materials are ‘a collector’s item’.

The album, to be released exclusively on Spinlet on Monday June 18, features the core EME Artistes: Banky W, Wizkid, Skales, Niyola, Shaydee, DJ Exclusive, as well as prime guest appearances from Affiliates such as Ghana-Based Rapper XO Senavoe and US-Based Singer/Actor Rotimi. The album also contains three fun skits by comedian Basketmouth.

‘We’re very proud of the EME Album. We took our time to put together a fantastic blend of our talents as a collective, while also showcasing what each artiste is able to do individually. It felt like the right time to drop this record; each artiste is bringing his/her A-game, and the production quality is out of this world. There’s something for everybody… songs to dance to, songs to listen to, songs that make you think… We’re very excited about being able to share this with our fans worldwide, and we hope that we’ve been able to live up to and/or surpass their expectations of us. Our work is done. All that remains is for y’all to sit back, relax and press play…” says Banky W who supervised the production of the album.

‘Empire Mates State of Mind’ boasts production from Nigeria’s finest talents including Banky W, Masterkraft, Legendary Beats, Spellz, Sarz, Shizzy and Kid Konnect.

The album is available, for free, from Monday June 18, on Spinlet, Nigeria’s premiere digital distribution platform. -

  

Track Listing

EMPIRE MATES STATE OF MIND (Deluxe Edition)

1) Baddest Boy - E.M.E feat WizKid, Skales & Banky W.

2) Get Down Tonight - E.M.E feat WizKid, Skales & Banky W.

3) Sun Mo Mi - E.M.E feat ShayDee, Skales & Banky W.

4) Hate (Part 1) - E.M.E feat BasketMouth

5) Roll It - E.M.E feat WizKid & Banky W.

6) Find My Trouble - E.M.E feat Banky W., ShayDee & Skales

7) Body - E.M.E feat WizKid

8) Ko Mo Le - E.M.E feat Skales

9) Dance – E.M.E feat Banky W. & X.O Senavoe

10) Don’t Delay Me – E.M.E feat Niyola

11) London Girl – E.M.E feat WizKid

12) Hate (Part II) – E.M.E feat BasketMouth

13) Dance For Me – E.M.E feat WizKid

14) Follow Go House – E.M.E feat Skales, ShayDee & Banky W.

15) My Baby – E.M.E feat Skales

16) Only You – E.M.E feat Banky W., ShayDee & Rotimi

17) Reppin’ EMEazzyyy – E.M.E feat Skales, WizKid & Banky W.

18) Wetin I Want – E.M.E feat Skales & Niyola

19) Change – E.M.E feat Banky W., Skales, WizKid, ShayDee & Niyola

20) See My Mama – E.M.E feat WizKid, Banky W. & ShayDee

21) Hate (Part III)  - E.M.E feat BasketMouth

22) Can’t Stop Us – E.M.E All Stars

Executive Producers: Segun Demuren & Banky Wellington 

A&R/Co-executive Producers: Stanley "Tino Bendel" Ekure & Tunde Demuren

Producers: 

Legendary Beats - Tracks 1, 18, 20; 

MasterKraft - Tracks 16, 22; 

MasterKraft & Banky W - Track 3

Spellz - Tracks 5, 6, 10, 11, 14, 19; 

Sarz - Tracks 2, 8, 13, 15; 

Cobhams - Track 9; 

Shizzy - Track 7; 

KidKonnect - Track 17

All Songs Recorded, Mixed & Mastered @ EME Studios by: Suka "The Surgeon" Andrew aka Papa Ne 

#TeamEME: @BankyW @Wizkidayo @YoungSkales @ShayDeeBoi @IAmNiyola @DJXClusive

Photography: 'Anuel Modebe, Seyi Charles George, Obi Somto

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