Adegoke Odukoya, better known as Ade Bantu (born 14 July 1971 in

Wembley Wembley () is a large suburbIn British English, "suburb" often refers to the secondary urban centres of a city. Wembley is not a suburb in the American sense, i.e. a single-family residential area outside of the city itself. in north-west Londo ...

, London), is a

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

musician A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who wri ...

, producer and

social activist Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived greater good. Forms of activism range fro ...

who is the front man of the 13 piece band

BANTU Bantu may refer to: *Bantu languages, constitute the largest sub-branch of the Niger–Congo languages *Bantu peoples, over 400 peoples of Africa speaking a Bantu language * Bantu knots, a type of African hairstyle *Black Association for National ...

and the creator of the monthly concert series and music Festival Afropolitan Vibes which holds in Lagos, Nigeria. Ade Bantu is also the founder of the Afro-German

musical collective Musical collective is a phrase used to describe a group of musicians in which membership is flexible and creative control is shared.Liisa Ladouceur"Collegjthk ctive Souls" ''This Magazine'', November/December 2004. The concept is distinct from th ...

Brothers Keepers Brothers Keepers is a German-based transnational anti-racism project, bringing together hip hop, reggae and soul musicians, headed primarily by Afro-Germans. Their debut single, "Adriano-Letzte Warnung", was written in response to the murder of ...

. His band BANTU received the

Kora Award The KORA All Africa Music Awards are music awards given annually for musical achievement in sub-Saharan Africa. The awards were founded in 1994 by Benin born businessman, Ernest Adjovi, after a discussion in Namibia with the country's President H ...

(the Pan-African equivalent of the

Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

) for their album Fuji Satisfaction in 2005.

Early life

Ade Bantu was born in

, London. He is

biracial Mixed race people are people of more than one race or ethnicity. A variety of terms have been used both historically and presently for mixed race people in a variety of contexts, including ''multiethnic'', ''polyethnic'', occasionally ''bi-ethn ...

, being the son of a German mother and a Nigerian father. In 1973, he relocated to

Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the List of cities in Africa by population, second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national ca ...

with his parents Barbara Odukoya and Adeleke Odukoya. After the death of his father in 1986, he moved with his mother and 3 siblings to Germany. He is the elder brother of musician Abiodun.

Career

Attracted by Germany's emerging hip hop movement Ade Bantu joined the Hiphop group Exponential Enjoyment with Goldlover D (Sini Demir), Double A (

Mola Adebisi Mola Adebisi (born 15 February 1973 as Ademola Oluwatosin Adebisi) in Uelzen, Lower Saxony, West Germany is a German TV presenter, actor, dubbing actor, singer, dancer and amateur racer. Life Mola Adebis was born in Uelzen to parents from Niger ...

) and General GG (Götz Gottschalk) in 1989. He used the alias and stage name "Duke T". Their single "Think for a Moment/Style Introduction"(Tan Tric 12") is the 3rd German hiphop release (1989). They went on to produce the first multilingual Hiphop album in Germany titled "Chop or Quench" (1993). It featured the pioneer German hiphop crew

Advanced Chemistry Advanced Chemistry is a German hip hop group from Heidelberg, a scenic city in Baden-Württemberg, South Germany. Advanced Chemistry was founded in 1987 by Toni LLinguist Gee-One, DJ Mike MD (Mike Dippon) and MC Torch. Each member of the group ...

. This was followed by a

Free Jazz Free jazz is an experimental approach to jazz improvisation that developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s when musicians attempted to change or break down jazz conventions, such as regular tempos, tones, and chord changes. Musicians during ...

Hiphop album in 1993 with

Peter Kowald Peter Kowald (21 April 1944 – 21 September 2002) was a German free jazz and free improvising double bassist and tubist. Career A member of the Globe Unity Orchestra, and a touring double-bass player, Kowald collaborated with many European ...

Sainkho Namtchylak Sainkho Namtchylak ( tyv, Сайын-Хөө Намчылак, russian: Сайнхо Намчылак, born 1957) is a singer originally from Tuva, an autonomous republic in the Russian Federation just north of Mongolia. She is known for her Tuvan ...

and

Peter Brötzmann Peter Brötzmann (born 6 March 1941) is a German saxophonist and clarinetist. Biography Early life Brötzmann was born in Remscheid, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. He studied painting in Wuppertal and was involved with the Fluxus movement ...

titled "Expo's Jazz & Joy". In 1993 he was approached by Fonk Free aka Moreno (Oliver Freyman) and DJ An-dré (André Schröter) and together they founded the band "Weep Not Child' releasing "From Hoyerswerda to Rostock" (Buback Records, 1993) and "Liberation thru Music & Lyrics" (Groove Attack, 1994). Their music clip "Je Ka Bere" was featured in the European campaign of Media Against Racism. In 1996 Ade was invited by Jan Ü Krauthaeuser to contribute to the

Cologne Carnival The Cologne Carnival (german: Kölner Karneval) is a carnival that takes place every year in Cologne, Germany. Traditionally, the "fifth season" (carnival season) is declared open at 11 minutes past 11 on the 11th of the 11th month November. Th ...

music compilation "Humba 2". This led to the formation of the band

with his brother Abiodun aka Don Abi,

Patrice Patrice is a given name meaning '' noble'' or '' patrician'', related to the names Patrick and Patricia. In English, Patrice is often a feminine first name. In French, it is used as a masculine first name. Popularity In the United States, the pop ...

and Amechi (Amechinna Okerenkwo). He officially changed his stage name to Ade (later to Ade Bantu after BANTU's 2005 album release). BANTU's debut album "Fufu" became an instant success in Nigeria earning them two radio hit singles "Nzobu" & "Fire Inna Dancehall". In 2000 after a wave of racist motivated violent attacks on foreigners which climaxed in the killing of Alberto Adriano, Ade Bantu set up the Afro-German musical collective

. Their song "Adriano (die letzte Warnung)" (Adriano the final warning) was released in 2001. It became an anti racism anthem selling well over 220,000 copies and making it to the Top 5 of the German pop charts. An album titled "Lightkultur" was released as well as a Sisters Keepers single "Liebe und Verstand" (Love & Understanding). In 2003 Ade Bantu, his brother Abiodun and German reggae singer

Gentleman A gentleman (Old French: ''gentilz hom'', gentle + man) is any man of good and courteous conduct. Originally, ''gentleman'' was the lowest rank of the landed gentry of England, ranking below an esquire and above a yeoman; by definition, the ra ...

recorded the single "Rudie (Hold It Down)" together with

UB40 UB40 are an English reggae and pop band, formed in December 1978 in Birmingham, England. The band has had more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. They have been nominated for the ...

. In 2004 he released his group BANTU's much anticipated European debut album "BANTU". The album featured Don Abi,

Sly Dunbar Lowell Fillmore "Sly" Dunbar (born 10 May 1952, Kingston, Jamaica) is a drummer, best known as one half of the prolific Jamaican rhythm section and reggae production duo Sly and Robbie. Biography Dunbar began playing at 15 in a band called ...

Positive Black Soul Positive Black Soul (also known as PBS) is a hip hop group based in Dakar, Senegal, one of the first such collectives in the country. Founded in 1989, the group is composed of Didier Sourou Awadi (alias DJ Awadi) and Amadou Barry (alias Doug E. ...

and

Pee Froiss Pee Froiss is a hip hop group formed in Dakar, Senegal in 1993. It was originally produced by another hip hop group from that city, Positive Black Soul, and since recorded with the duo. The band's music is rapped in Wolof, French, and English ...

from Senegal. In 2005 Ade Bantu once again assembled Brothers Keepers for a second musical venture. Broadened by many Turkish, Italian, Swedish and German artists their album "Am I My Brothers Keeper?" went far beyond the success of its predecessor, directing rousing statements, biographical insights and critical irony at German society. With BANTU he released "Fuji Satisfaction" an eclectic mix of

Fuji Fuji may refer to: Places China * Fuji, Xiangcheng City (付集镇), town in Xiangcheng City, Henan Japan * Mount Fuji, the tallest mountain in Japan * Fuji River * Fuji, Saga, town in Saga Prefecture * Fuji, Shizuoka, city in Shizuoka Prefectur ...

, hiphop,

Dancehall Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rou ...

Afrofunk Afrobeat is a Nigerian music genre that involves the combination of West African musical styles (such as traditional Yoruba music and highlife) and American funk, jazz, and soul influences, with a focus on chanted vocals, complex intersecting ...

and

Afrobeat Afrobeat is a Nigerian music genre that involves the combination of West African musical styles (such as traditional Yoruba music and highlife) and American funk, jazz, and soul influences, with a focus on chanted vocals, complex intersecting ...

that featured Nigerian Fuji singer Adewale Ayuba in 2005. It won critical acclaim and the

Kora Awards The KORA All Africa Music Awards are music awards given annually for musical achievement in sub-Saharan Africa. The awards were founded in 1994 by Benin born businessman, Ernest Adjovi, after a discussion in Namibia with the country's President Ha ...

as "Best Group West Africa" and "Best Group Africa" 2005. This amongst other things promoted his move back to Lagos, Nigeria. In 2006 he performed with Afrobeat Academy Band during the

2006 FIFA World Cup The 2006 FIFA World Cup, also branded as Germany 2006, was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which had won the right to host the ...

in Germany. In 2011 Ade Bantu's group BANTU released "No Man Stands Alone" an album of collaborations which was mostly recorded in Nigeria. The album featured Highlife music legend

Fatai Rolling Dollar Olayiwola Fatai Olagunju, known professionally as Fatai Rolling Dollar (22 July 1927 – 12 June 2013), was a Nigerian jùjú singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, described by the BBC as a "nationally celebrated performer." Biography H ...

Sound Sultan Sound Sultan (born Olanrewaju Abdul-Ganiu Fasasi; November 27, 1976 – July 11, 2021) was a Nigerian rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, comedian, and recording artist. He was regarded as one of the pacesetters of modern hip hop music in Niger ...

and Nigerian-German singer Nneka Ade Bantu is the creator of Afropolitan Vibes a live music concert series & annual music festival that features alternative music acts alongside Nigerian and African music legends The 13 piece BANTU collective released Agberos International in 2017. The 10 track album was produced by Aman Junaid. It features Tony Allen and Nigerian spoken word poetess Wana Wana. In September 2020 BANTU released Everybody Get Agenda a long player that showcases the band's tightly knit horn section accompanied by driving rhythms and socio political lyrics that address issues of police brutality, corruption, urban alienation, xenophobia and migration. The album also features Afrobeat artist

Seun Kuti Oluseun Anikulapo Kuti (born 11 January 1983), who is called by the name Seun Kuti, is a Nigerian musician, singer and the youngest son of the famous Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Kuti. Seun leads his father's former band Egypt 80. Biography The y ...

on the song "Yeye Theory".in June 2023 BANTU released their 7th studio album What Is Your Breaking Point?The album featured a unique fusion of Afrobeat, Afrofunk and various Yourba musical influences. It also explored themes of post colonial trauma, Africa's brain drain, gender oppression and social class discrimination.

TV and film appearances

Ade Bantu was featured in the cinema documentary, ''Yes I Am'', a documentary on Afro Germans directed by Sven Halfar. He also appeared with BANTU in an episode of German soap ''

Lindenstraße ''Lindenstraße'' (literally "Linden Street") was a long-running German television drama series, broadcast by Das Erste. The first episode aired on 8 December 1985 and since then new episodes were broadcast weekly until 2020. Its last timeslot ...

'' (Episode 710). Ade Bantu appeared in Harry Belafonte's documentary film ''

Sing Your Song ''Sing Your Song'' is a 2011 documentary that tells the story of Harry Belafonte. The film recounts his life and legacy, not only as a great entertainer, but as an important activist in the Civil Rights Movement. This inspirational biographical f ...

''. In 2012, Ade Bantu joined the panel of judges of ''

Project Fame West Africa ''Project Fame'', also known as ''Project Fame West Africa'' or ''MTN Project Fame West Africa'' (for sponsorship purposes), is a music talent TV reality show filmed in Lagos and aired in the West African subcontinent. It is a regional version of ...

'', a music TV reality show. He worked on the show till 2015

Politics and activism

Ade Bantu is politically active both in Nigeria and Germany. He was the founder of the now defunct Brothers Keepers e.V., an NGO in Germany affiliated with the Brothers Keepers musical project that visited schools, lobbied for changes in

asylum Asylum may refer to: Types of asylum * Asylum (antiquity), places of refuge in ancient Greece and Rome * Benevolent Asylum, a 19th-century Australian institution for housing the destitute * Cities of Refuge, places of refuge in ancient Judea ...

and anti-discrimination laws and helped victims of racist motivated attacks. He was involved in the Anti

Shell Shell may refer to: Architecture and design * Shell (structure), a thin structure ** Concrete shell, a thin shell of concrete, usually with no interior columns or exterior buttresses ** Thin-shell structure Science Biology * Seashell, a hard ou ...

campaign in Germany and co-initiated the

Ken Saro-Wiwa Kenule Beeson "Ken" Saro-Wiwa (10 October 1941 – 10 November 1995) was a Nigerian writer, television producer, and environmental activist. Ken Saro-Wiwa was a member of the Ogoni people, an ethnic minority in Nigeria whose homeland, Ogonilan ...

week in 1997. Ade Bantu is an activist, lecturer and public speaker who addresses racism against people of colour, AfroGermans and Africans in Germany as well as social issues in Nigeria. He was invited by German

Minister for Foreign Affairs A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between coun ...

Frank-Walter Steinmeier Frank-Walter Steinmeier (; born 5 January 1956) is a German politician serving as President of Germany since 19 March 2017. He was previously Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2009 and again from 2013 to 2017, as well as Vice Chan ...

on his first official visit to Africa in August 2007. He participated at the Partnership for Africa Forum hosted by

President of Germany The president of Germany, officially the Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: link=no, Bundespräsident der Bundesrepublik Deutschland),The official title within Germany is ', with ' being added in international corres ...

Horst Köhler Horst Köhler (; born 22 February 1943) is a German politician who served as President of Germany from 2004 to 2010. As the candidate of the two Christian Democratic sister parties, the Christian Democratic Union of Germany, CDU (of which he is ...

in November 2007. Adé Bantu and his band BANTU have partaken in intercultural exchange programmes with the

Goethe-Institut The Goethe-Institut (, GI, en, Goethe Institute) is a non-profit German cultural association operational worldwide with 159 institutes, promoting the study of the German language abroad and encouraging international cultural exchange and ...

and the German

Federal Foreign Office , logo = DEgov-AA-Logo en.svg , logo_width = 260 px , image = Auswaertiges Amt Berlin Eingang.jpg , picture_width = 300px , image_caption = Entrance to the Foreign Office building , headquarters = Werderscher Mark ...

giving concerts and workshops in Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania and Nigeria. Ade Bantu was at the forefront of the debate against the use of the

N-word In the English language, the word ''nigger'' is an ethnic slur used against black people, especially African Americans. Starting in the late 1990s, references to ''nigger'' have been progressively replaced by the euphemism , notably in cases ...

in Germany. He initiated a petition (with Brothers Keepers) against German Rapper

B-Tight Robert Edward Davis (born 28 December 1979), better known by his stage name B-Tight, is an American-born German rapper. Early life Davis was born in Palm Springs, California, to a German mother and an African American father, but grew up in ...

's album "Neger, Neger" (Nigger, Nigger) in 2007. He is the co-founder and creative director of BornTroWay, a community arts project targeted at disadvantaged youths in major African cities. The project was launched in Ajegunle, Lagos in 2011

Radio

Ade Bantu was a radio host at

Deutsche Welle Deutsche Welle (; "German Wave" in English), abbreviated to DW, is a German public, state-owned international broadcaster funded by the German federal tax budget. The service is available in 32 languages. DW's satellite television service con ...

. He hosted "Good Morning Africa" from 1997 to 2000. He co-directed Nigerian-German hip hop/soul singer Nneka's video "Africans"

Awards

Ade Bantu was awarded the Nordrhein Westphalia Cultural Prize in 1997 for the Hiphop musical "Coloured Children" a piece he wrote and co-directed with Anita Berger. With Brothers Keepers he was awarded the

1LIVE 1LIVE is a radio station operated by the Westdeutscher Rundfunk public broadcasting corporation in Germany. It specialises in popular music aimed at the 14–39 age demographic, the average age of its listeners is 34. History On 1 April 1995 ...

Krone Radio Award for "Adriano (die Letzte Warnung)" in the category ''"Best Single of the year 2001".

Discography

With Exponential Enjoyment

*1989 Style Introduction-12 inch (Tantric/VeraBra Rec) *1993 Chop or Quench (Deep 6 Rec) *1993 Expo's Jazz & Joy (VeraBra Records)

With Weep Not Child

*1993 From Hoyerswerda To Rostock (Buback Records) *1994 Liberation Thru Music & Lyrics *1998 Goal ( 12" Chlodwig/BMG)

With BANTU

*1999

Fufu Fufu (or fufuo, foofoo, foufou ) is a dough-like food found in West African cuisine. In addition to Ghana, it is also found in Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, Cote D'Ivoire, Benin, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the ...

(Kennis Music Nigeria) *2004

(Nitty Gritty Music/ Rough Trade) *2005 Fuji Satisfaction (Piranha Rec) *2008 BANTU (X3M Music, Nigeria) *2011 No Man Stands Alone (Pako Records) *2017 Agberos International (Soledad Productions) *2020 Everybody Get Agenda (Soledad Productions) *2023 What Is Your Breaking Point? (Soledad Productions)

With Brothers Keepers

*2001 Adriano-Single(WEA Rec) *2001 Lightkultur (WEA Rec) *2005 Bereit- Single(Sony) *2005 Am I My Brothers Keeper?"(Sony)

Collaborations

*1990 "Kickin The Facts" (from LSD album "Watchout for the 3rd Rail") *1994 "Keep in Line & Sunshine" (from Di Iries self-titled album) *1995 "Late Night" (from Reiner Witzel's "Passage to the ear") *1995 "Illusion" (from Kastrierte Philosophen album "Soldier") *1996 "Polyglot Poets" (from Advanced Chemistry's self-titled album) *1997 "The Message" (from Two Step Forward project) *1997 "Colonial Mentality" (from Schäl Sick Brass Band album "Majnoun") *1999 "Tschupun"(from Schäl Sick Brass Band album "Tschupun") *2000 "Maza Meze" (from Schäl Sick Brass Band album "Maza Meze") *2002 "Rubber Dub" (from Schäl Sick Brass Band album "Kesh Mesh") *2003 "Rudie (Hold It Down)" (UB40 single featuring Gentleman & Don Abi) *2006 "Odolayé" (from "Lagos Stori Plenti" sampler featuring Dede, Mode9 & Azadus)

Cinema

Halfer Sven, ''Yes I Am'' Brothers Keepers documentary on DVD, Arthouse 2007

References

Sources

English Sources: *https://web.archive.org/web/20080219063151/http://www.jamati.com/online/?p=953 *http://www.bbc.co.uk/newtalent/music/showcase_african.shtml *https://web.archive.org/web/20110718031957/http://atlanticreview.org/archives/592-Black-History-Month-in-Germany.html *http://blog.derbraunemob.info/stoppt-den-weisen-n-wumbaba/stop-the-white-n-wumbaba/ Publications in German: *Loh Hannes & Güngör Murat (2002). Fear of A Kanak Planet. Hannibal Verlag, Austria *Verlan Sascha & Loh Hannes (2000). 20 Jahre Hiphop in Deutschland. Hannibal Verlag, Austria *Kreide-Damani Ingrid (1996). 101 Nationen einer Stadt. Dumont Verlag, Germany *Schergel Frank (2002). Ohne Musik ist quasi alles lau.Verlag Kiepenheuer & Witsch, Germany

External links

Bantu official website

Official Website for Brothers Keepers
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bantu, Ade Musicians from London Nigerian musicians Nigerian people of German descent Yoruba musicians German rappers Musicians from Wembley 1971 births Living people English people of Yoruba descent English people of Nigerian descent British emigrants to Germany British emigrants to Nigeria 20th-century Nigerian male singers 21st-century Nigerian male singers 20th-century German musicians