African Music Summit (AMS) 2023: Leveraging Our Cultural Equity

18 October 2023 - Press release

African music is undergoing an unprecedented global surgency. It is no longer confined to its continent of origin but is now embraced by audiences worldwide. This has attracted significant investment, both from international organizations and within the continent itself, spanning business, education, and culture.

The African Music Summit (AMS), a new globally premier music summit dedicated to championing and celebrating the incredible diversity and influence of the African music business, is poised to kick off with a highly anticipated London launch. Taking place at the central London event space of Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) on Friday, November 24th, and Saturday, November 25th, 2023, the two-day summit is set to be an extraordinary gathering of industry leaders, and music enthusiasts from around the world.

 

A Journey Rooted in Music Education
The African Music Summit has a rich history. Born in 2012 as the educational arm of Strictly Entertainment Music, under the name The Afrobeats Educational Roadshow (TAER), the event was founded by Ramon Olaleye, (a Systems Implementation Consultant / Branding Specialist), brothers Chiedozie Onuora (who runs a boutique distribution company called Strictly Digital Music), and iKECHUKWU (Black PHARAOH) Onuorah, (Board Director for new African Streaming Service Jumamo and former Director for The Orchard Nigerian office). It pioneered the convergence of the emerging UK Afrobeats scene with the mainstream music industry. Over eight successful series, TAER garnered support from respected industry stalwarts like BPI, PRS for Music, PPL, BMI, DTI UK, AIM, BASCA and more. It was instrumental in introducing Afrobeats to the global music business landscape back in 2012.

Leveraging Our Cultural Equity
Under the theme "Leveraging Our Cultural Equity," the African Music Summit 2023 aims to explore the untapped potential of African music business and its impact on the global music industry.

iKECHUKWU Onuorah had this to say about the forth coming event:
“While the artistic aspects of African music have flourished, there's a critical need to equally nurture the business side of the industry. AMS aims to spotlight this crucial aspect. We are on a mission to create an industry that is not only self-sufficient but also reshapes global music business paradigms. Our summit will provide a unique platform where forward-thinking and game-changing entrepreneurs and executives can engage in open dialogues about opportunities, challenges, and, most importantly, solutions tailored to the needs of Africa.”

Support from Industry Leaders
The summit is proud to have the support of key industry players across trade bodies and education, including PPL, a leading music licensing company. PPL's involvement underscores their commitment to promoting and safeguarding the rights of music creators and performers across the globe. Their dedication to empowering artists resonates with the summits mission, making their sponsorship an invaluable asset to the success of the African Music Summit.

“We are delighted to be supporting the evolution of this event which puts the African music business centre stage. The rise of Afrobeats over the past few years has been nothing short of meteoric; PPL is proud to work with some of its brightest stars to drive their international neighbouring rights revenues as this music reaches new audiences around the world.”

Kate Reilly – Chief Membership and People Officer
The event is also supported by the UK record labels association the BPI (British Phonographic Industry), the trade association representing the UK’s world-leading recorded music industry, including over 500 independent labels, and Sony Music Entertainment UK, Universal Music UK, and Warner Music UK. It’s commitment to the summit reinforces the importance for fostering and promoting collaboration between the global music industry and African music businesses.

Dr Jo Twist OBE, Chief Executive of the BPI said: “The great opportunities across both North and Sub-Saharan Africa are starting to be realised as they emerge as the continent’s fastest growing and thriving music regions, largely thanks to the rising global popularity of the Afrobeats scene. We are excited to partner on this event to bring the British music business together to support the expanding music market in Africa and help realise its untapped potential.” 

As stewards of the African music industry, it has been our foremost mission to foster an alliance transcending geographical boundaries, spanning from North, West, South, and Eastern Africa to the UAE. We are thrilled by the enthusiastic reception this initiative has garnered from across these regions, including independent organizations deeply committed to nurturing the evolution of the African music business.

"The IFPI reported Africa as the fastest-growing music market in 2022. The African Music Summit will propel further growth through exposure of opportunities in Africa, and collaboration between African music creators and the world and amongst the African music players. SAMPRA finds a fit with the objectives of the Summit and is excited to be part of this journey. SAMPRA also takes pride in the work that African creatives are doing to unite."

Adv Ntsietso Mokitimi-Makhofola (Chief Legal and Revenue Officer/ Company Secretary, SAMPRA)
Other esteemed organizations collaborating with the summit include the music educational platform Musically, a knowledge and skills company that has become an essential resource for the modern music business, and the Black Music Research Unit (BMRU) established at the University of Westminster under Mykaell S. Riley's guidance, which comprises a diverse blend of researchers and practitioners. Their shared vision is to elevate African music and create a global platform for artists and industry professionals.
 

Other Attractions
At the London summit attendees can expect thought-provoking panels, insightful discussions, keynotes, and networking opportunities designed to foster collaboration and innovation. The event will be streamed online in select African territories to ensure that industry practitioners it champions can participate, thus guaranteeing significant exposure across the continent. This comprehensive approach aims to maximize the event's reach across the continent, providing an ideal environment for advancing discussions regarding the global growth of the African music business. These sentiments are echoed by Sipho Dlamini, the President/Managing Director of Africa & Middle East at Gamma:

"Gamma is genuinely enthusiastic about our involvement in the African Music Summit 2023. We view this as a significant opportunity to not only participate in but also actively advance the discussions surrounding the growth of the African music business. We are committed to driving initiatives that will not only bolster the industry but also contribute to the widespread global appreciation of African music."

Other attractions include “The SpotLight” section in memory of African music industry veteran Steve “Spotlight” Osagie who passed away on the 6th of October 2022. In line with his work championing and fighting for the rights of artists and creatives, the section shall spotlight one new and emerging African artist!

The event will end with the unveiling of its destination for the African Music Summit 2024 African edition, where the BPI will partner with the organisers Strictly Entertainment Music to stage their very first Trade Mission into Africa.

Dr Jo Twist OBE, Chief Executive of the BPI said: “The BPI and our partners organise a number of international trade missions to key music markets each year to develop export opportunities and promote British music around the world. We are delighted to expand our trade missions with plans, for the first time in Africa in 2024 so that UK companies can build new audiences and forge fruitful business relationships in this exciting emerging market.”

 

A Word from the Founders
Chiedozie, Ramon, and iKECHUKWU, the visionary founders of the African Music Summit, expressed their excitement about the event's new transformation and return:

Chiedozie Onuora: "The African Music Summit represents the heartbeat of our journey in promoting African music. We're thrilled to reconnect with the music community and continue our mission."

Ramon Olaleye: "London, the epicenter of global music, is the perfect backdrop for the very first instalment of the summit. We're ready to explore the evolving landscape of African music."

iKECHUKWU Onuorah: "Our journey comes full circle with the African Music Summit. It's an invitation to embrace our cultural equity and shape the future of African music."

The African music industry now has a global platform where its voice, needs, and aspirations are truly heard. It's the perfect place for those enthusiastic about Africa's potential, providing an opportunity to meet, learn and interact directly with industry pioneers."

 

Get Involved
The African Music Summit 2023 promises to be a pivotal moment for African music business on the international stage. For more information, sponsorship opportunities, and registration details, please visitwww.africanmusicsummit.com

 

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