Banky W
His music and his life story have catapulted him into the spotlight, but a closer look there lays a young man reflective of us all. Born in the States to Nigerian parents, he moved to Nigeria, West Africa at the tender age of 5 where he learned to appreciate both the beauty and the sorrows of living in the motherland. There he heard the traditional African music and rhythms that are deeply rooted in his sound and faced the harsh realities of everyday life.
Against all odds and overcoming obstacles of epic proportions he starred down the barrel of guns during an armed invasion of his home at age fifteen. His drive and determination to succeed made him move to back to the States by himself at age seventeen earning a scholarship and working two jobs he put him self through school and earned a Degree in Engineering from one of the top schools in America. Always keeping the dream alive he kept writing and using his everyday struggles as a source of inspiration for his music.
Ever the entrepreneur, he started a record label Empire Mate$ Entertainment with his buddies; recorded an EP ‘Undeniable’ and sold records out the trunk of his car, at local barbershops and performing anywhere he could. The grassroots marketing paid off when the local FOX TV station caught wind of his music and did a special on him. He soon was on local radio and secured a distribution deal but once again he had to face his biggest trial.
After complaining about shoulder pains a routine check up revealed he had a tumor, a tumor the size of a baseball was removed and test; he was diagnosed with cancer. Everything seemed to be going his way until he was put to test again. Another cancerous tumor grew in the same spot, the doctors said he wouldn’t make it but his faith and belief in God kept him strong. Another operation another tumor but he is back and stronger than ever
Even CANCER can stop him, nothing can. Through it all he soldiered on working on his debut album, the stellar ‘Back in the Buildin’ that features the award winning ‘My Regret’. Touring and performing in Europe, Africa and the States and maintaining a hectic schedule, Banky still found time to write and produce other acts and working on his grand opus ‘Afrodisiac’; an international album where he fuses his blend of R&B/Soul with reggae, afrobeat, traditional music and singing in his native tongue (Yoruba), pidgin and English.
With an ever-growing fan base, larger-than-life presence and electrifying live show, Banky has won numerous awards including the Urban Independent Music Award for R&B/Soul, The Nigerian Entertainment Award, and the highly coveted songwriting award from the John Lennon Foundation for ‘My Regret’. He's been featured on AOL, Fox TV, and he has appeared in a wide variety of print media, radio stations and a plethora of websites. Numbers don't lie, as his myspace page (www.myspace.com/banky) shows him being on the pace to one 1 million song plays. Through his music, blogs, and lifestyle, Banky has managed to independently connect on a personal level with fans, establishing a cult-like following of thousands of listeners across the globe.
A gift to the world, the son of a country and the hope of a continent; the crown prince of African R&B/Soul………and he can’t be stopped.
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