Kabaka MultiMedia & Entertainment Profile

 

BACKGROUND

 

It’s now being a little over a year since the inception of KABAKA MULTIMEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT or KME as it is popularly known and the label has taken over the Entertainment and media landscape of Sierra Leone. Formed in January 2017 and incorporated as a limited liability company, KME has been nothing but a brand that shows great promise for the future of Sierra Leone entertainment and the prospect of changing the lives of musical prodigies and other creative artistes. The pioneer, owner, and CEO, ABU BAKARR TURAY ESQ, popularly known as The Kabaka is a barrister and solicitor of the high court of Sierra Leone and Managing Partner of Turay and Co. Solicitors; a past PRO of the Sierra Leone Bar Association and also one of the Commissioners of the National Commission for Children. His passion for music and entertainment and drive to push his country forward in that aspect warrants great applauds. His dream of becoming a top rated rapper which he never got to achieve is now being relived in the battery of artistes that have been signed with the KME Record Label. A total of 8 Sierra Leonean musicians are signed and attached to the KME Label, namely; Rozzy, Markmuday, Rhage, Blesz, Future K, Samza, Krack Twist, Ragga Spice and Grace Ahene a Sierra Leonean gospel artiste that’s based in the US. All of these are highly talented and respected artistes. Known each by their famous hit songs, this crop of artistes are known to give their best at whatever given opportunity.

 

Arguably KME is the best Record label in Sierra Leone. This is owing to the fact that our studios are equipped with the most modern equipment’s and our artistes have been at their best since inception. We have an audio recording studio with four studio Producers on call. We have a video recording studio with a red camera and trained videographers and cameramen. A management staff of about seven people and an organized, well-structured board of directors who regulate the activities and affairs of the company. Our retained solicitors, Messrs Kaifala, Kanneh and Co. regulate the legal affairs of the company. Mr Francis Ben Kaifala is our KME Legal and is a well renowned young lawyer with tremendous credentials.

 

State of Salone Entertainment Industry

 

Several years ago, there was the reemergence of “Salone” Music when Jimmy Bangura (Jimmy B) came to the scene and recruited quite a number of youngsters. This was to set the stage for Sierra Leone to take on the African market as an entertainment force to reckon with. Back then it was only the likes of Prince Nico, Fela Kuti, Felix Liberty, to name but a few Nigeria, Salif Keita, Youssou Ndour of Senegal, Shekouba Bambino of Guinea and a host of Ghanaian highlife musicians who were internationally recognized especially from this part of Africa. We had our chance, but it certainly looked squandered as we were unable to create any impact on the international stage. This makes mockery of the great efforts of people such as S.E Rogers, Amie Kallon, King Masco and others who fought hard to have originality in our songs and to have them played outside the shores or Sierra Leone. The songs were good, the talents raw. Yet, as a nation we failed to breakthrough. Paradise Records back then was also limited. They were unable to break the deadlock because it was marred with so many problems that it got to a point the artistes started singing against the very label that brought them to the spotlight. That ended the dreams of the Paradise Records Label being a force to reckon with in Africa and beyond and its ability to actually put Sierra Leone on the musical map. There was also Bodyguard Studio, owned by King Fisher, who brought Emmerson Bockarie of "Borbor Belleh" fame to prominence. That musical romance also didn't last long. Almost every Record Label that has been in existence in Sierra Leone ends up having a sour relationship between management and artistes even before they start doing the musical business proper. Many more have tried and failed.

 

KalBoxx Records also came to the scene, they signed many artistes and had the full attention of Sierra Leone. The success story was short lived. Many other Record Labels we won't consider as existent because they are only names on paper. Meaning, they have no recording studios and have no proper management structure. Whilst all of this became the predicament of our industry, the Nigerians looked like the Lion that was asleep. They took advantage of their population and today no one mentions African Entertainment with acknowledging that the Nigerians dictate the pace. Their Ghanaian counterparts also very much aggressive in their talents didn’t allow a huge gap. They rebranded their industry and today it’s a multi-billion dollar industry in those two countries whilst we continue to count pennies in Sierra Leone.

 

Some Reasons for the Status Quo

 

The gap between the management and the artistes are always so wide that it's actually impracticable to have a harmonious relationship. The problems identified are two folds. It became clear that the expectations of all artistes are always over the roof. Entertainment is indeed an expensive business. The capital it takes to nurse the business to desired heights takes almost a miracle to recoup. The Management on the other hand always wants a quick fix. They would like to invest like $20,000 and imagine that album sales alone will get that kind of money back in a country that the anti-piracy acts is not functional. Added to their expenditure, they will be expectant of $20,000 profit as if it's a money-doubling affair. The business of entertainment is no child's play. The capital and time required many people don’t have to give. The networking that’s a great ingredient can only happen when one has the flexibility to move around and get to talk to those who have already made a mark especially across Africa. There's no easy fix anywhere. It takes time. Artistes have mostly displayed a voracious appetite for money that their talents are unable to bring and at the same time they have from time to time and one decade to another exhibited disloyalty. This cuts across the board. Stardom makes it almost impossible for any Record Label owner to actually keep any artiste after they “arrive”. Lack of discipline and decorum has destroyed the talents of many. In Sierra Leone the bar was so low that all you need to do is to sing and they attain a faux pas stardom.  It takes dedication, one that must be driven by nothing but passion and love for the game. That game must be played on the platform of fairness, love and hope to give back to society from the little you have. That is the adrenaline that drives the CEO of KME. Since inception, he has done things differently, disappointing his detractors every inch of the way. KME is one big family. We have taken on the challenge to change the status quo. Achieve we will.

 

We are aware of all the problems that plague the industry as a label. Some are nothing but petty grievances that have no place in our discussion as a record label. Many people engaged in the business lack pedigree. But most importantly, that is because the business of entertainment has been long left for “high school dropouts”. The business of entertainment has been viewed mostly as an "unholy" business and patronizing the devil. The CEO once told HipTV of Nigeria in an interview and later reiterated on AYV Television, that there's a song for every occasion. Even when one is sad, there's a song for those mourning. A song for the broken-hearted and downcast; a song for the great celebrations of life and a song for the religious. Music is life. We can't live without it. It is like water to our soul. KME has come with the solutions to solve some these problems. With the right partnership and support, we believe we will be able to break through and enter the African market and eventually the global market. We don't want our songs to sit within the boundaries of Sierra Leone alone. We want our songs to be played outside of Sierra Leone and to be danced to by non-Sierra Leoneans. We can only achieve that if we have the quality of music to compete. It is now a daunting task since we have remained redundant for quite a while. But there is hope. The talents that we still have are raw. They are untapped. They are entertainment time bombs ready to explode on the international stage, waiting just for the right platform. KME is that platform in Sierra Leone.

 

Having had discussions with almost all stakeholders in the music industry, from Jimmy B to Emmerson, Steady Bongo to Lord Mo, All-Stars President, Collabo, DJ's Union President, Pilot CPO and a host of other stakeholders in the entertainment industry, it is crystal clear that as an industry we need help. KME's intervention in the musical landscape of Sierra Leone is being referred to as the reincarnation and reinvention of Sierra Leonean music.

In a short period, we have sent six Sierra Leoneans to Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal to learn how to upgrade our musical systems. For those who know about music, the Producers are normally the ones who do 50% of the job. The beat is good, the song is 50% on its way to becoming a hit. That's the difference between a flop and a hit; the Producers. We have had three producers who have visited Nigeria and Ghana to learn how to do better beats and how to use certain music software. We also sent a Videographer to be taught how to use the complex Red Camera (a $42,000 video camera) that are now being proudly owned by KME.

 

KME Launch April 28th, 2017

 

KME management paid a visit to HipTV of Nigeria at their Head Quarter in Ikeja Lagos. The two CEOs (KME CEO Kabaka and HipTV CEO Ayo Animashaun) had a great meeting and a relationship was established immediately. An invitation was extended to the HipTV CEO to visit Sierra Leone and attend the KME Launch which was held in April this year. That invitation was honored. A crew of 5 people including the CEO of HipTV landed in Freetown on the 27th of April this year. All costs and expenses were borne by the KME Management. The KME launch itself was an epoch-making event. Dignitaries flooded the Radisson Blu Hotel and it ran live on AYV TV whilst HiptV did a recorded airing for a whole week. Ministers of States, Bank MDs, and CEOs of different companies, lawyers, doctors, engineers and other professionals were all present to witness for the very first time in a cocktail event, the Launch of KME. The rest is history. The records are there for all to see. Never in the history of Sierra Leone has there been such a program organized in such deliberate and decorous fashion. The artistes were on top of their game and everyone present on that night knew one thing for a fact; KME came with a bang and they are doing things differently.

 

Our Vision

 

We have both a local and international vision. The local vision is called 70/30. This is against the backdrop that even in our own country, all parties and entertainment functions have a majority of songs played that aren't Sierra Leonean. It's not only against the spirit of growth in our music industry, it also militates against the development of our culture as a nation. Therefore the 70/30 vision is to ensure that we have 70% of Sierra Leonean songs played in all functions whilst international songs take the remaining 30%. It has been a herculean task. Several meetings have been held by the KME management with a host of DJs. The progress is slow, but it sure is getting better.

 

We have the vision to see music as a career that has great benefits for those who might choose it as a career path. In other words, KME sees the vision of being able to make millionaires out of the music and entertainment industry. In Nigeria billions of Naira are is being realized by the government from the Entertainment sector alone; enough to impact the GDP of their country. This can only be achieved if we get the best products to sell. If the product is good, the market will be readily available. We have realized that the musical careers of many artistes end with nothing but a "hand to mot" destiny. This has discouraged many and has made families wary whenever their relatives choose the entertainment path as a career line. The CEO for KME said in another interview that Wiz Kid, Timaya, Tekno and other celebrated Nigerian artistes have never paid a dime to any radio or club DJ in Sierra Leone to play their songs. Yet their songs are the most played. That is because their talent is undeniable. We must work to have nothing but the best. Secondly, those who take up responsibilities in the industry must own up.

 

The incentives given to artistes by KME CEO are unheard of. Some artistes can boast of a Porsche Cayenne SUV, Some GMC other an X5. Almost all of them have had an SUV as a gift from the CEO. The reason for such bold venture is because we believe the talents of the artistes must have a reflection on their current status. With the help of development partners, KME is hoping to create a wider range of opportunities to many more artistes. There are a lot of untapped potentials. Raw gems waiting to be discovered and polished. We are ready and are up to the task.

We also have a Vision to create a Platform for every artiste in this country. We believe that it is an opportunity that always culminates in life-changing events. We have a stage set. We have accommodated as many artistes as possible. Whilst we can't sign everyone under the KME label as we have been inundated with calls in recent months, we have made available our studios, including producers and sound engineers, by providing the required logistics for upcoming Artistes to come and try their voices at our studios. The songs that have been considered good enough to be produced under our label are currently in the works. We hope to continue this for even the long term. We have also offered a one year Record deal to the next winner of AYV Cypher. The competition is ongoing and KME is a proud sponsor. We have been sponsors in many other events promoting Sierra Leonean entertainment.

 

Putting Salone music on the world map is our key vision. We want to ensure that as a nation we are not only known for diamonds, Ebola and the decade-long civil war, we want to be known for our music which will be used as a catalyst to translate our culture across the globe. We have to rewrite our country's narrative. No better way than through music. We intend to achieve this by matching up the competition of our African compatriots. We have the talent. Nurturing them has been our biggest challenge. KME cannot do this alone. That is why we are identifying partners who will help us in achieving this dream and putting Salone music on the globe.

 

 Our Services

 

We offer as a Record Label and Entertainment outfit a number of services. Primarily we offer music to our nation and beyond. By this, we do songs that have indisputable qualities. We have done two albums in one year with over fifty songs. In less than 3 months after our launch back in April 2017, there were already 5 hit songs and our songs continue to top charts and are played at almost every function nationwide. We have on ground seven artistes who can do theme songs, business jingles, anthems, birthday songs, and wedding songs. We also produce "beats". With the latest software’s such Cubase Pro, Logic Pro and others. Our studio is highly equipped and blessed with the nation's best producers such as Alman and Solo's Beats to do "instrumentals" and beats for anyone who will need them and who might want to do his or her vocals outside the KME studios. We also offer video recording services and do photo shoots. Our music videos are done by our videographers and at the same time, we do commercial video jingles.

 

We are also an advertisement agency. With the array of talents that we have and voices that are most listened to in Sierra Leone, KME offers the best that money can buy in terms of delivery when it comes to advertisements. Our artistes have been brand ambassadors for then Airtel now Orange, Africell, Sierratel, Mercury, Salwaco, Skaitel, and Onlime to name but a few and most Commercial banks. We have been very professional in our approach and our customers have always had a reason to come back.

 

We also own a radio station. Choice FM 93.5 KME Radio. It is a major medium for promoting Sierra Leonean songs and also to educate our populace with progressive programs.

 

KME is that partner that can make anything good in entertainment happen. We have brand names that are associated with nothing but progress and we have created a niche for ourselves in the industry as highly reliable and dependable. Our references cannot be overlooked and our endorsement will spell nothing but a great fortune for those who choose to work with us. We don’t only do jingles (both audio and video), photo shoots, short skits, but will also join in marketing products we create. Our goal is simple, we always make our partners and clients most attractive.

 

Branding

 

The KME brand is now most popular in terms of clothing and other regalia. Our hats and T Shirts are as popular amongst school and university students as they are popular amongst the young workforce in our country. Hardly see a young lover of Sierra Leonean entertainment that doesn’t want to own or who already owns at least a KME T shirt. Popular amongst our brand is the KME Clock, KME Tees, KME hats and fabs, KME watches and phone cases. Most recently we have KNE sneakers and school bags. Our brand is most certainly poised to take on the African market in a few years.

 

Latest Achievements and Projects at hand:

 

On Christmas Day in 2017, we held one of the greatest events during festivities in Sierra Leone. It was the KME beach Fiesta. With over thousands of people in attendance who danced from evening till the almost daybreak to our songs and the show of love was simply unfathomable. We attained our nation’s darling status on that day. We have not disappointed our fans and continue to entertain them in the best possible way.

 

In January 2018, the CEO of KME flew to Ghana and brought to Sierra Leone two of Ghana’s great producers. One of them Beatz Dakay who has worked with BET Award Winner, Stone Bwoy was in Freetown working at the KME studios for three weeks. In February also, the KME CEO met with the CEO of EIB Network in Accra, Nathan Kwavena Adisi popularly known as Bola Ray. A great partnership and alliance were formed in the one Africa Spirit. The two CEOs further cemented their meeting with Ghana Meets Naija been granted to CEO of KME which now makes his a partner of Ghana meets Naija and the Said event will be held in Sierra Leone later in 2018.

 

In April 2018, the CEO of the Headies Awards invited the KME CEO to attend the Headies Awards in Lagos and it was agreed that the KME artistes will be in Abuja on the next Headies nomination to give a performance. This is a milestone as what has been lacking is that international platform. In May 2018, the KME group was invited to perform at Ghana Meets Naija in Accra to be held on 9th June 2018. This is tremendous Milestone. As no Sierra Leonean artiste has ever graced the Said stage and it will put the label in great limelight for Africa to see what Sierra Leone has got to offer.

 

Also in May 2018, KME CEO met with Mike Dada, the CEO of AFRIMA Awards and extended an invitation to him to visit Sierra Leone to assess the state of our entertainment industry. There’s even reason to believe that the team will be in Sierra Leone in late June. According to discussions, the delegation will comprise of former Award Winners. Fingers are crossed. Sierra Leone certainly can make do with the beam been pointed at us.

 

Finally in May 2018 also, the CEO of KME met one of the most successful owners of a Record Label in Africa and the world at large, his name is known by everyone, Don Jazzy. The discussions were fruitful and there’s great prospect that KME and Mavin Records will soon be collaborating in a lot of things. Soon.

 

Lastly, KME launched its second album also in May 2018 called Best of KME Vol 1. And also DVD compilation with 15 music videos and also other activities that have occurred in the last one year. KME Nationwide tour and The Davido Concert at the National Stadium.