Bankulli
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Abisagboola Oluseun John (born 24 December 1975), known professionally as “Bankulli”, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, artiste manager and AnR executive. Many of Bankulii songs become very popular and trendy online with a great number of streaming and downloads on Boomplay. He is well known for his imprints across the Afrobeats genre, as well as documenting the music industry in a 7-part series titled The Chronicles of Afrobeats.
CAREER AND ACHIEVEMENTS
Born and raised in Lagos, Surulere, Bankulli's work as a talent manager extends across the Nigerian and African music industries. He helped build Mo’Hits Records, one of Africa's biggest record labels alongside co-founders Don Jazzy, D’banj, Wande Coal, D'Prince, K Switch and their affiliates.
Bankulli subsequently managed D'Banj's solo career for a while. And afterwards, managed various talents in the music industry. He was involved in Beyoncé’s The Lion King: The Gift album in 2019, which was eventually nominated for a Grammy award.
Bankulli has also worked with artists and producers from Nigeria, the US and the UK. In 2011. He worked on the collaborative studio project “Watch The Throne”, created by hip-hop moguls Kanye West and Jay-Z. The album was released by Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings. He also worked on Kanye’s sixth studio album 'Yeezus'. Both projects are certified platinum.
Seun was born into the Abisagboola family as the last child among four siblings, all boys. With strong connections to the Celestial Church of Christ, Seun found connection with music as a young child, at age four. His father was a choir master and he made it compulsory for the family to show up at church, even for rehearsals.
Subsequently, Seun’s family fell into accommodation problems and had to live in the church premises. The Abisagboola children, together with other people that lived in the church, were responsible for setting up musical instruments for Sunday services and weekly programs. Seun familiarised himself with audio engineering, instruments, and public singing through this process.
Soon after, he joined the choir and was the youngest member of the Church’s praise team. He was described, among family, as one who would sing when beaten by his brothers, and for that reason: his brothers would beat him for entertainment. Seun matured into adolescence in this environment. His interest in music grew, and started his foray into music production.
After a Sunday service, he was introduced to Ayo Shonaiya by Ayo's mother. Ayo, who is older than Seun, was based in the UK and had begun his journey into entertainment. Mrs. Shonaiya saw potential in the way Bankulli did business and advised her son to work with him. Since then, Bankulli, and Ayo started to work together. When Seun finally got his Secondary school leaving certificate, he wanted to go into music full time but his father opposed.
They made a deal that Seun would get a degree and after then, would be allowed to pursue any career he desires. Seun agreed and enrolled at the University of Ibadan, where he studied Microbiology and earned a Bachelors Degree.
At the University, Seun was introduced to a new world of sonics, music management and promotion. He adopted the name Bankulli while playing football with fellow students. “Bankulli” means 'stubborn fellow' in Yoruba; it is also the sound a percussive instrument makes when beaten. He built a reputation as a man that connects musicians to what they look to achieve within the school environment.
To make ends meet, Bankulli performed music with live bands, singing Juju, Alujo and Fuji music. He also did groundwork for R70, a company managed by Ayo Shonaiya, Timi Adegbite, and DJ Abas. R70 was based in the UK, and were tasked with filling airtime on Ben Television, a TV station on Sky UK with Nigerian music videos, interviews and gossip.
Bankulli was the man on ground for D’Banj and Don Jazzy’s entry into the Nigerian music industry. He managed the team’s promotion, on radio, TV and other media outlets. Sometimes, he offered contributions to the music, but his role was mainly talent management.
As the team grew bigger, and gained more exposure, Bankulli’s roles began to widen, and so did his status in the Nigerian music scene. He played a recurring role in Mo'Hit’s expansion across Africa and its eventual outburst into Europe.
Sometime in 2010, after a show in Dubai. Bankulli, and the Mo'Hits crew ran into Kanye West at the airport. The team quickly put together a demo CD to properly introduce themselves. Bankulli approached Kanye, when others were reluctant, and introduced himself as D’Banj’s manager. From then on, a relationship was built which eventually led to Don Jazzy and Bankulli getting contributing credits on Kanye West and Jay Z’s Watch the Throne album, and also-- D’Banj getting signed to G.O.O.D Music. Bankulli continued to represent D’Banj for a while after the group split up.
Bankulli moved on to other artistes in t
CAREER AND ACHIEVEMENTS
Born and raised in Lagos, Surulere, Bankulli's work as a talent manager extends across the Nigerian and African music industries. He helped build Mo’Hits Records, one of Africa's biggest record labels alongside co-founders Don Jazzy, D’banj, Wande Coal, D'Prince, K Switch and their affiliates.
Bankulli subsequently managed D'Banj's solo career for a while. And afterwards, managed various talents in the music industry. He was involved in Beyoncé’s The Lion King: The Gift album in 2019, which was eventually nominated for a Grammy award.
Bankulli has also worked with artists and producers from Nigeria, the US and the UK. In 2011. He worked on the collaborative studio project “Watch The Throne”, created by hip-hop moguls Kanye West and Jay-Z. The album was released by Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings. He also worked on Kanye’s sixth studio album 'Yeezus'. Both projects are certified platinum.
Seun was born into the Abisagboola family as the last child among four siblings, all boys. With strong connections to the Celestial Church of Christ, Seun found connection with music as a young child, at age four. His father was a choir master and he made it compulsory for the family to show up at church, even for rehearsals.
Subsequently, Seun’s family fell into accommodation problems and had to live in the church premises. The Abisagboola children, together with other people that lived in the church, were responsible for setting up musical instruments for Sunday services and weekly programs. Seun familiarised himself with audio engineering, instruments, and public singing through this process.
Soon after, he joined the choir and was the youngest member of the Church’s praise team. He was described, among family, as one who would sing when beaten by his brothers, and for that reason: his brothers would beat him for entertainment. Seun matured into adolescence in this environment. His interest in music grew, and started his foray into music production.
After a Sunday service, he was introduced to Ayo Shonaiya by Ayo's mother. Ayo, who is older than Seun, was based in the UK and had begun his journey into entertainment. Mrs. Shonaiya saw potential in the way Bankulli did business and advised her son to work with him. Since then, Bankulli, and Ayo started to work together. When Seun finally got his Secondary school leaving certificate, he wanted to go into music full time but his father opposed.
They made a deal that Seun would get a degree and after then, would be allowed to pursue any career he desires. Seun agreed and enrolled at the University of Ibadan, where he studied Microbiology and earned a Bachelors Degree.
At the University, Seun was introduced to a new world of sonics, music management and promotion. He adopted the name Bankulli while playing football with fellow students. “Bankulli” means 'stubborn fellow' in Yoruba; it is also the sound a percussive instrument makes when beaten. He built a reputation as a man that connects musicians to what they look to achieve within the school environment.
To make ends meet, Bankulli performed music with live bands, singing Juju, Alujo and Fuji music. He also did groundwork for R70, a company managed by Ayo Shonaiya, Timi Adegbite, and DJ Abas. R70 was based in the UK, and were tasked with filling airtime on Ben Television, a TV station on Sky UK with Nigerian music videos, interviews and gossip.
Bankulli was the man on ground for D’Banj and Don Jazzy’s entry into the Nigerian music industry. He managed the team’s promotion, on radio, TV and other media outlets. Sometimes, he offered contributions to the music, but his role was mainly talent management.
As the team grew bigger, and gained more exposure, Bankulli’s roles began to widen, and so did his status in the Nigerian music scene. He played a recurring role in Mo'Hit’s expansion across Africa and its eventual outburst into Europe.
Sometime in 2010, after a show in Dubai. Bankulli, and the Mo'Hits crew ran into Kanye West at the airport. The team quickly put together a demo CD to properly introduce themselves. Bankulli approached Kanye, when others were reluctant, and introduced himself as D’Banj’s manager. From then on, a relationship was built which eventually led to Don Jazzy and Bankulli getting contributing credits on Kanye West and Jay Z’s Watch the Throne album, and also-- D’Banj getting signed to G.O.O.D Music. Bankulli continued to represent D’Banj for a while after the group split up.
Bankulli moved on to other artistes in t
