KILLA KELA BIOGRAPHY
www.100-percent.co.uk
Killa Kela lives, breathes and speaks creativity. He’s been mad on it since he was a kid in Billingshurst, West Sussex, UK. This is a guy who understands the building blocks of music, the structure and the beats that make it up. When you’re arguably the best beatboxer on the planet, you know a thing or two about conjuring up whole songs – entire mini symphonies – using just the tools at your immediate disposal. In Kela’s case, his mouth. Most people would describe this skill as ‘beatboxing’ but he prefers to describe his astounding talent as ‘multivocalism’.
When you think of Killa Kela the first thing that springs to mind is his beatboxing but he is a musical force way beyond this. He has learnt how to take his finely tuned beatbox techniques and apply them to his singing voice, to weave them in and out of live instrumentation, to let producers dip into the vast sound library which exists in his head. All this has created a truly unique and intriguing sound.
Killa Kela Music
Having released previous albums : “The Permanent Marker” on Jazz Fudge and also “Elocution” with Sony BMG in 2005, Kela in 2009 moved to one of the UK’s most progressive and exciting new independent labels : 100% Records and released his next album ‘Amplified!’ at the end of 2009. The album has been a labour of love for Killa Kela and saw him working solidly throughout 2008 and 2009 in the studio. He teamed up with a raft of different producers and artists: Alan Braxe (Stardust: “Music Sounds Better With You”), Does It Offend You Yeah?, Hadouken! Clipz and Martin Rushent who have all got involved to create ‘Amplified!’s’ new and unique sound: it has a real alternative dance edge to it but has Killa Kela’s personality and vocal dexterity very much at the forefront, driving the whole project forward. It has genuine attitude and musical diversity.
Kela says of his new 2009 album ‘Amplified!’, ‘It kinda feels like my first. Reason being, it stands so far away from what I’ve done in the past, I feel totally reinvented by it. With the beatbox threaded in and out with what the band do, we have songs off the album meeting drum battles, my mouth meeting CDJ’s and live special guest collaborations making each track and live show one of a kind.’
Killa Kela Live
Kela served an effective apprenticeship – touring and performing with the likes of Jurassic 5, Busta Rhymes, Justin Timberlake, Prince and N*E*R*D.
The Killa Kela / Pharrell Williams link is an interesting one…and has influenced Kela greatly. The Neptunes’ production genius is one of Killa Kela’s biggest supporters. Kela first met him after hiding out at a NERD London gig, pre-sound check. After four hours’ wait, he got his audience. One eighty second beat boxed medley of NERD/Neptunes/Pharrell tunes later, a fast friendship was formed. Kela and Pharrell ended up recording a live Radio One session as well shows and tours in the US, Europe and the UK, including an appearance together at Wireless Festival in Hyde Park, London.
From day one, the Killa Kela live show has always been his number 1 asset – especially where his exceptional beatboxing skills were concerned. His mission has always been to mesh beatboxing with tracks to create an entirely new form of his music and a new genre in itself. Kela is the front man who was born to perform in front of crowds.
He is constantly performing across the UK and the world and his live shows currently see him performing alongside Andy Knowles (The Andy Show) on drums – whose one of the most charismatic, entertaining and talented drummers you’re ever likely to witness. Andy has toured and performed with Franz Ferdinand (for over 2 years) as well as with The Cribs and The Fiery Furnaces and so has headlined some of the world’s biggest festivals on some of the world’s biggest stages. Alongside the award winning DJ Skeletrik it’s a 3 man stage show with Kela’s multi-vocal skills (singing, rapping and beatboxing) at the heart of the show, weaved in and out of live instrumentation, drum battles and Djing. It’s an unconventional set-up and a totally unique live experience that has explosive energy and leaves an indelible mark on everyone that witnesses it.
Recent live show highlights have included :
F1 Rocks at the Singapore Grand Prix – alongside Beyonce, Black Eyed Peas and N*E*R*D (Sept ’09)
Live collaboration w/ Jamie Cullum & VV Brown (BBC)
Full UK Tours alongside Frankmusik, Lethal Bizzle and Hadouken! (Dec ’09 – Feb 2010)
March 2010 sees Kela embark on a nationwide headline tour of the UK, promoted by Livenation, it’s Kela’s biggest and most significant live tour to date.
March/April 2010 Kela is set to tour right across Asia
May – Sept sees Kela hit the UK and European Festival season hard!
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Killa Kela Live are:
Killa Kela – Lead vocals / beatbox - one of the best beatboxers on the planet and renowned multi-vocal pioneer
Andy Knowles - Drums – previously toured for 2 years with Franz Ferdinand + also worked alongside The Cribs and the Fiery Furnaces. There is no greater showman behind the drums out there!
DJ Skeletrik – Turntables / Sample station – Kela’s long standing DJ/collaborator, behind some of London’s most infamous club nights and voted sexiest male GQ 2003.
For all Live dates and up to the minute news please visit www.killakela.com
Q-BiK & SEEKA MC
Q-BiK, Australian based, ex-pat New Zealand Drum n’ Bass DJ/Producer has been turning some heads and winning the ears of many worldwide. A working DJ for 10 years in NZ and Australia, it wasn’t too long until he eventually progressed his way into production nearly 4 years ago. This eventually saw Q-BiK’s productions gaining serious support worldwide from the likes of Pete Tong, Annie Mac & Nerm on BBC Radio 1 and Crissy Criss on 1XTRA as well as Austrailian national radio Station, Triple J, which play listed his first 12″ ‘My House’ signed to Planet Funk (UK). It became a Massive hit worldwide and was promptly licensed and featured on DRUM&BASS ARENA’s ‘Summer Selection’ compilation of ‘Biggest Summer Anthems Ever’. This also followed with heavy club support from Brookes Brothers, Danny Byrd, Futurebound and Matrix, Sigma, Adam F, Kenny Ken and the list goes on!
Q-BiK recently nominated best DnB DJ @ the Perth Dance Music Awards 2009, he is widely regarded as one of Australia’s forefront DnB DJs and now, Producers. He is now the most consistent booked DnB DJ around Australia, which shows his prowess and skills on the wheels of steel. This saw him complete several tours of NZ,
Australia, Asia as well as headlining festivals of 10,000 people plus, these early accomplishments in his production career have only upped the ante for this aspiring and passionate DJ/Producer.
Seeka MC, hailing from the UK, is no stranger to the mic. From a young age he became entrentched in the UK Hardcore and Jungle Scene of the early 90′s and moved to Drum n Bass / Jungle not long after. Starting off as a hip hop turntablist, he quickly excelledn in scratching but found the wheels of steel not enough, and his true expression came through in the form of MCing. Seeka fast became a part of the local MC scene in his region of South England, picking up residencies and Radio shows on well known Pirate Radio staition, Pyro Radio.
Having served as Resident MC for some of South Englands biggest events it wasn’t long until he was hosting the locals nights for the likes of Andy C, Shy Fx, Kenny Ken, Goldie, Ed Rush and Optical, and the list goes on. Not satisfied with the state of the scene in the UK, he moved to New Zealand in 2003, where he met up with his current DJ and partner in crime, Q-BiK, And so the story began.
The two quickly established themselves as a major force on stage and built up a great reputation around New Zealand, and toured the country several times, and further on to on to playing some of NZ’s biggest dance festivals and headlining NYE events from 2003-2006.
During these years Seeka made frequent trips back to the UK and finally in 2006, Q-BiK moved to Australia and Seeka made the move back to the UK. However, it wasn’t long before the duo found themselevs in Perth and moving in a new direction as artists, with a heavy focus on the studio and making beats.
Fast forward to 2008/9 and Seeka MC from the UK teamed up again on the stage but also in the studio with Q-BiK and came up with, ‘Let the Music’ signed to Cutterz Choice, the label responsible for launching Benny Pages career. ‘Let The Music’ is another huge slice of dancefloor funk. Catchy vocal stabs and filtered strings ride a shuffling beat on the intro that builds up to smooth warm bass that will bring out your funky side. Make no mistake this 12″ hits hard on the dancefloor. Supported by the likes of Nero, Futurebound, Brookes Bros and Camo & Krooked as well as BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra by Crissy Cris and Nerm & Dcode.
An unmistakable force and vibe on stage Q-BiK & Seeka have already conquered NZ and Australia and Asia headlining tours, festivals and club dates. 2010 looks set to be an even bigger year with UK, Europe and Asia tours already locked in.
http://www.myspace.com/qbikmuzik // http://www. twitter.com/qbikmuzik // http://facebook.dj/q-bik
Nam the Man – Freestlye Footballer
http://www.namtheman.com/
One of the Worlds greatest and most visually dynamic Football Freestylers!
With over 5 years professional experience; Nam is one of the most highly sought after and experienced Freestylers in the game!
His incredibly physical style makes him not only unique in the Freestyle world but also visually spectacular! He has without doubt a real – WOW factor with all his performances never failing to impress and amaze audiences!
He is the twice current European Champion as well as the current All Ireland Champion.
Nam is renowned for his ability to work and choreograph routines with all types of other Performers including Dancers, Gymnasts, Beatboxers and Bboys……etc.
His signature tricks “The Mega Magnetic Mix” and “The Launch” play testament to his physical skill and prowess as a Freestyler of true world class.
Nam is extremely well travelled and has worked with Clients in Indonesia, Japan, Vietnam, China, USA, South Africa, South America as well as all over Europe.
