Bio
Banky W is an American-born Nigerian R&B artist who has been active in the music industry since 2003, when he won the John Lennon Songwriting award in the R&B category.
Born in the United States he grew up in Lagos where he began singing in church at an early age and upon completion of secondary school moved to New York to study Engineering.
While still in college he won and was featured in numerous competitions and showcases which led him to form Empire Mate$ Entertainment, a label he envisioned as a platform for his music and the home of songwriting and production duo Muzik Men.
Undeniable: The EP was his debut and the buzz around the record quickly caught the ears of FOX23 executives who featured it in a two part television special.
A distribution deal followed and it eventually became one of the top selling independent records and won him the 2003 R&B/Soul Artist of the Year at the Urban Independent Music Awards.
Back in the Buildin was released in 2005 to critical acclaim. My Regret, a stand out song on the record was a hit and won The John Lennon Songwriting Award in the R&B category, a US Songwriting Award as well as the Best R&B Male (2006) and Best International Single of the Year (2007) at the Nigerian Entertainment Awards.
In 2008 he moved to Nigeria after the completion of the innovative album Mr. Capable. He had successfully fused R&B with traditional and urban African music and for the first time sang in English and African dialects.
The album spawned hits like Capable, Work U Out and Don't Break My Heart and established him as an entertainer.
In December 2009, Banky W dropped his follow up album in Nigeria, titled The W Experience. It features production from Nigeria's most sought-after talents and showcases Banky W as he combines global R&B/Pop with African rhythms and influences to create a unique sound.
The 15-track album features collaborations from D'Banj, El Dee, 9ice; it also introduces his E.M.E acts, Wizkid and Skales. The first two singles - Strong Ting and Lagos Party - both went to Number 1 on Nigerian terrestrial media platforms as well as on all Pan-African platforms (e.g. MTV Base, Soundcity etc).
He's a published writer, as articles from his blog have been featured in numerous Nigerian newspapers, magazines and websites.
As a philanthropist, he launched the I Am Capable scholarship fund, which provides tuition, room and board at private universities for youth who are in need and meet the grade requirements.
He's also part of the LightupNigeria Project, which is focused on achieving constant electrical power supply in Nigeria, and other charities (e.g. Enough Is Enough Nigeria and Cool2Vote).
An avid proponent of technology and its relevance and use in our society he constantly stays in touch with fans through his social media platforms.
Besides selling millions of records, he has also been successful in many corporate marketing campaigns, having produced, co-produced or been featured prominently in projects like Etisalat's 0809ja Launch, CocaCola-Nigeria's World Cup Waving Flag Theme Song Remix, TomTom Ad campaigns, and Microsoft's Anti-Cyber Crime Initiative.
He is also an accomplished Master of Ceremonies/Host, as he has successfully anchored numerous high profile events such as The HipHop World Awards, Nigerian Breweries Legend Extra Stout Product Launch, the 2face Live Concert, and The Gulder Ultimate Search Celebrity TV Show Launch/Season Finale.
In 2011 he co-hosted the eighth Channel O Music Video Awards.