Khuani Kofi doesn’t claim nor represent any specific area or city but you will often hear him mention local cities he is formal with such as Los Angeles, CA and Inglewood, CA the only two places he has lived up until the age of 25. A son of a Singer, Teacher, African Dancer/ teacher, Art and Crafts instructor: Imani Afi and Master African Djembe Drummer / teacher and musician, Jamaiel Shabaka. Both were known in their local Leimert Park community as such. Kofi In 2005-06 worked on many different projects with many different artists and producers, many whom he still associates with till this day. In that same year he interned for a record company based in Inglewood called, Birmingham Entertainment. In the year of 2006 about 5-6 projects were completed and circling the streets with his stamp on it. Working from his own equipment and associations helped him get a better grasp on his direction in life. If you ask Mr. Kofi a question about a significant story. He would bring up the time his house burned down and he had to move from Los Angeles to Inglewood. Wo’se Kofi appeals and captures the crowds attention with his style and presence.
In March 2007 he did his first show at the Airliner Club in Downtown, LA. Following that he got a steady gig as a hip hop Freestyle Host at a Bar N’ Grill in Hollywood called, “The Hip Hop Cafe”. He has always been active in the community participating in non- profit organization, hip hop shows for the community, fundraisers and a history of African Drumming for years since a kid being at Leimert Park Village, CA. On his journey he has worked with many local artists and has performed at places in Los Angles like:
Viper Room, Sharon Theater, Hip Hop Cafe Bar N’ Grill, The Airliner Bar, Kaos Network, The Roxy, Inglewood Bar N‘ Grill, The Dragon Fly, LMU (Loyola Marymount University), Earle’z Grill and many more local open mic spots. The reason that many of this was possible for Wo’se Kofi. Much of it had to do with his attitude and positive aura.
The street life outside of school and the home detoured him from African drumming and more towards his Hip Hop career as time went on. By time 2008 he was doing mostly Hip Hop performances. He dropped his first official mixtape, “A New Day”, in 2010 on datpiff.com, and completed his first two music videos in 2011, posted on youtube.
“Build On Movement”
“Rat Race”
In March 2007 he did his first show at the Airliner Club in Downtown, LA. Following that he got a steady gig as a hip hop Freestyle Host at a Bar N’ Grill in Hollywood called, “The Hip Hop Cafe”. He has always been active in the community participating in non- profit organization, hip hop shows for the community, fundraisers and a history of African Drumming for years since a kid being at Leimert Park Village, CA. On his journey he has worked with many local artists and has performed at places in Los Angles like:
Viper Room, Sharon Theater, Hip Hop Cafe Bar N’ Grill, The Airliner Bar, Kaos Network, The Roxy, Inglewood Bar N‘ Grill, The Dragon Fly, LMU (Loyola Marymount University), Earle’z Grill and many more local open mic spots. The reason that many of this was possible for Wo’se Kofi. Much of it had to do with his attitude and positive aura.
The street life outside of school and the home detoured him from African drumming and more towards his Hip Hop career as time went on. By time 2008 he was doing mostly Hip Hop performances. He dropped his first official mixtape, “A New Day”, in 2010 on datpiff.com, and completed his first two music videos in 2011, posted on youtube.
“Build On Movement”
“Rat Race”
Leimert Park Village
Our founder Wo'se Kofi helped start the Leimert Park Art Walk out of incubator meeting in 2010 and from that grew an Art Walk that happens in South Los Angeles every last Sunday and it has been a major community anchor preserves the African culture. A Nu Dae looks for the younger generation to work and gain experience. Some skills they would learn or be able to work on are: communication, video editing, customer service, fundraising and more...
A 5-week experiment at the cutting edge of transmedia, remixed technology, and neighborhood storytelling. Each design team of 3-5 people articulates a new mix of cultural preservation, edge artists and emerging business.
Wo'se Kofi: I was excited to be a part of this Leimert Phone Company. Being one who was there since the beginning, it is amazing to see what we have accomplished thus far with little to no funding. What we have been able to come up with are prototypes and ideas which have allowed us to travel and speak about it. Check out the website . |