Modern African music is rapidly on the rise. With the popularity of Afrobeats growing worldwide because of artistic giants like Wizkid, Burna Boy, and Davido, the entertainment industry in the United States is opening up to Afrocentric culture.
From connecting Shatta Wale to Essence.com for an interview to working with M.anifest for the NMAAM’s article ‘Hip Hop Around the Globe’, Richardine Bartee has worked with Ghanaian artists be seen on mainstream platforms in the US this year. The New York City-native publicist to the stars has dreams of bringing Africa to the world stage, and she’s been successful.
With family roots in Liberia and being born in the world’s melting pot, the New Yorker understands African culture and knows how to translate and make it easy for the American audience to consume. This month, Ghana-based newspaper—The Business & Financial Times—put her on its cover. In her interview, she gives tips on how to achieve mainstream success, and when to approach international media outlets.
The Recording Academy member has worked with artists like Ckay, Davido, DJ Spinall, Eddy Kenzo, Oxlade, Peruzzi, Shatta Wale, etc., on traditional and digital marketing, brand partnerships (commercial and luxury), radio PR, landing mainstream US press, securing tour sponsorships, and more. In October when the #EndSARS movement in Nigeria began, she was one of the first—if not the first publicist—to write and distribute a press release to media outlets in America, Africa, Canada, and other territories. Richardine used Nigerian radio and television personality Sheila O’s interview with Wizkid on ‘How Far with Sheila O’ as the focus to highlight the issue.
This year, the businesswoman connected and collaborated with music news website iMullar, based in Accra, Ghana on an Apple Music playlist called ‘RATED’. She pitched for Shatta Wale to participate in the company’s first artist-curated playlist ever. Through her relationship with iMullar Founder and CEO Maxwell Adjavon, she learned about Kiddblack and Gasmilla. When promoting the two interviews with the two Ghanaian artists, it became local headline news.
In 2021, she wants to continue to bring more exposure to African artists during the coronavirus pandemic by interviewing them on Instagram Live, covering new music releases on her website, and offering consultations to artists that want to learn business acumen and what to expect.
Starting in January, all African artists can exclusively pitch their content through her website: https://grungecake.com/contact-us.
Connect with Richardine on Instagram and Twitter.
Source: DCLeakers.com
