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With Tyla, Wizkid, Burna Boy and More, UTA’s Early Bet on Afrobeats Has Paid Off
African music has gone global in recent years, and with Tyla, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Ayra Starr and others, UTA has some of the genre's biggest stars.
Asika, whose Echo Location Talent Agency was acquired by UTA in 2021, brought with him a diverse roster that also includes dance and hip-hop, with Alesso, Bugzy Malone, Chase & Status, Davido, Diplo, and Wizkid. “Kudos go to Burna and his team for continuing to invest in something that was not necessarily a given, but when you speak to his mom and manager [Bose Ogulu], you will find out that she always knew,” he adds modestly, since UTA’s belief went a long way as well. Los Angeles-based agent “Mike G” (Guirguis, who also has worked with Young Thug, the Kid Laroi and others) had the Nigerian singer-songwriter on his radar as far back as 2014, when the two met after a performance in South Africa.
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