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Mondo.NYC Speaker

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Amaechi Uzoigwe

Amaechi Uzoigwe

Executive, Entrepreneur, Investor, Educator & Philanthropist

Amaechi Uzoigwe is an award-winning creative executive, entrepreneur and investor in with a history of launching successful careers, companies and brands. Over the past 25 years he has established himself as a pioneer and innovator in the creative arts, a champion of artists, a heralded creative marketer, content creator, thought leader and community builder. Currently, as co-manager and business partner of Grammy-nominated & gold-certified hip-hop stars Run the Jewels (EL-P & Killer Mike), Amaechi oversees all aspects of the group's multi-faceted enterprise including music, film & TV, publishing, touring, marketing and e-commerce, plus their apparel, cannabis and technology businesses, and is the managing director of RTJ’s successful craft beer and spirits venture. His work has been the recipient of one Emmy Award, one Cannes Lion, five CLIO Awards and 11 Libera Music Awards, including the only 3x winner of their coveted Marketing Genius trophy. Philanthropically, he’s helped raise $1m+ over the past 5 years to support victims of police violence, legal support for peaceful protesters plus causes empowering women, children, LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities.

His work with RTJ is the culmination of a career-long journey with the group’s co-founder, producer, EL-P, from legendary NYC underground rap trio Company Flow to the iconic independent label Definitive Jux to Run the Jewels. In 2004, Amaechi co-founded the artist and label management group World’s Fair, whose clients included EL-P, J Dilla, Jarvis Cocker, The Flaming Lips, Sharon Jones, Dr. Octagon & The Dandy Warhols, plus indie labels Rough Trade, Daptone, PIAS, Wichita, Bella Union and Chrysalis. That same year he launched the PLUG Independent Music Awards (2004-2008), which featured live performances by St. Vincent, Dizzee Rascal, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Sufjan Stevens, The National, Aesop Rock, Stephen Malkmus, RJD2, Dillinger Escape Plan and more, plus hosts Patton Oswalt, Aziz Ansari and David Cross, and inspired the creation of the Libera Music Awards.

Amaechi’s had the distinct pleasure of working in various capacities with some of the most critically acclaimed and celebrated musical talent of his generation, including EL-P, Killer Mike, Danger Mouse, NAS, Zack de la Rocha, Rick Rubin, OutKast, Eminem, Lil Wayne, Lorde, The Beastie Boys, Radiohead, WizKid, DJ Shadow, Bun B., Jack White, Company Flow, Davido, Saul Williams, Trent Reznor, Josh Homme, Mos Def, Beck, Erykah Badu, Young Thug, TV on the Radio, Just Blaze, Dizzee Rascal, J Dilla, Kool Keith, Matthew Shipp and China Forbes (Pink Martini), plus visual artists Alfonso Cuaron, Spike Lee, Edgar Wright, Michel Gondry, David Lynch, A.G. Rojas, Banksy, Virgil Abloh, PHASE 2, Vulcan, Jermaine Rogers, Titmouse (Rick & Morty), Mike Giant and Beeple.

His latest ventures, Portfolio Africa & Studio A, are focused on representation of African talent in multiple industries, plus IP creation, technology innovation, capacity building and branding of content and talent across the global African diaspora.

He also serves as an advisor to creative companies, brands and hedge funds, plus board of directors for both NYCxDesign and iVoted, and was the founding chairman of trade organization A2IM (American Assoc. of Independent Music). Additionally, he’s on faculty at New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, and most recently was Visiting Industry Professional at Ohio University’s Scripps College of Communication.

Public Speaking invitations include Cannes Lions, Harvard Law School, SXSW, NY Times, San Francisco MusicTech, NYU, University of Michigan, Cardozo Law School, Brooklyn Law School, Drexel University, Ohio University, Berklee School of Music, MIDEM, American Bar Assoc., NY:LON Conference, Grammys/NARAS, RapCon, CLIO Cannabis Awards.

A graduate of the University of Michigan’s College of Literature, Science & the Arts, Amaechi lives in Harlem, NYC with his two daughters, and is currently building a family farm plus launching a philanthropic foundation in his ancestral village of Umunoha, Nigeria. IG: @bigchief_nyc

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