Ckrowd, Africa’s most preferred and premium content streaming platform, has today announced the appointment of celebrated music & entertainment lawyer, Akinyemi Ayinoluwa, and Music Licensing Consultant, Elle Erinle to the organisation Board of Advisors, effective April 7, 2022. Ms. Erinle and Mr Ayinoluwa will both serve the board and operate in the function of venture partners.
“We are pleased to welcome Elle and Akinyemi to the always expanding Ckrowd family and our Board,” said Kayode Adebayo, chief executive officer of Ckrowd. “Their deep experience in high-technology, music, entertainment and intellectual property rights across pan-African, Diasporan and global entertainment business with strong regulatory oversight will be invaluable to Ckrowd as we grow our business and pursue our mission to serve content creators, as they express themselves and monetise their contents.”
The African and Diasporan content creation industry has evolved into a globally recognised one, however, Ckrowd understand that the main subjects of the creative industries, the creators, must also benefit globally and locally. Thus, these appointments will contribute to provide greater insight on how creators can effectively copyright and monetise their creations.
Elle Erinle
Elle Erinle is a music professional with a focus on Music licensing with PRS for Music. She is currently a lecturer in music copyright at Notting Hill Academy of Music – founded by Relentless Records and founder of Laude London- where she provides label services including sync licensing, PR and A&R. She also leads the music publishing team and enthusiastic about educating artists royalties branding and how to monetise theirs sounds beyond streams. Her clients include many top Nigerian Afrobeats labels and artists.
Elle commented:” I am delighted to share my knowledge on music management, royalties and administration. By joining Ckrowd, I will be able to positively impact Africa and the Diaspora music and entertainment industry from a grassroot level. I am looking forward to educating creators and artists on royalties, branding and how to effectively monetise their sound beyond streams. I also want to support them to understand available pathways to help them carve a sustainable and long-lived career.”
Akinyemi Ayinoluwa
Akinyemi Ayinoluwa is a Partner and co-founder at HighTower Solicitors and Advocates. His music law practice focuses on the representation of recording artists, songwriters, record producers, record labels, investors in music, and talent managers. He is often recommended as a lawyer who breathes, drinks and eats music.
Akinyemi’s past legal experience includes Associate at Wemimo Ogunde & Co and Awokoya & Co. Prior to qualifying as a lawyer, he was a songwriter, recording artist, composer and performer; he was the lead singer of the defunct 100 degrees boy band.
He has authored numerous articles in the field of music law, estate planning, commercial transactions, and regularly gets invited to deliver speeches and courses about these subjects. Akinyemi also functions in the capacity of business manager, as well as their lawyer, when working on a number of clients. In recent years, Akinyemi has built up a formidable roster of hit making producer clients from Afrobeats: Masterkraft, Blaq Jerzee, Northboi, Rexxie, Magicsticks, Jaypizzle, Andre Vibes, Larry Lanes, Tuzi, Niphkeys, and many others. He prides himself in helping clients understand the value of their intellectual property rights and to be mindful of the exploitation that is rampant in the industry.,
Akinyemi’s zeal and passion for education has also caused him to design educational resources for record producers and beatmakers. There is a first instalment called the ‘Secure the bag program for record producers and beatmakers’.
He said: “I am excited to be associated with a well strategically positioned organisation such as Ckrowd, whose vision is to champion the course of content creators on the African continent and globally. I believe that they will usher-in a new dispensation that adequately protects and compensates creators for their creation and the community they have built.”
Over the last months, Ckrowd has seen dramatic organic growth and has also expanded its existing technology platforms with software updates and leveraging on the knowledge of its advisory board members. These implementations demonstrate the company’s commitment to building best-in-class, proprietary technology and content creation solutions that will benefits creators glocally.