Meet Angie K | Music Executive

We had the good fortune of connecting with Angie K and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Angie, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Growing up, successful representation of black women was not seen outside of my household. The only depictions I had were my mother, sisters and the mainstream black women on my television screen like Oprah Winfrey and Wendy Williams. So naturally I desired to be like them and grew a love for entertainment. Being raised in a predominantly white township, I always knew I was different and having foreign parents led me to live two different lifestyles. My love for music was the main way I could relate. It wasn’t until I attended my university that I was exposed to the opportunities my interest in music could offer professionally. My African parents of course wanted me to be a doctor or lawyer but I knew that whatever I wanted to pursue as a lifetime career needed to provide daily enjoyment, entertainment, constant change and money haha. All in all I strive to be in a position to be successful enough to provide for my family, give back to my native country, Democratic Republic of Congo and hopefully serve as an example for the next generation of creatives.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Whats sets me apart from others was the opportunities I endured to experience several avenues of the music industry. That allowed me to gain skill sets in various areas, grow my network and overall introduced me to the possibilities of the success I would like in the future as a female music exec. I worked within radio, brand partnerships, artist relations, marketing and more. Throughout each experience I gained more knowledge about the business of music which I believe has positively impacted each role I held.

I am most excited about the chance to empower the African music community. To have witnessed the expansion of African music specifically Afrobeats has been amazing. To now be in a position at Audiomack that allows me to collaborate with these artist and make sure they are given a platform to be recognized is fulfilling. It’s important we shine a light on not just the Afrobeats genre but all African music and focus on providing African artists with tools and resources to keep on growing globally and make money.

Prior to my current position in streaming as the Marketing and Brand Strategy Coordinator at Audiomack. I began my career in college radio at my alma mater, William Paterson University as the Hip Hop music director. During college I interned for the Rapfest and Hot 97 The New MVMT as a correspondent and writer. My first label experience was interning for the former Sr manager of Global Marketing at Capitol Records. I later joined the Universal Music Group Brand Partnerships team. I was always thrilled to be working anywhere that involved music, specifically hip hop and shortly after I was fortunate enough to become an intern at Power 105.1 for the Angie Martinez Show.

Nothing came easy. I applied for the Power 105.1 internship 3 times before being accepted. I refused to take no for an answer and while I waited for the opportunity to arise I continued to perfect my craft and build my resume and portfolio. To get to where Im at now I knew I had to network, research and stay consistent. At a point it wasn’t difficult to get into rooms but it was what I did with the opportunity that mattered. I always educated myself on music execs past and present. I positioned myself to always be of value and remain genuine.

I was once told, If you align your work with your purpose thats when great things happen. I keep that lesson with me forever because it is so true. Everyones path is different, there is no blueprint to success. My purpose in life is not to be happy but to be useful. to be honorable, to be compassionate and make a difference because then I will know I have lived and lived well.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I was born and raised in New Jersey, central Jersey to be exact and yes it does exist! In that area I would definitely recommend going to Asbury Park Beach which has a boardwalk with shops and dining. During the summertime its definitely a great vibe. For drinks, my friends and I like to go to Big Shots in Woodbridge. The service there is welcoming. If you’re in the mood for soul food or some seafood you have to visit Cooks Kitchn in Rahway. Central Jersey is the best area to visit because you are only an hour from New York and and hour and a half from Philly. Don’t sleep on it!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate my first shoutout to my family. They have all played an essential role towards my success. My sisters constantly emphasized the importance of internships and mentorship programs within the entertainment industry which allowed me to gain a significant amount of experience and network. They always reassured me of my talent and their encouragement gave me the confidence to take leaps of faith. My brothers introduced me to a world of music which is the reason I have such great taste to this day.

My parents deserve the biggest recognition because they are the reason for the hustle, drive and dedication I put towards my career. They have defeated all odds against them to provide a better life for themselves and an even better life for their children. My success truly comes from them raising me to work 10x harder while never feeling inferior to anyone.

It would be very remiss of me not to shoutout my friends who constantly support me. In moments of doubt or even times of celebration they are always be my side as a source of strength.

Great credit is deserved to all the creatives I have worked with along my journey, from my mentors to colleagues you all have made me better in more ways than one.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/__angiek/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-kabongo/