SVP, A&R - Island Def Jam Music Group

Mr. Anokute was still a teenager in 2001 when he began his career in music with an internship in the A&R Administration Department at Def Jam Recordings. Soon he was managing songwriter Alisha ‘Mjestie’ Brooks, where he brokered a co-publishing deal for her with Grammy Award winning producer Vada Nobles.  Their first writing collaboration resulted in “Pon de Replay,” the debut worldwide smash hit by Rihanna. The song’s success in 2005 led Mr. Anokute to Virgin/EMI Records, whose Chairman & CEO Jason Flom offered him a consultancy that quickly led to Mr. Anokute’s appointment as Senior Director of A&R.  His first project was the 2007 hit album, Introducing Joss Stone.  He and Mr. Flom then signed Katy Perry, and Mr. Anokute handled A&R for her first two multi-platinum Capitol albums, One of The Boys (2008) and Teenage Dream (2010), which collectively yielded eight #1 singles, and worldwide sales of more than 40 million singles and albums collectively.  In 2011, Mr. Anokute moved to Universal Motown as SVP, A&R.  There he worked closely with Motown President Sylvia Rhone, and handled A&R for Kelly Rowland's first album for the label, Here I Am, which included the #1 single “Motivation” (featuring Lil’ Wayne).  Mr. Anokute is now the Senior Vice President, A&R for Island Def Jam Music Group.