The Rise of The Afrobeat Scene with Eche Enziga

The Afro-beat scene is now coming of age and we had an opportunity to sit down with Eche Enziga, the founder of Afropolitan SF. He’s spearheading the movement in the bay area with his sights set on the world.  I was actually surprised that our paths had not crossed considering the fact that I’d attended some of his events in Oakland, as it’s my old stomping ground.  It indeed is a small world and here we are - chopping it up from different coasts but doing it for the culture.
 
Can you give us a small intro of who you are, and when you came to the US? 

My Name is Eche and I’m originally from Nigeria. I moved to California  in 2006 with my family. I was 17.

What was your experience especially moving here at such a young age?

I went through a unique assimilation process when I was uprooted from my first school where most of my friends were Nigerian or African American to a private high school. I was the only black kid in the school. It was quite an experience because you had other kids asking funny questions about your background and not knowing how to place you. I almost felt that I had to represent all blackness, from the Caribbean to African to African American. It was crazy because I felt that I was the representation of what it means to be black. Looking back on it though, that experience actually shaped how I was able to do events because I was able  to internalize what it feels like to be an outsider, while also understanding what it means to be an insider.

It allowed me to view things from different perspectives. For example, when it came to music, I was able to identify with my African American brothers and sisters, people from the Caribbean and also from my African background and I had to know their music because growing up in the bay, you were exposed to that diversity.  Later on, I finished my Masters from San Francisco State and now I’m on to UC Hastings College of the Law.

Wow a Masters Degree and a Law degree in the making - those are some big things for sure. I remember when I was in the bay area from 2009 to 2015 and the Afrobeat scene was not as huge. What made you start Afropolitan SF?

Actually just to put it in context, the reason I wanted to start Afropolitan SF - at least for me - is that the bay area is a special place where I met people from a huge diverse African presence such as  Kenya, Ethiopia, Mali, Senegal and much more. When I throw a party or an event, I always like to learn and meet people from different cultures. For me, Afropolitan SF as a brand was a representation of that diversity in culture, and that’s how the name Afropolitan SF was born.

Afropolitan SF Mr Eazi Event
 
 

What was the lightbulb moment that brought about the inception of Afropolitan SF?

I’ve been doing events for a while since 2011. We brought artists such as P-square and Two Face to the bay area and also did the Nigerian Independence day events. At the time though, I never really used my name as the brand - we just put together great events. It actually got to the point where we were doing four events a year and it felt more like a hobby rather than a career and I needed to get inspired. The lightbulb moment was in 2016. We were doing events at Caribbean city under Royal entertainment and one of the owners got into a spot called level 13. He then suggested to have an overall Afrobeat scene. At the time, Afrobeat music was already popping. The idea of getting different cultures under one Afrobeat scene not just in events but in music and travel was an idea that inspired me into action to create Afropolitan SF. It made sense and we launched in August 2016.

What sets Afropolitan SF apart from other networking events in your area?

I would say paying attention to every single detail. We actually did our first event of the year last week called “Welcome to Wakanda: The Royal Ball” for the Black Panther screening. Our goal was to create a real production for the event. We actually had four different professional photographers snapping photos of our event goers dressed in their best cultural attire. We wanted to create an event that brand sponsors would love to be associated with, so we paid attention to every single detail that needed to get done, and every single event goer needs were catered for.

The end result was an unforgettable  experience for our event goers and sponsors that would be remembered for years to come. You are always as good as your next event and we strive to do better each time.  Another major aspect of Afropolitan SF is Travel. We actually took a group of 100 Nigerians back home to visit and discover what Nigeria as a tourist destination had to offer. Our goal is to present Africa as the premier travel destination from luxury safaris in Kenya to the beaches of Zanzibar. There is no reason to vacation in Mexico when Africa has so much more to offer - this is the real “Wakanda”. The black travel industry is an underserved segment with a massive potential and we hope to create an impact in it.  

Afropolitan SF New Years' Eve 2018

What are some of the obstacles or challenges you’ve experienced through your Afropolitan SF journey?

Oh God if I told you the missteps and mistakes I made, it would make you go crazy. When we first started, we decided to get all the best promoters together and do Afropolitan. Slowly though, we came to learn a lesson. Just because something looks good on paper does not mean it will translate to real life. You know how us African sometimes think like - to build a perfect soccer team you just add Ronaldo, Messi and Kaka and it would be a hit! After a while you come to understand that while everyone is very talented, perhaps they are not perfect for that particular event or moment.

There’s a human element when dealing with people and everyone is different and unique. Imagine playing politics with even the simple decisions or perhaps one person has an issue with another person in your camp. As an event promoter I had to learn how to cater to these unique personalities and focus on connecting people. I believe that that is my talent. I can say that I have been blessed by the fact that people have stuck with me through this journey.

Afropolitan SF Event Bay Area

What are your greatest achievements for Afropolitan SF so far ?

I’ve had a couple of great events but in December 2016 I was in Lagos, Nigeria and Mr Eazi was having his first Lagos concert. My cousin got me backstage and we watched him perform and in my mind I knew that we needed him for an event in the bay. In that moment, I literally pictured him performing at our event, the venue, how many people would be walking through our doors and how every detail would play out. Come 2017, we bring him over and he performs exactly as I had thought that he would perform. We had 800 plus people attend and it was a massive success. In an event of this magnitude, many things can go wrong but on that day we had zero issues from top to bottom. The artist was professional, the crowd loved it and the event went on without a single hitch. That was an amazing day for our team.

Do you plan on expanding outside the bay or internationally?

We went to Lagos this December and hosted a rooftop party at Mega Plaza which was our first international event as Afropolitan SF. Our goal is to push the brand into new territories - whether it’s Kenya, Ethiopia or the beaches of Zanzibar. Our goal is to get there and deliver new experiences for our audiences.

What advice would you give to other diasporans on cultivating and following your dreams?

I would say that if it’s a business, you have to be a professional mostly because a lot of people get into this business for the wrong reasons. Some get in for the chics, others for popularity and some simply for the money. It’s important to understand that you are in the people business and falling out with one person can have a domino effect and lead to your having issues with every person that the individual knows. As long as you always have good customer service, stay attentive to your client’s needs and remain humble, people will respect you.

What are your long term goals?

Our long term goal is to have a presence in as many places as possible on the Afrobeat Event scene and travel space by delivering memorable experiences both locally and internationally. 

Afropolitan SF Mr Eazi Event

I could go on talking to Eche for a long time  since he has such a progressive mind and vision for the African diaspora but we were limited on time. The rebranding of Africa has reached a tipping point. If the surge of the Afrobeat scene as a global ambassador of African culture is any indication that black excellence is on the rise, then my friends Wakanda is real and it’s here. Eche Enziga is definitely someone to watch out for in the Afrobeat and Travel Scene.

You can follow these links to connect with  Afropolitan SF on social media

Website: http://www.afropolitansf.com/

Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/afropolitansf
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afropolitansf/
 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Afropolitansf/