From Small Rooms to Global Stages
What started as a dream became a mission to uplift artists, audiences, and the continent
that raised me.
Early Life and Roots
Dr. King SMADE was born in Lagos, Nigeria, in Isolo Local Government, in 1984. As the first son in a family of thirteen, leadership and responsibility were part of his daily life from a young age.
His childhood moved between the city and his village, where he watched masquerade festivals, street performances and traditional celebrations. These early encounters sparked a lifelong love for culture, music and bringing people together.
His father founded the original SMADE brand in the year he was born. The SMADE-branded car in this photo symbolised legacy, entrepreneurship and pride in identity. Those seeds shaped the man he would later become.
Even as a quiet and creative child, he always welcomed guests with water, food or a seat. Service was his nature from the start, and it would later define his leadership across entertainment, culture and community.
The First Vision - Starting In Events
This is the era when Afrobeats was not yet welcomed on big stages. SMADE began in living rooms and small clubs, taking early risks, building trust with the community, and creating the foundations of a full ecosystem.
In a time when being African was mocked, SMADE turned small flats in Kings Cross into safe spaces for young Africans. Music, food and community turned those nights into the first heartbeat of a new culture.
Clubs said Afrobeats was not commercial. Some nights lost money. SMADE still booked rooms, printed flyers, and walked the streets to sell tickets by hand, betting on the sound and the people.
Co promoting D’banj at Indigo2 proved Afrobeats deserved major venues. It showed artists, labels and fans that this music could move thousands, not just a small room.
With no roadmap and no institutional backing, SMADE focused on structure: professional production, artist care, security, and brand partnerships that took the scene seriously.
One of the earliest multi artist Afrobeats shows on a legendary UK stage, with stars like Wizkid, P Square, Davido, Ice Prince and Flavour across editions. The culture had walked into the mainstream lights.
Through consistency, service and discipline, SMADE earned deep trust from artists and audiences. Long before arenas and global festivals, the mindset was already ecosystem builder, not one night promoter.
The era of landmark tours, sold-out London nights and the shows that turned Afrobeats from scene to global movement.
The moment Afrobeats became a world movement — and SMADE became a global cultural architect.
From stadiums and beach festivals to intimate lounges and citywide missions, this era traces how SMADE helped take Afrobeats from regional stages to a truly global platform.
Afro Nation Portugal 2019 — The Beginning of a Global Movement
Starboy Fest, London
Mayorkun Live in Concert
Teni The Entertainer — The Billionaire Experience
SMADE Lounge Opening
Yam Carnival, London
Ruger Live at SMADE Lounge
Cassper Nyovest @ SMADE Lounge
Zlatan Live
Stonebwoy — Anloga Junction UK Tour
Blaqbonez @ SMADE Lounge
Wizkid — Made in Lagos Tour UK
Afro Nation Puerto Rico
Afro Nation Portugal 2022
Afro Nation Ghana 2022
Afro Nation Miami
Afro Nation Portugal 2023
Detroit Press Run & State Mission
Africa Centre London Partnership
Afro Nation Portugal 2024
Cultural Leadership Era
Cultural & Diplomatic Missions
A closing chapter of this era — documenting pilgrimages, city missions and high-level engagements across Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the Caribbean.
Mecca — 40th Birthday Pilgrimage
At 40, SMADE travelled to Mecca with his father to complete Umrah — a journey he had long dreamed of making with both parents. Carrying his late mother’s memory with him, this pilgrimage became a moment of reset and gratitude, grounding his next chapter of leadership in faith and reflection.
Rwanda — Healing, Legacy & Youth
Hosted by Coach Gael, this mission explored Rwanda’s journey from trauma to transformation. From the Kigali Genocide Memorial and learnings on independence, to time with the Sherrie Silver Foundation where school fees were pledged for children, the trip bridged remembrance, youth investment and the power of sport, music and nightlife as tools of national pride and soft power.
Dubai — Enish Expansion Mission
Invited by Enish, a Nigerian restaurant brand he has supported from the beginning, SMADE visited their Dubai location to experience the expansion first-hand and explore future partnerships. A special birthday appearance at VII Dubai connected with the diaspora community and reinforced Dubai’s role as a key node in Afrobeats, African cuisine and global nightlife.
Dubai — Nightlife, Partners & Soft Power
Returning to Dubai, SMADE combined hosting duties and club appearances with strategic meetings across venues, promoters and potential brand partners. The mission deepened relationships within the city’s entertainment landscape and positioned Afrobeats as a complete cultural offering — from dining to nightlife, not just a sound.
Africa Fashion Week — Made in Africa Runway
At Africa Fashion Week London, SMADE walked the runway with Made in Africa, aligning himself with a new wave of designers centring African aesthetics on global stages. It was a symbolic moment — moving from behind the scenes as a promoter to being visibly part of the story of African luxury, design and identity.
Arsenal TV — Culture, Community & Football
On Arsenal TV, SMADE spoke about culture, community and the rise of Afrobeats, bridging the worlds of football and music. The conversation framed stadiums and stages as shared cultural temples, and brought African creative leadership into a mainstream British sports context.
Lamu — Imagining Afrotourism Futures
In Lamu, SMADE shot an editorial with 54 Mag set against Swahili architecture and the Indian Ocean. The mission framed African destinations as cinematic and aspirational on their own terms, opening up conversations around sustainable Afrotourism, heritage preservation and travel that honours local communities rather than consuming them.
Lagos — KAP Village & Film Festival
In Lagos, SMADE attended the launch of KAP Village and a film festival celebrating Nigerian cinema. Alongside screenings and creative gatherings, he held high-level meetings with state politicians and cultural leaders on infrastructure, policy and long-term investment in Nigeria’s creative industries.
Addis Ababa — Culture, Trade & Aviation
SMADE’s first visit to Addis was designed as a deep dive into Ethiopia’s cultural and diplomatic landscape — from Unity Park, the National Palace and Adwa Memorial to meetings with the tourism office, Midroc Ethiopia, a leading agency and Ethiopian Airlines. Media appearances on Sheger FM and EBS TV, jazz bars and nightlife made this a fully rounded cultural diplomacy mission.
Algiers — Creative Trade & CANEX
In Algiers, SMADE spoke at the CANEX Programme during the Intra-African Trade Fair, sharing insights on Afrobeats, festivals and the creative economy as engines of intra-African trade. High-level meetings with government and trade stakeholders framed culture as a serious pillar of economic and diplomatic strategy.
London — Meetings with Mayor of Barking & Dagenham
In meetings with the Mayor of Barking and Dagenham, SMADE explored how African culture, events and youth programmes can support local economies and community cohesion. The discussions connected nightlife, creative skills and diaspora networks to borough-level policy and opportunity.
Switzerland — Capital & Cultural Infrastructure
In Switzerland, SMADE engaged with business leaders and institutional partners interested in Africa’s creative and entertainment sectors. Conversations focused on investment, tourism and long-term partnerships, positioning Afrobeats and African culture at the centre of global growth discussions.
Africa Week — Panel & Strategic Partnerships
During Africa Week, SMADE joined key panels and partnership conversations centred on trade, innovation and the creative industries. His contributions positioned cultural entrepreneurs alongside policymakers and investors, underscoring the creative economy’s central role in Africa’s future.
Honorary Doctorate — Culture as Nation-Building
SMADE received an Honorary Doctorate for over two decades of work championing African culture, building ecosystems and connecting Africa to the world through live experiences. The moment affirmed that entertainment and culture are not side industries, but core to nation-building and international influence.
Africa Centre — Creative Industry Symposium
At the Africa Centre’s Creative Industry Symposium, SMADE shared insights from the frontline of touring, festivals and nightlife. Speaking alongside policymakers and funders, he helped shape conversations about infrastructure, policy and support for African creative ecosystems.
Land Rover — Black History Month Panel
On Land Rover’s Black History Month panel, SMADE spoke about legacy, leadership and how brands engage Black communities beyond seasonal campaigns. The session brought the language of cultural responsibility and equity into a global corporate context.
UK Trade Africa Expo — Creative Bridges
At the UK Trade Africa Expo, SMADE engaged in discussions and networking focused on trade, investment and creative collaboration between the UK and African markets. He advocated for festivals, events and cultural platforms to be treated as core components of trade strategy, not side attractions.
Zimbabwe — Tourism & Creative Diplomacy Mission
This mission deepened work across Harare, Kariba and Victoria Falls, spotlighting Zimbabwe as a key Afrotourism destination. From community engagements and business meetings to aerial views over the Falls, the journey explored how storytelling, festivals and cultural experiences can drive tourism and economic development.
Barbados — GUBA Awards & Africa–Caribbean Bridge
In Barbados, SMADE joined the GUBA Awards as a speaker and cultural delegate, hosting panels with education ministers and meeting with the Prime Minister around Africa–Caribbean cooperation. The mission strengthened cultural and diplomatic ties, positioning festivals, storytelling and youth opportunity at the heart of Africa–Caribbean collaboration.
Turn this legacy into your next cultural moment.
If you’re ready to put Africa, Afrobeats and the creative economy at the centre of your story, partner with Dr. King SMADE for your next keynote, panel, festival, trade mission or city initiative.