James BKS

James BKS, born James Edjouma, is a producer, composer, and musician who has forged his own path in music while honoring the legacy of his father, legendary Cameroonian saxophonist and composer Manu Dibango.

What makes James BKS's story particularly interesting is that he didn't grow up with Dibango. Raised in France by his mother and adoptive father, James only connected with Manu Dibango as an adult, after already establishing himself in the music industry.

As a producer, James has worked with the likes of Diddy, Talib Kweli, and French rapper Booba. This reunion with his biological father sparked a musical rebirth for James. While he had been successful producing hip-hop in the United States, reconnecting with Dibango inspired him to explore his Cameroonian roots and incorporate African sounds into his production.

James BKS's music serves as a bridge between generations and genres. His track "Kwele," featuring Dibango himself alongside Allan Kingdom and Manu's longtime collaborator Marthe, perfectly exemplifies this fusion of traditional Cameroonian elements with contemporary production techniques.

Through his label Grown Kid Records, James continues to develop artists and projects that blend African musical traditions with global sounds, much as his father did with his groundbreaking hit "Soul Makossa" in the 1970s.