Cobhams Asuquo is a Nigerian musician, producer, and songwriter. He is the Founder/CEO of Vintage Gray Media. He was once a songwriter at Sony/ATV UK.
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Cobhams Asuquo Background
Cobhams Emmanuel Asuquo was born on the 6th of January 1981. He started his academic training as a lawyer, before diverting into music, which is a passion he had always nurtured.
Cobhams Asuquo married Ojuolape Veronica Olukanni on the 2nd of December 2010, and the couple is blessed with two children.
Cobhams Asuquo Career
Music has always been a part of Asuquo. As a child, Cobhams would play blues, and whistle along. Also, the sound of a piano and radio used to make him happy.
Cobhams describes his sound as honest because he loves making music with no strings attached. He makes different genres of music, including reggae, rock, hip hop, jazz, or country, and he ensures all his songs have a message.
Sony ATV London signed Cobhams as a songwriter in 2005. He also worked at a local label, Questionmark Entertainment, as the Head of Audio Productions, before proceeding to set up his recording company in 2006.
Cobhams Asuquo used to be the CEO/Head of Productions of Cobhams Asuquo Music Productions (CAMP). He established the company in 2008, and the company produced music stars like Bez Idakula, Stan Iyke, and Cobhams himself.
In 2016, Cobhams Asuquo established Vintage Gray Media, an all-around entertainment company. The company’s focus is to discover, nurture, and bring to light great talents. Also, they create different forms of audio content for corporations and the media.
Vintage Gray currently produces a digital radio show, The Cobhams Top 12. The Cobhams Top 12 is a music countdown show which showcases the best new music releases of both famous and upcoming artists.
Cobhams Asuquo Singles
- Ordinary People – 2014
- Star of Wonder – 2015
- Do the Right Thing feat Bez – 2015
- Ordinary People (Video) – 2015
- Stronger Than Before (by Morayo) – 2015
- Boosit featuring Falz – 2016
- The Other Room feat Ugovinna – 2016
- Adore feat Lauretta Cookey and Fome Peters – 2016
- One Hit – 2018
- We Plenti – 2020
Debut Album
- For You – 2017
As A Producer
Cobhams Asuquo rose to international acclaim after he produced Asa’s debut album, Asha, in 2004. Asides from being the producer of the award-winning album, Cobhams also wrote and co-wrote several songs on the album, including the hit singles, Fire on the Mountain, Bibanke, and Jailer.
He also produced several award-winning songs for popular Nigerian music artists such as Banky W, Omawumi, Djinee, Dare Art Alade, Chidinma, Praiz, Timi Dakolo, etc.
The talented artist is also the producer of the 2016 edition of the Rhythm Unplugged show, Hennessy Artistry/R’N’B, and the One Africa Music Fest concert that took place in Barclays Center, New York.
In addition, Cobhams arranges music and performs with bands at international music events.
Some of these events include:
- The Harare International Festival of Arts.
- AFA Sponsored French Cultural Center Concert with Asa and Angelique Kidjo
- AFA Sponsored French Cultural Center Concert in Johannesburg, South Africa
- Nigeria Week in Paris
- Launch of MTV’s 100th channel, MTV Base Africa at Abuja, Nigeria.
Cobhams Work For TV And Film Media
Cobhams is a versatile creative. He didn’t leave out TV and film media. Asuquo has written and arranged a number of film scores for Film and stage performance. Some of his work are:
- A Voice for Ella by Uche Macaulay
- Sunshine (Alpha Vision), Bent Arrows by Isang Awah
- Communication for Change, Bayelsa Silhouettes
Cobhams Asuquo Quotes
“I don’t think I spend a lot of my time thinking about how my life is different. I think I spend my time living my life, and making things work for me in whatever way I can, and work for other people with disabilities using my voice.”
“Our children are perhaps our one big chance at getting it right. They are the light, the dream, the hope for tomorrow. Please let us be our best and give them our best.”
“Dear woman, your worth is more than your looks, more than landing a man…”
“…Above all else, you are a person; a human being first and foremost, with a store of talent, hopes and dreams, valid feelings and desires, and you deserve to be acknowledged and treated with respect on your own merit.”
“You are beautiful no matter your external appearance, you are talented, and you are stronger than you think.”
“My major competition is myself and I try to raise my own bar, break my own record and even when other people are satisfied with it and realize it is not my best, I still want to give it more.”
“You do deserve to be loved just as you are, you are worthy, you are more than pretty.”
“If our elections weren’t important, no one would try to rig it. If we don’t matter, there’d be no campaigns, no bribes, no inducement. We matter…”
“…Give it time, it will grow.”
“Disability is not a barrier to voting. I may be blind but full of vision. My perceived visibility makes me uniquely positioned to share in the vision for a better Nigeria…”
Cobhams Asuquo Awards And Nominations
- Winner at The Future Awards for Producer of the Year – 2006
- Hip-hop World Awards for Producer of the Year – 2007
- Winner at the Nigeria Music Awards (NMA) for Producer of the decade – 2007
- Recipient of LEAP Africa Award for his Creativity, Fortitude, and Exemplary Leadership in the Music Industry – 2007
- The Partnership Awards recipient for Supporting the Worship for Change Concert – 2008
- Nigerian Music Awards (NMA) named him the Producer of the Decade – 2008
- Producer of the Year at the Hip-hop World Awards – 2008
- The Nigerian Award for British Council’s International Young Music Entrepreneur of the year – 2009
- Producer of the Year at The Future Awards – 2009
- Recording of the Year Award at the Headies, for his song Ordinary People – 2014
Entrepreneurial Lessons
Believe in Yourself Regardless
Cobhams Asuquo is one artist who is worthy of emulation. Despite his blindness, Cobhams believed he could still achieve his dreams. So, he worked hard towards achieving it. He never saw his disability as a hindrance to the achievement of his dreams. Today, Cobhams is a source of inspiration to many across the world.
Entrepreneurs should stop seeing the excuses and reasons why things can’t work out. Instead, they should see the possibilities and the light at the end of the tunnel. They need to believe and persevere till the end.
The difference between successful entrepreneur and those who failed in business is, the successful ones decided to try one more time.
Image Credit: @cobhamsasuquo – Instagram
