DJ Banko: ‘Sunderland Deserves Big African Music Experiences Too’

Q.What made you bring 2Baba to Sunderland?

A.Bringing 2Baba to Sunderland was about more than booking a big artist. We wanted to create a moment for the community, something people could genuinely look forward to and remember. 2Baba represents a generation of music and memories for so many people. His songs have travelled across Africa, the UK and around the world, so we knew his music could connect different generations and cultures. For us, it was also about showing what is possible in Sunderland. You shouldn’t always have to travel to London, Birmingham or Manchester to experience major African talent. Sunderland has an audience, it has energy, and it deserves big experiences too.

Q.Sunderland isn’t usually the first place people think of when they think about Afrobeats. How did you get people to come out?

A.We never looked at Sunderland and thought, “There isn’t an audience here.” We looked at it and thought, “The audience just needs something worth coming out for.” Over time, Banko Fam Jam has built a community rather than simply a customer base. We call our supporters Family because that’s genuinely how we see them. We listen to them, understand the music they want and create experiences around that. The support has grown through word of mouth, social media, previous events and, most importantly, trust. The 2Baba event was the result of that relationship. People believed that if Banko Fam Jam was putting it on, it was going to be something worth attending.

Q.You call your supporters the “Family”. What does that mean to you?

A.It’s about making people feel that they are part of something. We’ve organised Afrobeats, Amapiano, Dancehall and R&B events, and each one has helped us build relationships with people. We don’t want people to feel like they’re simply buying a ticket and attending an event. We want them to feel connected to the brand and to each other. That relationship gave us the confidence to take on an event like 2Baba.

Q.Why did 2Baba feel like the right artist for Sunderland?

A.His music crosses generations. From his Plantashun Boiz days to his solo career, he has been part of Nigerian music for decades. His songs mean different things to different people. You have people who grew up listening to him, and then you have younger people discovering his music and his collaborations. That made him a good fit for what we were trying to do.

Q.What was the hardest part of bringing an artist like 2Baba to Sunderland?

A.A show of that level has many moving parts, and most of what happens behind the scenes is invisible to the audience. From artist logistics and hospitality to security, production, sound, timings, ticketing and crowd management, every department has to work together. When you’re working with an artist of 2Baba’s stature, there is a different level of professionalism and attention to detail. His team had their own expectations around production, hospitality, security and the artist experience, and we worked closely together to make sure everything was in place. The final result was a combination of their experience and our understanding of the local audience.

Q.Who do you see as the Banko Fam Jam audience?

A.Africans, people from the Caribbean, British people, students, young professionals and people from every background. We don’t see Banko Fam Jam as something exclusively for Africans. One of the things we’re most proud of is that our events are not about creating a divide. We want people from different backgrounds to come together because music is the common language.

Q.What did the response to the 2Baba show tell you about the audience here?

A.It tells us that the appetite is absolutely there. People want to see themselves, their culture and their music represented where they live. They want spaces where they can celebrate their culture while also sharing it with everyone around them. But I think it goes beyond the African diaspora. The response showed us that people in the North East are ready for bigger and more diverse experiences. Sunderland has a community that will support you when you give them something they can believe in.

Q.Was the 2Baba show a turning point for Banko Fam Jam?

A.It was a major milestone for us, but it isn’t the destination. We want Banko Fam Jam to become a brand people associate with quality, culture, community and good experiences. We want to continue bringing established international artists to Sunderland, but we also want to create opportunities for emerging artists, DJs, creatives and businesses in the region. Sunderland is growing as an events city, and we want Banko Fam Jam to be part of that.

Q.Fans have already mentioned Leicester and other cities. Are you looking at taking it elsewhere?

A.We’re definitely listening to the Family. The response has given us confidence to think bigger, but we don’t want to rush the process. Every event has to make sense for the audience and for the city. Sunderland will remain very important to us because this is where Banko Fam Jam has grown and where the relationship with our Family was built. At the same time, we’re looking at opportunities beyond Sunderland. Leicester and other UK cities are definitely interesting conversations, particularly where there are strong communities who want the same kind of experience.

Q.What’s the bigger ambition for Banko Fam Jam?

A.The bigger picture is simple. We want to keep growing without losing what made Banko Fam Jam special in the first place. We want to show artists and their teams that Sunderland is a serious market and that there is a real audience here. We want to continue bringing quality artists and experiences to the North East, while supporting local talent and creating opportunities for creatives and businesses. 2Baba was a major milestone, but for us, it’s truly about what comes next.