B Wise

B Wise
B Wise in 2015
B Wise in 2015
Background information
Birth nameJames Iheakanwa
BornLiverpool, New South Wales, Australia
OriginSydney, New South Wales, Australia
GenresHip hop
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • production
Years active2013–present
Labels
Websiteugottabwise.com

James Iheakanwa, known professionally as B Wise, is a Nigerian Australian rapper from Sydney, New South Wales.[1]

He released his debut album Area Famous in 2018 via the label Elefant Tracks.[2][3]

Biography

Iheakanwa was born and raised in Liverpool, New South Wales, the son of a Nigerian social worker and entrepreneur father and an Australian nurse and maternal support worker mother. The eldest of three children, Iheakanwa spent six months in Nigeria with his father when he was 12 years old, where he discovered hip-hop influences such as Tupac Shakur, but he was shaped by life in the southwest suburbs.[4][5]

In July 2022, B Wise formed the group BBGB with BLESSED, Manu Crooks, Kwame and Lil Spacely. BBGB released their debut single "Tough Love" on 15 July 2022.[6]

Advocacy

Alongside musicians Jack River and Ebony Boadu, Iheakanwa was a keynote speaker at the 2019 Conference for Young People in Sydney, in which he shared his experiences of how he got his start in the industry.[7]

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with release date and label shown
Title EP details
Area Famous
jamie
  • Released: 20 August 2021[10]
  • Label: Semi Pro Sound (independent)
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming

Extended plays

List of EPs, with release date and label shown
Title EP details
Semi Pro
  • Released: 23 September 2016[11]
  • Label: Elefant Traks
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming

Charted singles

Singles as lead artist

List of charted singles, with year released, selected chart positions, and album name shown
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
AUS NZ
"Won't Stop"
(with Onefour)[12] 		2020 — —[A] jamie
List of singles, with year released, selected chart positions, and album name shown
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
NZ
"Wonders"
(Swidt featuring Mikey Dam and B Wise)[14] 		2020 —[B]

Notes

  1. ^ "Won't Stop" did not enter the Official New Zealand Music Chart, but did peak at number thirty on the NZ Hot Singles Chart.[13]
  2. ^ "Wonders" did not enter the Official New Zealand Music Chart, but did peak at number thirty-four on the NZ Hot Singles Chart.[15]

Awards and nominations

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's independent music sector.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2019 Area Famous Best Independent Hip Hop/Urban Album Won [16]

APRA Awards

The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters". They commenced in 1982.[17]

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2022 "Ezinna" by B Wise, Sampa The Great & Milan Ring (Nicholas Martin, Milan Ring, Sampa Tembo, Tung Yeng, James Iheakanwa) Song of the Year Shortlisted [18]

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual ceremony presented by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), which recognise excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of the music of Australia. They commenced in 1987.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2021 jamie Best Hip Hop Release Nominated [19]

References

  1. ^ "B Wise The Hip Hop Scene Now Is So Diverse". Redbull.com.
  2. ^ "B Wise Area Famous Racism Lyrics". Triple J.
  3. ^ "B Wise Area Famous Track By Track". Pilerats.
  4. ^ Mathieson, Craig (15 September 2018). "B Wise Shaped By The Burbs Built For Musicians Life". Sydney Morning Herald.
  5. ^ "B Wise Cyclone". The Music. 4 October 2018.
  6. ^ "B Wise, BLESSED, Manu Crooks and more unite as BBGB, drop first song "Tough Love"". NME. 14 July 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  7. ^ "Jack River & B Wise announced as keynote speakers for Feedback Music Conference". The Music. 9 July 2019. Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  8. ^ Gallagher, Allison (2 October 2018). "The debut album from B Wise is a love letter to Western Sydney". Tone Deaf. Archived from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  9. ^ "Area Famous". JB Hi-Fi. 14 September 2018. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  10. ^ Martin, Josh (30 May 2020). "B Wise shares new single 'Think Twice' with Kojey Radical". NME Australia. Archived from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  11. ^ Wilson, Zanda (23 September 2016). "B Wise – 'Semi Pro'". Music Feeds. Archived from the original on 25 April 2017. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  12. ^ Lim, Eddy (4 December 2020). "B Wise teams up with OneFour for party-ready 'Won't Stop'". NME Australia. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  13. ^ "Hot Singles Chart for week of 13 December 2020". Recorded Music NZ. 13 December 2020. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  14. ^ Owens, Henry (21 October 2020). "Premiere: Swidt link with B Wise and Mikey Dam on 'Wonders'". Acclaim Mag. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  15. ^ "Hot Singles Chart for week of 1 November 2020". Recorded Music NZ. 1 November 2020. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  16. ^ "2019 AIR Awards Nominees". Scenestr. 28 March 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  17. ^ "APRA History". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  18. ^ "2022 Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year shortlist revealed!". APRA AMCOS. 3 February 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  19. ^ Kelly, Vivienne (20 October 2021). "ARIA Awards nominees revealed: Amy Shark & Genesis Owusu lead the charge". The Music Network. Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2021.


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