Anokute to IDJ

CHRIS CROSSES: Chris Anokute, best known for his A&R work with Katy Perry and Kelly Rowland as well as his music publishing accomplishments, has been appointed Senior Vice President, A&R, for Island Def Jam Music Group by EVP/Head of A&R Karen Kwak, to whom he’ll report. Anokute’s career began when he was still a teenager with an internship in Def Jam’s A&R admin dept. He managed songwriter Alisha “Mjestie” Brooks, brokering a co-publishing deal with Grammy-winning producer Vada Nobles which resulted in Rihanna’s breakthrough hit, “Pon de Replay.” He was hired at Virgin/EMI as Sr. Director A&R by Jason Flom, where he worked on Joss Stone’s debut album then signed Katy Perry, for whom he handled the A&R on her first two, multi-platinum albums. Anokute then moved to Universal Motown as SVP A&R, working closely with Sylvia Rhone, and handling A&R for Kelly Rowland's first album for the label, Here I Am, which included the #1 single “Motivation” (featuring Lil Wayne). Most recently, Anokute was SVP A&R at Universal Republic. (12/8p)