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ARTIST, BRAND AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY
Stevie Eagle E - Making History
Chances are you have never heard of Stevie Eagle E AKA Eagle E. That's ok. Now is your chance to learn more about what makes Stevie Eagle E a little bit special.
He has made history several times over some of it documented, some of it not.
However the facts speak for themselves.
Check out some of the historical milestones that make Stevie Eagle E who he is today and learn why was so important in creating so much of what we all take so much for granted today.
The list below is not in chronological order.
"I have always felt I was supposed to do something special in life, make noise, make a difference. I grew up will little but I never limited myself or allowed others to limit me. I truly believed then as I believe now that anything I can imagine I can achieve.
When people tell me about some of the things I have already done I am humbled, because I did not think most times I was doing something special. Real people just get on with things, pretenders tend to spend most of their time taking credit for things they did not do.
I get the biggest buzz from my little girl who appreciates what her father has done and wants to try and do great things also."
Stevie Eagle E
Ayi Jihu - China's first independent crossover RnB artist/Celebrity
Discovered, Developed, Mentored and produced by Stevie Eagle E
there has never been a Chinese artist to get to the top of any Western Chart, not a true born mainland Chinese singer. In realizing it's hard to put into context the historic icon created by Stevie Eagle E in Ayi Jihu. Perhaps it becomes more clear when we fact Leslie Loh who got to the top of the Music Week charts in 2007 was the first Chinese Artist to even do that. And guess who produced the track that got her there? Yep Stevie Eagle E (and Doc B).
Ayi Jihu also known as the Chinese Madonna, has reached billions of people worldwide and accomplished many historic things while with Stevie Eagle E. He has guided her to become a gloabl Icon and celebrity and she has not had a hit record, TV Show or film. We have no idea what the future holds for Ayi Jihu but the world is her oyster because of the vision and work and dedication of Stevie Eagle E.
Phat n Funky TV show on BET
Pioneered the modern day Music TV format copied by many.
Long before MTV Base and Yo MTV Raps Stevie Eagle E along with his partner Doc B pioneered music TV broadcasting with their TV Show Phat n Funky aired on BET in the mid 90's.
Asked to come on the show as guest they thrilled so much they were asked to write and produce their own music show which they called Phat n Funky and ran for just over a year on IC3 and BET in the UK. The show instantly became popular as the new fresh presenting style Stevie Eagle E and Doc B brought to TV had not been seen before. The show was only cancelled when BET pulled out of the UK market all together.
It may seem standard now (the style of music TV) when we look at all the music TV shows available to us today, but back in the mid 90's it was completely new and groundbreaking.
"When we were asked to create and present our own music TV show on BET we had no idea what to expect or what we were doing. We also had no experience, but we knew it was a great opportunity and we had to take it. So I spent several weeks developing what I thought would be a good music show playing to our strengths and knowledge as artists and producers rather than as broadcasters. It was an instant success and later on as we saw other channells adpot our format and way of doing things we knew we had started something new and fresh once again. It was a great experience one I hope to have again when I create my own TV shows in the future, which I am working on now. It's a little piece of history that many will never know was started by us, but we know and thats what counts." Stevie Eagle E
London Schools Symphony Orchestra
Stevie Eagle E was one of the first black musicians to play in the London Schools Symphonic and Concert Orchestras
At the age of 15 over 25 years ago Stevie Eagle E (Stephen Ellis) became only the second black person to play in the world-renowned London's Schools Symphony Orchestra. He played percussion and toured with the Orchestra for Just under a year. Restricted by the prohibitive costs of travel and being a part of the Orchestra Stevie Eagle E had to eventually leave. His mother could not afford the cost to keep him involved.
"I was lucky to get into the London's School Symphony Orchestra. The only reason I got in was because my music teacher and Mentor Mr. Neal pulled strings and got me a scholarship to play. I remember thinking when he told me what he had done that I was way over my head and that I could not do it but I did.
Time Radio and Girls FM
Created and ran two of the UK's biggest pirate Radio Stations that directely led to the development of Choice FM and Kiss FM in the UK. The UK's first legal Urban radio stations
1990 saw the first legal urban radio station start broadcasting in the UK. Before that urban music had to be accessed by pirate radio and the biggest and most influential of all urban pirate radio stations was Time Radio. Created and ran by Ronald Amanze, Stevie Eagle E and a few others it became the UK's biggest pirate radio station capturing audiences almost Nationwide at one point.
It was a direct result of the power and reach of Time Radio, a station the authorities repeatedly tried to shut down, that led to the legal Urban radio station being created.
The power of Time radio (Based in Harlesden, London) was such that during the troubled times in the 80's with riots and unrest among the black population of London that the owners were often called on to broadcast messages of calm by the police and the authorities. Time Radio had more control and could reach the community.
Many of the DJ's that were on Choice FM came originally from Time Radio and within a few months of Choice FM going live. Time Radio closed down for good. There has never been a Pirate Radio as large and as Powerful as Time Radio before and since. As now the laws have changed even more and the urban pirate radio stations are small and fractured.
"When we started Time Radio there where dozens of pirate radio stations in London. We just had a bigger vision a grand approach and it worked. It was crazy how influential and powerful we became. I remember having lunches with the head of the police forces and high ranking government officials. They used us to gauge the public opinion or to reach out to the public in times of unrest or social change. It was obvious they were uncomfortable with working with us, but they could not stop us so they had no choice.
The bigger we grew and the more influential we became the more afraid they seemed to get. On one hand, asking us to help them with this and that in the community and on the other trying everything they could to shut us down. We applied many times for a legal license to broadcast, but there was no way they were going to give it to us. We were too black and they could not control us. In the end, they realized the only way to get control was to award a license to someone else. Someone, they had more chance of controlling and this is what they did when they awarded a license to Choice FM. It was crazy. Overnight most of our top DJ' whom we thought were in the struggle with us left and joined Choice FM.
It was a great achievement a moment in history that many in this country do not know about or have forgotten. If it were not for us there might still not be a UK Urban Radio station and now things have gone full circle with Choice being swallowed up by Capital Radio. In the end, they got exactly what they wanted, control of our music, and culture. The death of Time is not just the death of a Radio Station it was the death of reggae and urban music in this country. Now urban music is assigned to the shadows, gone from the mainstream. where it was once a powerhouse and a vibrant part of nightlife and music culture in the UK it is almost gone. At Time Radio we helped make it big and keep it big. A lot of my knowledge and thinking about this industry and staying independent was formed during this time. I realized then that if you want to do something and keep it real, you have to say independent ." Stevie Eagle E
Bringing Rap to the UK
Stevie Eagle E (and then later as Stevie E and the NAN and EEDB Eagle E and Doc B) was one of the pioneers of Rap in the UK touring the UK and Europe from the late 80's well into the millenium performing to huge crowds.
Back in the late 80's and the early 90's Rap was still a bad word in the USA much less in the UK and Europe. Many in the industry feard rappers and the music and it had not even got onto MTV yet. Still Stevie Eagle E was out there doing it and doing it in a big way.
While others will be given the credit (because they had bigger hits) of really breaking rap in the UK and Europe it was acts like Stevie Eagle E who really made it happen.
Touring all around the UK and Europe constantly performing and bringing rap to the people. Many of whom did not even want it or understand it. Stevie Eagle E won over thousands if not hundreds of thousands of fans with his energetic and unique full energy show. He played a significant part in helping Rap becoming more accepted, along with other silent heros who just got on with getting the music out there.
"When we first started touring in the UK it was crazy. There was not a black face anywhere and sometimes in some clubs we got booed or had bottles and glasses thrown at us. Despite this we had a fantastic time and we never reacted with anything other than more music, more love, and more smiles and we won audiences over everywhere we went. In the end, we would have the whole place jumping and the energy was amazing. Once again I was not aware we were doing anything historic or changing the game, for me it was just about the music having fun and doing what I loved to do.
Looking back on it now I realize just how important what we were doing back then was and how it helped open doors for many in the Stevie Eagle E music industry in the UK and all over the world"
Ride the Video
One of the few videos to be broadcast on one of the BBC's longest running shows
GrandStand
One of the UK's longest running (sport) programs Grandstand made the unusual move to play a video and track written and produced by Stevie Eagle E and featuring Stevie Eagle E with 80's Pop icon Princess. This at the time was unprecedented as Grandstand was a show all about sport.
In another one of his audacious moves to proliferate his work and music Stevie Eagle E film his video Ride using some of the top sports personalities of the day. The video included World Superbike Champion Neil Hodgson, World Cup winning Rugby Players, One of the UK's most famous Glamour Models Suzzane Mizzi, DJ Sassy, World Trials Bike Champion Jason Finn and a host of other celebrities.
"Ride was for me a labour of love. After seeing what Dre and Tupac did with California Love I thought to myself I have to try and get somewhat close to that epic video. Bikes are my thing or one of my thing and my bike buddies are known as the Shlepp Riders so I had to use them. Once I figured out the idea and story for the video one thing just led to another and more and more of my friends got involved. We had a great time shooting it. It never had the chart success I would have hoped for but it got a lot of critical acclaim and people still love it today. When we found out they were going to play the video on Grandstand I was shocked but that had never happened before unless it was a football video around the world or European cup. It's a nice bit of Nostalgia." Stevie Eagle E
Big Songs for Little ones and Grown-ups too
Stevie Eagle E created and produced the ground breaking no.1 selling funky kids album that is still the benchmark today for spicing up kids music.
Big songs for little ones (and grown-ups too) has become almost legend in kids music folklore. After refusing for several years to create music for kids Stevie Eagle E finally gave in under the proviso that he could do it his way. That is exactly what he did creating an album for kids that he says enables parents and kids to interact more truly on an artistic and emotional level.
The album was an instant success and still is. In demand all over the world, Big songs have become the no.1 choice for parents in the know who wish to engage their children in dance, and fun with funky nursery rhymes re-done with an RnB, Jazz, and Reggae twist.
The album remained at No.1 on Amazon for over 4 years despite it being twice as much as any other album. It highlights the forward maverick and creative thinking that has made Stevie Eagle E such a unique figure in entertainment for the last 35 years.
Ayi Jihu - First Chinese Artist to perform at the London week of peace
Launched Ayi Jihu to a massive western global Audience by pushing to get her to become the first Chinese artist to perform at the London Week of Peace.
The London Week of Peace is a huge annual event held with various events throughout London and ending with a huge open-air concert in the center of the capital that is broadcast to hundreds of millions of people worldwide.
The aim of the event is to help bring communities together through various activities and entertainment. However before Ayi Jihu performed at this event, no Chinese artist had been involved and the Chinese community remained on the fringes of the community as they seem to do many places they settle outside of China.
Stevie Eagle E saw this void and a great opportunity to launch Ayi Jihu to a huge global Audience made sure she performed at the event. Her spectacular show not only gained her many new fans but it also made history making her the first Chinese artist to perform at the event representing Chinese people in London.
Ayi Jihu - First Chinese Artist to perform at the Brazilian Carnival and record with Tito Jackson
Made history by getting Ayi Jihu to become the first Chinese artist to perform at the Brazilian Carnival
When you tell people no Chinese artist has ever had a top 10 hit in the West many are quite shocked. The truth is Chinese artists have made little impact into the Western pop music scene despite having huge and talented artists and performers back home.
That is what made Ayi Jihu so unique. Stevie Eagle E saw that the combination of her communications skills, stunning good looks and talent would allow her to do things no other Chinese artist has ever been able to do and hopefully change the perceptions of many.
One of the many historic achievements Stevie Eagle E was able to pull off with Ayi Jihu was getting her to perform at the Official Brazil carnival. PSY became the first Asian artist to ever do so only the year before in 2013 and Ayi Jihu became the first Chinese Artist to do so in 2014.
Once again Stevie Eagle E showed his ability and skill for pulling off the impossible. PSY got invited after having a worldwide smash hit. Ayi Jihu was invited and she has had no such trophy to show.
The diplomacy, creativity, marketing, and Stevie Eagle E's engaging personality and history enabled him to pull off what others before had tried to do and failed.
Stevie Eagle E also engineered a collaboration between Jackson 5 Legend Tito Jackson and Ayi Jihu.
Asianstar 24
Stevie Eagle E created, produced and directed Macau's (China) first reality TV Show Asianstar24
Not only did Stevie Eagle E create, produce and shoot the first reality TV show with Government approval in Macau China (SAR) making history in the process. He also was one of the few westerners allowed to film without restriction in the casinos in Macau. His efforts brought both halves of the Island together meaning rival casino all took part in the filming of Asianstar24.
Stevie Eagle E's work in Macau, China and the rest of the world has seen him and his artists and projects reach over 2 Billion people in Newspapers, TV, Magazines and the internet, putting him up there with some of the biggest PR moguls and firms in the world in terms of actual reach and results.
Ayi Jihu - FearChaser Online game
Stevie Eagle E got his fictional character Fearchaser originally inspired by Ayi Jihu made into an online game that was played by 25 million people.
Once again Stevie Eagle E used his imagination to create history. Firstly he created a superhero alter ego for Ayi Jihu Fearchaser and then he got it made into an online video game which went global and was played by over 25 Million players on Adventure Quest Worlds.
Ayi Jihu became the first Chinese artist ever to have a video game made for her and named after her in the West. Another amazing bit of history facilitated by genius Stevie Eagle E. The game catapulted Ayi Jihu into the homes of Millions of kids worldwide.
Asked to teach at one of the world finest Universities
Not only did Stevie Eagle E graduated from one Central St Martins gaining his Master's Degree he also tutored at Masters Degree level.
Getting into Central St Martins University is hard enough. Stevie Eagle E not only completed his unique Master's degree in Sound Design and Art, but he also went on to become a teacher at Central St Martins the very next year after graduation.
Produced the record that got the first Chinese artist in western Charts
When Stevie Eagle E along with Doc B produced Satisfied for Leslie Loh the made history when it charted in the West making her the first Chinese artist in history to do so.
The first Chinese artist to chart in any western Chart in the West was Leslie Loh. The track was Satisfied and it was produced and co-written by Stevie Eagle E. It also featured Stevie Eagle E. The track charted in the top 10 in several charts.
Another piece of history for Stevie Eagle E.