We had the good fortune of connecting with Kito Denham and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kito, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I was born on an Air Force Base in Sacramento, CA but raised in Columbus, OH. My mother’s side of the family resides here so majority of my immediate family is here also. Growing up, I was exposed to music and art at an early age. Funk music was really popularized here in Ohio so that was a big part of my youth. Hip Hop was also becoming the new thing when I was a little kid so I quickly gravitated towards that too. I think being in the Midwest gave us an advantage when it comes to music because we are in our “own little world” so there isn’t really one type of music that is popular. We have influence from the East Coast, West Coast and Down South.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve been playing Djembe and other African percussion since about 1989. We started our family band in 1984 where I started playing Lead Guitar and then switched to Keyboards. I am the only one of my siblings who is a musician in any way shape or form. I got to where I am today by never giving up on my dreams. I always just wanted to make money from music and once I started getting paid at a young age I realized that I needed to have bigger dreams. Once I got into audio engineering and music production, I knew this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Here in the city, I would take my friend to The Redo (a monthly All Vinyl DJ party) at Avalon and then Skully’s on a Sunday night for Live Reggae. Throughout the week, I would take them to different spots around the city that have open mics and/or hiphop nights. The Oracle, Addella’s on Oak, The Dallas, & Royal Lounge are all spots that I frequently DJ. Everyday I would find something else to bring my friend to and show them how we get down in Columbus. Budd Dairy Hall is a dope spot to go and eat with lots of different options. Also, North Market, Mikey’s Late Night Slice, and lots of food trucks in the city are great places to find some good food. Top Golf is a good hangout spot too if we are seeking something different.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My mom and dad are the two most important people in my musical journey and are the reason(s) why I will continue to pursue my passion in this career. My Dad passed away in 2019 and my mom in 2021, both from Cancer. If it wasn’t for them both, I wouldn’t have the drive and passion to have been a professional musician for the last 30+ years. They let me know that I could do anything I wanted to as long as I worked hard at it. That gave me all the drive I needed to start my journey.

Website: Mayh3m614.com

Instagram: @kitodenham

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kito-denham/

Twitter: @mayh3mtls

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/awdiomayh3m

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm_FgReZILhm4ZVZqU0cENg

Image Credits
Product614 Josh Smith Shaka McNair

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