Akbar Cojoe

Bold text Akbar Cojoe (born Akbar Buckner on January 2, 1971) an American entertainment publicist, songwriter, and television film producer.

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Cojoe was the only child of a New Orleanian school teacher mother, and a Chicagoan musician father (Charles Buckner, singer/songwriter of Earth, Wind & Fire proteges - The Emotions). As a child, Cojoe was immediately immersed in music. At the age of two, his biological parents would divorce, leaving his mother to be a single parent. At four years old, Cojoe would learn to play congas by banging away on his auncle's set (world-renowned percussionist, Alfred "Uganda" Roberts). Soon after, he would acquire the drums. Without any technical MusicAL training, other than that he had received from attending his elementary school, Gentilly Terrace School of Performing Arts, Cojoe would eventually find his way to profeciency at various musical instruments.

In 1986, at fifteen years old, Cojoe was employed by local recording studios in New Orleans to write and produce music as a session worker. Having then dropped out of high school, due to a turbulent and unstable home life with his mother and stepfather, Cojoe opted to spend his time forming several funk-rock bands where he would sing and play guitar throughout New Orleans' French Quarter in order to earn a living. Making barely enough money to pay his rent from his band's performances, and deciding that songwriting was more of his nitch, Cojoe parted ways with his band to write songs for numerous recording studios, and music publishing company, ASCAP (The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers). It was then that he gained the attention of former ASCAP representative, Sam Salino. Salino assisted Cojoe by mentoring him, and introducing him to major record label executives.

In 1991, with Salino's help, Cojoe landed a major recording job in Atlanta, Georgia, where he and childhood pal Marlon Campbell (Co-owner of OmniWest/Koch Records) would reside with friend Tyler Perry, Campbell's first cousin. After mismanaging the $100, 000 paid to him for his studio services, Cojoe's stint in Atlanta was short-lived, and he soon found himself broke and back in New Orleans. That next year, he relocated to Los Angeles, where he found moderate success by writing and producing for various major label recording artists, such as Warren G. (Def Jam) and ABC's Family Matters, Brighton McClure (currently stars as Devon Hamilton on CBS's The Young And The Restless).''

Quickly bored with the recording studio, in 1993, Cojoe tries his hand at acting and secures a role created for him in FOX's hit television comedy series, Living Single. He turns down the part as "Scooter," a record label road manager and love interest of "Khadijah James," played by the multi-talented Queen Latifah, to incorporate a sundry of Southern California entertainment management companies and begins promoting artists of Virgin, A&M, Epic, and Priority Records. In the mid '90s, Cojoe lands A&R job with Rod Kukla of Columbia/Sony Music, and aids in the PR development of top Billboard artists.''

In late 2005, as a sought after entertainment publicist, Cojoe used his media status with ABC News to successfully lead various media campaigns to provide accurate intel to worldwide media outlets to aid in the relief of Hurricane Katrina.

Prior to Hurricane Katrina, Cojoe worked closely with nonprofit organizations, international news corporations, athletes, and entertainers, to better the lives of critically ill children. His work with children has inspired him to create the childrens animation property, POP KERNEL POPTASTIC ADVENTURES.

In early 2006, Cojoe teamed with E! Entertainment Television Inc. and William Morris Agency to produce commentary video footage defending Whitney Houston against the singer's well-publicized [...] allegations.

In December 2007, it has been reported that Akbar Cojoe, Marlon Campbell, Natina Reed, Michael Mauldin(former President of Columbia Records and father of music mogal Jermaine Dupree), Demmette Guidry(former senior vice president of Urban music for Warner Bros. Records Inc. & Columbia Records/manager of Gospel recording artists,Mary Mary), Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins(former lead singer ofTLC)andAmir "AJ" Murray (Mauldin Brand Agency/Family Over Everything), have been filming a television reality show based on the lives of R&B trio Blaque. The girl group has recently been seen in Atlanta, cameras in tow, at music producer Timbaland's promotional party for new recording artist, Keri Hilson - The Way I Are, and is said to be preparing for a 2008 CD release on Geffen Records entitled Beauty.