Ray Okpara
Ray Okpara, a Mannheim-based DJ and producer with roots in Nigeria, helped put Mannheim on the electronic music map through a house sound built up over more than two decades. He began DJing in the mid-1990s, initially playing UK garage records belonging to his close friend Johnny D, before the pair launched their RAJO club night; in 2001 producer Nick Curly joined the team and the night began a residency at The Loft in Mannheim, seeding what became one of Europe's strongest house music family trees.
Okpara founded his own label, Ama Recordings, in 2010, naming it after his middle name Amaefule, and has released on labels including Cécille, Oslo, Get Physical, Soweso and Area Remote. His debut album, Good Times, appeared on Mobilee Records, and he has remained closely associated with the Oslo Records crew led by Federico Molinari and Nekes, regularly playing alongside them at venues including fabric London's Room Three.
His DJ style has carried him to clubbing arenas around the world, and he has continued producing and releasing remixes for labels including The Bedroom and Rejekts. Okpara's Nigerian and German dual heritage has been a consistent thread in coverage of his career within Germany's house scene.