SAANKOFA is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, rapper, producer, educator, and cultural worker whose music fuses sound, social justice, and collective memory. Formerly known as B. Soleil, Saankofa creates work that reflects both the urgency of our times and the emotional truth of the human spirit, rooted in rhythm, resistance, and restoration.
Born in Houston, Texas, Saankofa made their first major industry move in 2011, performing as bassist for singer-songwriter Jimmie Moore of Sony Orchard on his Billboard R&B Hot 100–charting album J. Metro. Since then, they have built a dynamic performance career, opening for acclaimed Hip-Hop artist Sa-Roc, performing on the U.S. National Mall during ceremonies featuring actor Danny Glover and Rev. Jesse Jackson, and appearing at private events during the 2015 South African Jazz Festival, which hosted the late Hugh Masekela. Saankofa has also performed multiple Sofar Sounds showcases, further establishing their reputation as an intimate and commanding live performer.
While grounded in R&B and Hip-Hop, Saankofa’s sound transcends genre. In 2016, they founded the band Androbeat, described by The St. Louis American as “a genre-bending sound that blends the Lilith Fair era with an R&B flair.” The band went on to win KDHX 88.1 FM | NPR’s Song of the Year competition in 2017. In 2018, Saankofa was invited by Grammy Award–winning artist Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul, and Mary to join the International Songwriters for Peace Coalition following the Parkland shooting, contributing to the album Wake Up, America, a collaborative response to the U.S. gun violence crisis.
That same year, Saankofa shared the stage with Skip Marley and Michael Franti during the humanitarian festival Actions for Change and partnered with the Pulitzer Arts Foundation to create live soundscape installations for an event featuring Palestinian-British artist Mona Hatoum’s exhibit Terra Infirma. As a juried performance artist, Saankofa has also worked with museums such as Southern Exposure, presenting temporary performance assemblies and conceptual works, including Speak Your Truth, a collaborative live performance with a visual painter. Their work has taken them across the United States and internationally, with performances in Mexico, Belize, England, Norway, and South Africa.
Beyond the stage, Saankofa is an educator, capoeirista, and the founder of The Institute of Art and Movement, an organization dedicated to artist development, embodied practice, and creative resistance. Through this work, they support artists where traditional systems fall short and cultivate art as a tool for liberation and cultural legacy.
Saankofa’s music is both a mirror and a call, reflecting the moment we are in while reminding us who we are capable of becoming together. An artist of and for the times, Saankofa believes deeply in the power of music, movement, and story to unify, heal, and move communities toward collective futures.