From Kenya to Ohio: Bridging continents through music

David Oyuke, also known as BlackSkillz, is a Kenyan radio, TV and podcast host and producer, and an award-winning voice-over artist with more than 12 years of experience in some of Kenya's biggest media houses. He is a poet, author and a passionate fan of Arsenal, the English Premier League soccer club. The family man with a daughter is a student in the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Communication Media Arts program, majoring in virtual and augmented reality in the Scripps College of Communication, where he also teaches a podcasting class. 

In 2023, Oyuke attended the Ohio University Music Industry Summit (MIS) virtually, an experience that would eventually bring him to Ohio from Kenya to enroll as a student.  

Now, in partnership with the MFA program, Oyuke is leading the Launchpad, the official podcast from the MIS. An artist discovery podcast recorded live at the summit to highlight the music and stories of emerging artists, the Launchpad debuted in 2024 with Oyuke as host, interviewing artists and bands across genres.

Oyuke’s journey started with a connection with an old friend who was an OHIO alum. Knowing Oyuke’s interest in graduate school, the friend suggested OHIO.   

“I started doing my research in OHIO, trying to figure out the culture of the school, its location, and the art scene,” he says. “I came across a content piece on the University website featuring one of my all-time favorite artist, Talib Kweli. He gave a keynote at one of the previous editions of the Music Industry Summit. That’s what piqued my interest.”  

Seeing the Talib Kweli and J Rawls keynotes stirred Oyuke’s ambition to work with the MIS. Further exploration of the MIS content inspired him to pitch the Launchpad.  

“In my years in radio, I interviewed politicians and big personalities. I enjoyed interacting with artists and navigating conversations about their artistry, journey, and creative process,” Oyuke says.   

The MFA program is structured to allow students to use their talents to contribute to the community through service hours.   

“With my background in audio and podcasting, I knew what I wanted to do when my director, Eric Williams, floated the service idea concept to me,” Oyuke says.   

Josh Antonuccio, director of the School of Media Arts and Studies and the Music Industry Summit, has been Oyuke’s main collaborator on this project. 

“The first time we met was phenomenal because I realized his favorite producers were mine,” Oyuke says. “We didn’t talk as students and faculty. We spoke as kindred spirits. That, in a microcosm, represents how this experience panned out because it broke so many barriers, allowing us to birth chemistry for creating the Launchpad.” 

Antonuccio says the podcast concept came together early, and Oyuke ran with it.    

“David is an extraordinary person and an exceptional creative,” Antonuccio says. “From the moment we first discussed the idea of him starting the podcast/video interview series at the Music Industry Summit, I could see his excitement and passion take hold. He took the lead in ideating and developing the entire series, organizing all aspects of production in partnership with fellow MFA students and undergraduates alike.”   

Antonuccio describes how Oyuke’s experience in media helped craft the experience of the podcast.   

“As both host and producer, he delivered eight outstanding episodes,” Antonuccio says.   

Oyuke impressed Antonuccio with the insight and expertise he applied to every aspect of the project.  

We launched the first season in the fall, and it generated tremendous traffic on social media. The interest and engagement we received were remarkable—and it’s all thanks to David's dedication, vision and talent.”  

Once the concept was in place, the team began searching out talent on OHIO’s campus and beyond. For Oyuke, this was about something dear to his heart, shining a spotlight on up-and-coming artists.  

“I love putting artists on,” Oyuke says. “When I was emerging as an artist, people gave me that platform, allowing me to realize my work was not in vain, and people appreciated my efforts. Having enjoyed that, I wanted to extend that opportunity to artists around here.”  

As an international student, Oyuke’s transition to grad school has been seamless on some fronts. Kenya is a multicultural country so the diversity in OHIO was familiar for him and his family. But he has had to make adjustments. 

“The best thing is I’m here with my family. My wife is in the same program and our daughter goes to school. The difficulty in transitioning has been switching back from being a professional so long to becoming a student,” he says. “The faculty and the program have helped by constantly reminding me that I’m here to learn and not focus on execution. That anchors me a lot.”   

Oyuke says Williams helped by keeping in touch as the family prepared for their move. For Williams, the process of getting to know his two future students was equally rewarding. 

 "The Scripps MFA is an international graduate program, specifically designed for mid-career professionals," Williams says. “I remember meeting with David and (his wife) Koki during the interview and being stunned to find two immensely talented married people.   

Williams calls the couple a “creative powerhouse” and praises the “courage and conviction” it took to make the move.  

"Gauging from their work so far, and what they have planned for their thesis projects next year, I have to say that their bold decision is paying off.  David and Koki are exemplars of what the Scripps MFA program can accomplish: elevating talented creatives to the next level of their careers."  

Oyuke and his team are considering developing newsletters and magazine editions similar to what XXL magazine did for emerging hip-hop artists. While their focus isn’t solely on hip-hop, that's the kind of platform and experience they aim to create with the Launchpad. 

Oyuke knows it will take a lot for his vision to come to fruition; he is aware that the Launchpad came to be as a result of collaboration. 

“We have great partners like Summit FM who air our podcast episodes, and that’s so amazing,” he says. “That’s the kind of partnership we’re looking for. It resonates with the theme of OHIO: an ecosystem of collaboration. This can become special once a community gets behind it.”

Plans for the second season are underway as Oyuke evaluates how the debut season performed and what elements they can maintain and improve on. 

“We’re looking at how we can involve the audience more and find a balance between creating an experience that allows them to get to know the artists beforehand.”