Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante MBE

Michael “Mikey J” Asante is co-founder and co-artistic director of Boy Blue, founded in 2001, who are Olivier Award-winning associate artists at the iconic Barbican Theatre, where Asante is also a board member. As a music producer, Asante has a diverse discography catalogue, creating music for television, film and theatre. Asante mentors and delivers masterclasses in directing, choreography, and music. He is a professor of electronic music at Guildhall School of Music, where he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship (HonFGS) in 2018.

Asante’s theatre credits include The Effect at the National Theatre as well as Free Your Mind at the Aviva Studios, Tree at the Young Vic, and Blak Whyte Gray at the Barbican Theatre. Other credits include, for television: Criminal Record for Apple TV and collaboration with Brian Eno for the soundtrack on Top Boy; and film: Kneecap. In 2022, Asante was awarded an MBE for services to hip-hop dance and music in the Queen’s New Year Honours list.