Killa Kela

Killa Kela (real name Lee Potter born in 1979) is an English beatboxer from West Sussex.

Kela received the Stuff Magazine Award for "renegade of Style" 2006 in in Los Angeles, he also toured alongside Testicicles (Dev, Lightspeed Champion & GLC (Goldie Lookin Chain) whilst performing on festival dates with new friends Pharrel Williams & N*E*R*D. Plus a U.S tour alongside DJ Z-Trip in 2007.

2003 - 2008, Kela was a special guest at various N*E*R*D shows and festivals across Europe. inc. Seattle for the Sprite Liquid Mix festival and Oxygen festival, Dublin. In 2008 Kela also performed with Prince & Nikka Costa at the O2 arena.

His live act incorporates drum & bass, electro and hip-hop stylings, singing, MCing, very realistic vocal scratching, body movements and imitations of popular songs such as "Slave 4 U" by Britney Spears and "Tom's Diner" by Suzanne Vega. He calls his technique "Multivocalism", a term coined by longtime artwork collaborator Mark Splinter in 2000. Kela's crew has performed hundreds of live shows all around the world and are known as "Spit Kingdom".

Kela released "The Permanent Marker" in 2002. A beatbox-only album feat Fallacy, Harry Love, Normski and others. Off the back of the album, he went on countless tours inc shows with Mobb Deep, Redman, Busta Rhymes and others. He also was 2nd on the bill at the Earls Court Music festival with Jay-Z.

Killa Kela featured his sounds on the Basement Jaxx single "Oh My Gosh" (2004)

Kela released an Ep in Europe entitled "For Those Who've Joined us" featuring Stereo MCs, Artful Dodger, Dj Vadim and more.

The "Elocution" project (Sony BMG) came in 2005 & incorporated 'The Elysian Quartet' on strings, backing vocalists Rookwood and Trip, DJ Skeletrik and his producer Spider on keys and vocals. It also featured Sweetie Irie, James Rushent (Does It Offend You, Yeah?) Roots Manuva & Neneh Cherry, with writing from Karen Poole. His song Jawbreaker was put on the FIFA Street 2 Soundtrack and is to date, one of his strongest releases off The Elocution album.

He is also known for a UK advert for "Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles" and regular appearances on TV shows such as "Big Brother's Little Brother", the Royal Variety Performance, Blue Peter, 4Music, Britain's Got Talent & four Absolut Vodka commercials in the U.S at this time.

Kela parted ways with SonyBMG in 2007. During this period he also travelled to China, playing in Shanghai and Beijing with the Infadels on a tour organised by Split Works.

Kela between albums created The single "Nightwatcher" (formerly Addiction) alongside Alan Braxe & Fallon. He also created the mix cd alongside his then crew Spitkingdom, entitled - "Days That Shook The World" produced by James Rushent (Does It Offend you? Yeah?) & Dj Skelectrik which received "Best Mix CD 2007 in Dj Magazine UK. Plus released the cd - "ONTOURVANDAMAGE", in 2008 produced by Dj Plus One (Scratch Perverts, JackBeats)

Spitkingdom were also the team behind the legendary Hip Hop London weekly SpitkingdomHQ @Herbal in Shoreditch between 2004 - 2007. which saw a wealth of artist perform, such as The Mixologists, Killa Kela, Skelectrik, Trip, Rookwood, Spider J, Dj Martello, and special guests including - Andy C, Whookid (50 cent), Goldie, Artful Dodger, Dynamite, Nicky Blackmarket, Cash Money, Kool Herc, Chase & Status, Scratch Perverts, Stanton Warriors and more.

In 2009 Kela created his debut album "Amplified!" alongside producers Andy Knowles (Frans ferdinand fame), Alan Braxe (Stardust fame, Paris), Martin Rushent (Human League), The Shoalin Punks, James Rushent (Prodigy, Does It Offend you? Yeah? and long standing friend), Stunt Double and featuring artists such as Dj Craze, Bashy of The Gorrillaz, Hadouken!, Lateef The Truth Speaker & Spider J of Lee Scratch Perry.

The album was a big leap from all previous albums and has seen him more as an artist in his own right outside of his beatbox achievements. contains "Built Like An Amplifier" which included remixes from Dave Spoon, Sway & Faith SFX. "Everyday" Produced by Alan Braxe with remixs from LifeLike, Jackwob & Franz Ferdinand. Plus an additional release of "Get A Rise" ft Hadouken, which was heavily featured on Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit soundtrack.

Off the back of the Amplified! Debut, Killa Kela began touring the UK with Lethal Bizzle on the Go Hard Tour, Frankmusik on his 2009 Winter Tour and with Hadouken! early 2010.

Other features include Mentos candy commercial, Absolut Vodka Commercials for North America (2004), recent work alongside stylists Judy Blame, PinsLondon, Noki. studio work with Tinie tempah, Wiley off the "see Clear Now" Album, The Kool Kids (US), Visuals and beatbox for the new Gorillaz Soundsystem project. Plus recording with The Glitch Mob

On 28 September Killa Kela appeared at the London School of Economics for their much anticipated freshers event, the event was widely considered Killa Kela's best and most inspiring performance of his entire career, however the performance received mixed reactions.

Killa Kela is to feature in the new Plan B movie Ill Manors in 2011, plus recently collaborated at the Party4Pakistan event in London.

Kela performed at the Glastonbury Main stage on the Wednesday opener to 83,000 people, Recently completed an 5 date tour of Australia, also 2 tours of Asia last year.