Ilka has recently started Djing and has plays mainly African music

Born and raised in Germany, Ilka moved to London, in 1990 and worked for various independent labels such as Cooking Vinyl, The Grapevine Label and Luaka Bop and with artists such as Billy Bragg, Ani Difranco, Emmylou Harris and The Wedding Present.

In 2001, she managed UK-based Nigerian hip-hop group JJC & 419 Squad. The group whose music and image became known as Afropean picked up numerous awards and at the Womad festival.

From then on Ilka has specialised in contemporary African music and the diaspora. She also manages Lagos based Reggae artist, African China.

Ilka is also a freelance publicist and works with labels like Out Here Records, Afrolution Records and Because Music as well as with artists directly, targeting specialist, BME (black minority ethnic) and mainstream media.

She recently started Djing and has played mainly African music at venues such as MOMO'S, The Spitz and Darbucka.