User:Portiakirkland/Portia kirkland

Portia Kirkland started in the music business over 20 years ago, when her father BK Kirkland, renowned radio personality and program director for WBLS in N.Y. and KBLX in Berkley, C.A. and now PD for XM Radio’s The Groove, exposed her to Hip Hop and DJs Mr. Magic and Marley Marl. Dancing since the age of four years old, Portia Kirkland decided to leave the infamous Alvin Ailey Dance Theater in 1985 to pursue her passion as a “B-girl” and hip hop dancer. She began to create a buzz as a dancer and attempted to get noticed at NY nightclubs such as the famed Latin Quarters, Rooftop, Roxy, and Union Square. By 1988, Portia began a choreography and music video career working with many recording artists from LL Cool J and the Real Roxanne to New Kids on the Block and EPMD when there were few female dancers in the music industry. In 1990, Portia joined Marley Marl's team as a writer and recording artist and later signed a deal with A&M Records. Eventually Portia decided to leave the A&M lot, where she learned the skill and importance of marketing and artist development from music executives Herb Albert and label mate Barry White. Due to her being a writer on Marley Marl’s production team, her dance choreography and music caught the ear of music mogul Benny Medina and Tyrone Williams. This led to her recording with Cold Chillin’/Warner Bros. Records in 1991. After releasing a single and music video (see www.youtube.com/portiakirkland), Portia decided along with RUSH Management to return back to her passion for dancing and choreography full-time. In 1996, after completing her Bachelor of Arts degree at Fairleigh Dickinson University in N.J., Portia began using her degree in Public Relations. She credits her mentors and close friends Eric “Eazy E” Wright and Tupac Shakur for encouraging her to explore other areas of the music business, particularly marketing and publicity. Portia received her first publicity job assisting Tupac Shakur’s publicist in 1993. A few years later, Portia landed a marketing position at Universal Records in NYC and relocated to Atlanta, G.A. in 1998 for LaFace Records. She is also the former head of Marketing for Def Jam South/Disturbing Tha Peace Records in Atlanta, G.A, where she’s received great recognition for helping to build the Chris Ludacris Bridges’ Brand (Forbes List 2008-$14million) and landing multi million endorsements with PUMA and XM Satellite Radio. In addition to consulting for Gospel Music Channel, Portia has her own marketing company Chenoa Entertainment LLC. In 2009, she consulted for So Icey Mizay Entertainment where she brought recording artists Gucci Mane, Nicki Minaj, OJ Da Juiceman, and Waka Flocka Flame to another level. Portia is also the author of “Singing a Song for You,” an inspirational novel available online at Borders, Barnes & Nobles, and Amazon. Today, she is host of the show SKY HIGH on BEEHIVEFM and lives in Atlanta, G.A. with her daughter Chenoa where she mentors young women on how to build a career in the music business.