Nkechi Ka Egenamba (born 1983), (first name pronounced n-kay-chee) known as Ninja, is an English

rapper Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...

and the female lead vocalist for the British indie band

The Go! Team The Go! Team are an English six-piece band from Brighton, England. The band initially began as a solo project conceived by Ian Parton; however, after the unexpected success of The Go! Team's debut album, '' Thunder, Lightning, Strike'', Parton r ...

. Doing a mixture of rapping, chanting and singing, Ninja is well known for her energetic stage performances and dancing. In 2005, ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'' voted Ninja the 15th coolest person in music.

Early life and education

Born Nkechi Ka in 1983, "Nkechi" is short for Nkechinyere, and means "what God has given" or "gift of God" in

Igbo Igbo may refer to: * Igbo people, an ethnic group of Nigeria * Igbo language, their language * anything related to Igboland, a cultural region in Nigeria See also * Ibo (disambiguation) * Igbo mythology * Igbo music * Igbo art * * Igbo-Ukwu, a ...

, the language of the Igbo people, an ethnic group in West Africa, numbering in the tens of millions. Ninja is from London. Her father is a Nigerian lawyer, and her mother is half-Egyptian, half-Nigerian. Ninja is one of five children and was brought up in a very strict household. She had been studying at university before she joined The Go! Team.

The Go! Team

Ninja became lead singer for The Go! Team after founder Ian Parton created the first The Go! Team studio album. With Ninja, the live band became a "separate entity" to the original studio vision, as their performances became radically different from their recordings, particularly due to Ninja's freestyled vocals contrary to the sampled vocals present on the album. Parton acknowledged that Ninja had become the "face of the band" in an interview with Erik Leijon in September 2007.

Non-Go! Team work

Ninja co-wrote and performed on

Simian Mobile Disco Simian Mobile Disco are an English electronic music duo and production team, formed in 2003 by James Ford and Jas Shaw of the band Simian. Musically, they are known for their analogue production. Ford is also known for his production work. ...

tracks "Its The Beat" and "Hot Dog" on SMD's debut album '' Attack Decay Sustain Release''. Ninja co-wrote and performed on the track "Time Machine" by French band Rinocerose. She co-wrote and performed on the

Cut Chemist Lucas MacFadden (born October 4, 1972), better known as Cut Chemist, is an American DJ and record producer. He is a former member of Jurassic 5 and Ozomatli. He has collaborated with DJ Shadow on a number of projects. Early life Cut Chemist grad ...

track "The Audience is Listening".

Discography with The Go! Team

Albums

* ''

Thunder, Lightning, Strike ''Thunder, Lightning, Strike'' is the debut studio album by English band The Go! Team. It was initially released on label Memphis Industries on 13 September 2004, but was reworked to avoid legal issues with samples, and re-released in October 2 ...

'' (2004) #48 UK * '' Proof of Youth'' (2007) #21 UK, #142 US, #1 UK Indie * '' Rolling Blackouts'' (2011) * '' The Scene Between'' (2015) * ''

Semicircle In mathematics (and more specifically geometry), a semicircle is a one-dimensional locus of points that forms half of a circle. The full arc of a semicircle always measures 180° (equivalently, radians, or a half-turn). It has only one line o ...

'' (2018) #40 UK * Get Up Sequences Part One (2021) #93 UK

Singles

* "Junior Kickstart" 7", 12" and CD single (2003) * "The Power Is On" 12" single (2004) * "Ladyflash" 7" and CD single (2004) #68 UK * "Bottle Rocket" 7" and CD single (2005) #64 UK * "Ladyflash" (re-issue) 7" and CD single (2006) #26 UK * " Grip Like a Vice" single (2007) #57 UK * "Doing It Right" Single (2007) #55 UK, #3 UK Indie

EPs

* '' Are You Ready for More?'' (Australian Tour EP) (2005) * ''

Audio Assault Course The Go! Team are an English six-piece band from Brighton, England. The band initially began as a solo project conceived by Ian Parton; however, after the unexpected success of The Go! Team's debut album, '' Thunder, Lightning, Strike'', Parton r ...

'' (College Radio Sessions) (2006) * ''

Step and Repeat A step and repeat banner (sometimes a step and repeat wall or press wall) is a publicity backdrop used primarily for event photography, printed with a repeating pattern such that brand logos or emblems are visible in photographs or selfies of ...

'' (8 track EP) (2006)

Featured on

* ''Public Service Broadcast'' #3 (2004) ( compilation album) * '' Help: A Day in the Life'' (2005) (compilation album)

References

External links

Ninja
- Ninja's official website
The Go! Team
- official website

- UK label-operated band website
The Go! Team - Titanic Fandalism
- Unofficial Go! Team fan site
A Study of Ninja's Contribution to the Go! Team
- Bibliography and references {{DEFAULTSORT:Ninja 1983 births Living people Igbo rappers Rappers from London English women rappers English people of Egyptian descent English people of Nigerian descent English people of Igbo descent Women rock singers 21st-century English women singers 21st-century English singers