Nitanju Bolade Casel became a member of Sweet Honey In The Rock in 1985, after four years of studying, performing, and cultural organizing in Dakar, Senegal. As a co-founder, with Marie Guinier, of Artistes Des Echanges Africaines, she worked in alliance with local artists, the National Council of Negro Women, the National Theatre Daniel Sorano, the University of Dakar, Air Afrique, Television and Radio Orts, the Schomberg Center for Research and Development, and the late Dr. Ewart Guinier of Harvard University. Nitanju is also the former assistant director of the Art of Black Dance & Music, and director of Young Afrique Dance Company, both in Massachusetts.
Nitanju now works with her sister, Aisha Kahlil, as co-director of First World Productions, and heads her own publishing company, Clear Ice Music. Her compositions can be heard in the 2006 Australian Broadcasting Company’s 2006 educational series, Sing!, Mystic Seaport’s multi-media history presentation Black Hands, Blue Seas: The African American Maritime Experience, and Tribeca Production company’s The Box. Nitanju was a finalist in both the 2006 and 2007 International Songwriter’s Competition, and a Grammy nominee for Sweet Honey’s Experience…101, which she produced.
Nitanju lives on the east coast with her husband, Oso Tayari and their teenage son, Obadele.