Irko
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = IRKO
| image = File:Photo of Irko Sera.jpg
| caption =
| birth_name = Maurizio Sera
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|09|30}}
| birth_place = Conegliano, Treviso, Italy
| genre = Hip hop
| occupation = Mix Engineer, Engineer
| years_active = 2000–present
| website = {{URL|irko.it}}
| associated_acts = {{hlist|Kanye West|Jay-Z|88-Keys}}
}}
Maurizio Sera (born September 30, 1981),{{cite web |author1=Blackbook |title=Industry Insiders: Maurizio "Irko" Sera at the Mixing Board |url=https://blackbookmag.com/arts-culture/music/industry-insiders-maurizio-irko-sera-at-the-mixing-board/ |website=Blackbook Magazine |access-date=18 December 2021 |date=June 25, 2009}}{{cite web |last1=Verni |first1=Francesco |title=Irko: "Io, Kanye West e i misteri di Donda" |trans-title=Irko: Me, Kanye West and the mysteries of Donda|url=https://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/treviso/cultura-tempo-libero/21_ottobre_09/irko-io-kanye-west-misteri-donda-cb36e276-2857-11ec-8ab5-3de10dec31a3.shtml |website=Corriere Del Veneto |access-date=18 December 2021 |language=it |date=October 9, 2021}}{{cite web |title=Irko on Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CFxE0U0B5wR/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/irkostudiobeat/2409728463566511121 |archive-date=2021-12-26 |url-access=registration|website=Instagram |access-date=18 December 2021 |date=September 30, 2020 |quote=Happy birthday to me! Woop!}}{{cbignore}}Wikipedia:SPS known professionally as Irko (stylized in all caps) is an Italian audio engineer currently based in Los Angeles, California.
Career
Irko was born and raised in Conegliano, getting his start in music producing beats and working as a DJ. He gravitated towards hip hop because of the "heavy hitting" boom bap drums and bass.{{cite web |last1=Archie |first1=Ayana |title=Audio engineer IRKO talks about making it in music at MilkBoy ArtHouse |url=https://dbknews.com/2017/10/25/milkboy-arthouse-irko-umd-college-park-the-clarice/ |website=DBK News |access-date=18 December 2021 |date=25 October 2017}}{{cite web |last1=Boroni |first1=Michele |title=Irko M Sera e i segreti del mix nell'hip-hop e di "Donda". |trans-title= Irko M Sera, and the secrets of the mix in hip-hop and "Donda".|url=https://www.rockol.it/news-724785/donda-la-storia-di-irko-m-sera-l-italiano-l-ingegnere-di-kanye-west |website=Rockol |access-date=18 December 2021 |language=it |date=September 10, 2021}} Irko enrolled in computer science in Venice, which he described as "the most boring thing I could imagine". He started studying audio engineering after finding himself "explaining to the actual engineer how to do his job" and coming across a poster asking "Do you want to learn how to work in a recording studio?" He opened his first studio in his dad's garage, having people stationed in a nearby American Air-Force base join recording sessions.{{cite web |author1=Produce Like A Pro |title=Mixing HipHop & R&B with Mixing Engineer Irko - Warren Huart: Produce Like A Pro |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1C6hXyJgQk |website=YouTube |access-date=18 December 2021 |date=May 30, 2017}}
In the early 2000s, Irko was getting recognition and building connections on MySpace.{{cite web |last1=Tion |first1=Marta |trans-title=From Conegliano to Los Angeles: IRKO the sound engineer of big names |title=Da Conegliano a Los Angeles: IRKO l’ingegnere del suono dei big |url=https://www.oggitreviso.it/da-conegliano-los-angeles-irko-l%E2%80%99ingegnere-del-suono-dei-big-261769 |website=Oggi Treviso |access-date=18 December 2021 |language=it |date=September 3, 2021}} In 2006, Irko was invited to New York by Tokyo-based producer B-Money, whom he had met on MySpace. Despite not having much money, he convinced himself to travel so that he could learn how a bigger recording studio works. When arriving there, Irko was invited to work on Jay-Z's Kingdom Come album with B-Money, which led to him landing a recording credit for the song "The Prelude".{{cite web |title=Credits / Kingdom Come / Jay-Z |url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/400749/credits |website=Tidal |access-date=18 December 2021}} He later moved to Los Angeles, where he has been living and working for 10 years.
Irko has since worked with artists such as 88-Keys and Kanye West, mixing the song "Stay Up! (Viagra)", and later mixing West's album Donda in 2021.{{cite web |date=May 29, 2017 |title=Mixing Hiphop & R&B with Irko |url=https://producelikeapro.com/blog/mixing-hiphop-rb-irko/ |access-date=18 December 2021 |website=Produce Like a Pro}}{{cite web |last1=Witaszczyk |first1=Adrian Lucas |title=IRKO Interview: "There is no failures, there is chances to learn!" |url=https://www.studioknowmag.com/irko-interview |website=Studio Know Mag |access-date=18 December 2021}} In 2024, he did updated mixes for West and Ty Dolla Sign's collaborative album Vultures 2.{{Cite web |last=Maitra |first=Hriddhi |date=2024-08-06 |title=Ye Has This Legendary ‘Donda’ Collaborator Working on ‘Vultures 2’ Updates |url=https://www.netflixjunkie.com/music-news-ye-has-this-legendary-donda-collaborator-working-on-vultures-2-updates |access-date=2025-06-20 |website=Netflix Junkie}}