Nick Tilstra, known professionally as Nikitaman, was born on July 4, 1974, in Düsseldorf, Germany. He is a percussionist and musician who grew up in the Düsseldorf squatting scene. His early career involved playing with various bands and touring with different soundsystems, including in southern Italy's Salento region. In 2003, Nikitaman co-founded the German band Mono & Nikitaman with Monika Jaksch. Their debut album, Das Spiel beginnt, was released in 2004 on Rootdown Records. The duo continued to release albums, including Für immer (2006), Außer Kontrolle (2008), and Unter Freunden (2011). Notable collaborations include features from Gentleman, Ce’Cile, Russkaja, Rebellion the Recaller, and General Degree. In 2015, they established their own label, M&N Records, releasing Im Rauch der Bengalen. Their album Guten Morgen es brennt (2018) reached number 13 on the German charts.
