Over the last few years Akala has emerged from London’s hip hop underground and into the mainstream as one of the leaders of a new British artistic renaissance. Bursting into the underground scene in 2004, he made history by being the first unsigned artist to have a video appear on MTV UK’s ‘TRL’ show. 2006 saw his first album ‘It’s Not A Rumour’ drop with trance-sampling smash single ‘Shakespeare’ being play-listed and championed on BBC’s Radio 1 via the support of influential DJ, Zane Lowe and Pete Tong. The album received critical acclaim and earned Akala the ‘Best Hip Hop Artist’ award at the 2006 MOBO awards, beating out Kanye West. Reflecting the disorder and flux of contemporary life, Akala’s second album ‘Freedom Lasso’ was an energetic visionary essay on modern life, drawing influences from the whole spectrum of music – rap, rock, electro, punk and folk. Summer 2010 see’s Akala return, poised to flip-turn the UK music scene once again with his third LP “Doublethink” inspired by George Orwell’s ‘1984’. Followed by original mixtape entitled ‘Knowledge Is Power’ which saw Akala collaborate with UK hip hop artists Lowkey, Durrty Goodz and English Frank. In 2013 Akala released ‘The Thieves’ Banquet’ after being inspired by Kenyan author Ngugi Wa Thiongo’s book ‘Devil On A Cross’, recorded with his live band and artwork collaboration with Japanese artist @TokioAoyama the album cover was launched as part of a digital art installation and preview performance at the renown Tate Modern.
FRIDAY 04 DECEMBER
THEKLA BRISTOL The Grove, Bristol BS1 4RB Doors 7:00pm Ages 14+
Over the last few years Kingslee ‘Akala’ Daley, 26, has emerged from London’s hip hop underground and into the mainstream as one of the leaders of a new British artistic renaissance. Bursting into the underground scene in 2004, he made history by being the first unsigned artist to have a video appear on MTV UK’s ‘TRL’. 2006 saw his first album ‘It’s Not A Rumour’ drop with trance-sampling smash single ‘Shakespeare’ being play-listed and championed on BBC’s Radio 1 via the support of influential DJ, Zane Lowe. The album received critical acclaim and earned Akala the ‘Best Hip Hop Artist’ award at the 2006 MOBO awards, beating out Kanye West. Reflecting the disorder and flux of contemporary life, Akala’s second album ‘Freedom Lasso’ was an energetic visionary essay on modern life, drawing influences from the whole spectrum of music – rap, rock, electro, punk and folk. Summer 2010 saw Akala return, poised to flip-turn the UK music scene once again with his third LP “Doublethink”.
Taking hiphop back from the corporate world, Kingslee ‘Akala’ Daley wages war on the mediocre rap industry with his diverse combination of influences including trance, folk, punk and soul. His debut album ‘It’s Not A Rumour’ released on Illa State Records pushes rap into unfamiliar territory as it is fused with distorted guitars and thunderous drums.
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