Interview: Akala
- Posted on October 5, 2007 2:34 PM
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Interview By Katie Spain
North London’s Akala is subverting the current Hip Hop scene and striking back at the money fuelled record companies which are crushing the authenticity of Rap and Hip Hop. Although he is an unsigned artist working for his own independent company, he has toured with the likes of Jay Z,Christina Aguilera and Richard Ashcroft.
We met up with Akala just after the release of his single Bit By Bit, at the Hip Hop Generation HQ in Brixton. Akala is part of a team that spends time working on a community based project that aims to inspire young kids and to keep them away from the violence.
Whilst chatting to Akala, it became apparent that he is not just any old Hip Hop star in the music bizz for the money. Akala came to life when he talked about his music and his dedication to it was obvious.
You have done a lot more than most 23 year olds. You started out studying maths - I hear you have quite a talent there, then football - but an injury meant you followed the musical path, tell me a bit about that.
The injury forced me to take a break out of football. I wasn’t out of football completely – I just wasn’t playing every week and training. It gave me time to think. I went away to Cyprus and opened a West Indian restaurant. It was only when I was completely away from football that I decided that it wasn’t for me. I had always been making music and writing songs in the time that I was playing football, the nagging in the back of my mind just became to much. I needed to focus on my music.
What has been the highlight so far in your musical career?
Without a shadow of a doubt it would be doing the first ever Hip Hop show in Vietnam. Aside from the fact that it made a Hip Hop history, it was also an incredible experience. It was so well organised. It felt so weird though because in England I am a small up and coming artist, just doing my best to further my career, but out there, the media made such a big deal about it that it was like being in The Rolling Stones for a day or something. I was on the national news and everyone at the show had a placard with my face on it. Because of the governmental situation becoming more relaxed over there, this was the first major entertainment thing they’d had, especially in Hip Hop. Hip Hop is something that has such a massive influence on people over there, they made such a big deal about it.
Have you got to travel much since? Have you hit Australia yet?
I haven’t unfortunately. Its funny you should say that actually, an Australian fan messaged me on MySpace this morning. MySpace has been really useful in seeing where there is interest. We have had a lot of interest in Australia, the US and the Far East. I also went to Nigeria which was really interesting and fun. Other than that, I have only done shows in Europe although I have travelled to loads of places in other parts of the world.
I was in Australia two weeks ago and I am pretty sure that I heard you on the major, alternative radio station.
Oh, that’s great. A few people have actually said that. There is a big drum ‘n bass scene out there, a friend of mine used to tour with the drum ‘n bass group Pendulum. They have done loads of tours in Australia so I know there is a market out there for it.
What is the hardest thing about life in the music industry?
Unfortunately in the music industry, especially being in a small, independent music company, there is a certain amount of non-sense that comes with that. The music industry, like any other industry, isn’t totally dictated by the quality of the product. Sometimes it is dictated by how big your bank balance is or who you are friends with. Sometimes those things can be difficult to stomach when they are so obviously in your face, but at the same time, that which doest kill you only makes you stronger. I think there are certain advantages that come with being in a small company, like maintaining complete creative control, but it is a fine balance. When you don’t have an endless supply of money, it is difficult to be recognized in a market place where so many other people spend so much money.
I was going to ask you about that actually - there is so much money being pushed to some artists, do you find that defeating when you are in a smaller company or does it put a fire in your belly?
It puts a fire in our belly knowing that the odds are stacked against us, but, hopefully, the quality of the music will prevail and people will enjoy it. It is an up hill struggle but anything that is worth having is worth fighting for.
You must barely get any time to sleep?
I will sleep when I’m dead!
What projects have you got going on with your record label at the moment, anything new coming out?
Not for now, we had A Little Darker in the summer and now I am focusing on my solo album.
Can you tell me a bit about your new single, Bit By Bit. What it is about? We have been listening to it a lot in the office.
Bit By Bit is about a new thing for Akala and that is the theme of love, which is something that I have never really written about or tackled before this album. Bit By Bit is about the trials and tribulations of being in a relationship and how they affect you as an individual. Obviously, young love is written about a lot, but love relates to every body. There have been a billion love songs through the history of music and there will continue to be more. As long as there is music, there will be love songs.
There is talk of a wife and lets make babies…
I certainly don’t want to have babies right now, let me get that straight! It's more in the future tense, like, if we take it slowly, bit by bit then we might get to a stage where we want to make babies.
A lot of thought obviously goes in to your lyrics and maybe more so than the industry that is coming out of America, not everyone but…
There’s a lot of rubbish…
Yes, is that really important to you, putting a message out there and putting a lot of yourself in to your music?
I try to be as original as possible but at the same time, I just say what naturally comes to me and what I naturally think and feel. I do try and put myself into the listeners shoes though.
Do you have a certain place that inspires you to write?
All of my work is done at my business partner/ Producer Rez’s house which is where we record all of our music.
What was the process like working on your new album?
The last album was recorded very quickly over a four week period of time, but we were able to do that because it was planned since the release of the last album and artistically we were happy with the direction. Through that whole period of time, we were thinking about where we were going to go next, where we were going to take it musically and what is the lyrical philosophy behind the next album. We recorded it last February, by the time we got to February; we had a few of the beats made and a general direction and idea. We just sat down together, Rez had already made a few of the beats without my presence and some we made together, the input went back and forth. I arranged the songs and wrote the lyrics and Rez helped with other stuff, it was very much a team effort between me and him. We bounced off of each other creatively, we were literally in for four weeks, 9 – 5, everyday.
How did the free gig in East London go?
That was really interesting; I haven’t done anything like that before. It was packed and there was a great vibe, I also did a longer show than what I would usually do.
How has Bit By Bit been received?
Really well, We have had another 2000 plays a day in some cases and at least over 1500 everyday on MySpace so we are right at the top 10 or 20 unsigned acts in the country in terms of MySpace views and stuff which is always a good indication of popularity. That suggests that people are using the site as a radio and want to constantly hear and access new music.
On line you have really good coverage don’t you? Do you maintain your MySpace you’re self or is it done by your team?
Yeah, that is a team thing. The company is three people on a day to day basis, but then there are other companies that aid us and are part of the team. They do online press, physical press or distribution. Your money can dictate your popularity, but, people aren’t going to visit your MySpace page just because you have spent more money. If people want to hear your music then they can access it, they don’t have to put on a radio or look at a play list. If I want to go on to You Tube and watch a video, I can and that is what is beautiful about it. Numbers wise, we are exceeding companies that are on our level in terms of record sales and presence in the media because there are no politics attached to the internet. You get whatever you want and I love it for that reason.
You get stacks of comments everyday on your Myspace don’t you?
Yeah, what I have had to do with the comments is systematically approve every comment as to filter out people selling things and stuff. As you can imagine, this takes quite a bit if time but it is worth it because a fan doesn’t want to visit your page and see an advert for a ring tone. They want to see their messages, it takes time so I do apologise.
At least they know that you are seeing them!
Exactly.
You won a MOBO in the past and at the time, you were relatively unknown, what has changed since then?
Not much to be honest, people, know me a little bit better. Obviously, having that MOBO award winner tag, people take you more seriously. I have had loads of shows since then, I toured with Jay Z and Christina Aguilera, I remember whether Vietnam was before or after the MOBO’s to be honest. I just kept working hard, made a second album and delivered a song from that.
Lastly, a question I ask everyone, what is the best gig that you have been to as a punter?
Prince - it was Faithless until I went to see Prince, but Prince just took it somewhere else.
Check out our review of Akala's single or hit his MySpace for more info.
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