Rapper, writer, and thought leader Akala joins us on Quartertones live at Sole DXB to talk about his early career steps in London, the city's unique blends due to its history, and his drive to connect with diverse audiences. He shares insights into the impact of colonialism and the importance of embracing shared cultural heritage from Shakespeare to his Jamaican influences. We discuss the significance of South-South solidarity and the changing nature of global power dynamics. Akala reflects on the complexities of identity, privilege, and the evolving cultural landscape in Europe.
This episode was recorded live on the Sole DXB stage in Dubai on December 15, 2024.
00:00 Introduction
01:31 Akala's Early Career and Diverse Influences
02:07 Growing Up in Multicultural London
04:30 The Impact of Shared Struggles
07:27 Exploring Shakespeare and Cultural Ownership
13:16 Challenging Bias and Assumptions
15:28 Embracing Diverse Cultural Influences
16:43 The Unique Perspective of UK Hip Hop
19:35 Navigating Success and Global Perspectives
20:02 South-South Solidarity and Global Power Dynamics
20:51 The Complexity of Human Relationships
22:16 Class and Community: A Personal Reflection
23:36 Global Inequality and Historical Context
27:10 The Future of Global Relations
30:34 Concluding Thoughts on Privilege and Luck
Born Kingslee James McLean Daley in the UK, Akala is a British rapper, writer and activist. His stepfather was a stage manager at the Hackney Empire theatre, and he often visited it before his teens. His older sister is none other than rapper Ms. Dynamite (Niomi Arleen). In 2006, he released his debut album, It's Not a Rumour, which featured the single "Shakespeare" and earned him a hip hop award at the MOBO Awards. The following year, he released a second album, Freedom Lasso, which featured the track "Comedy Tragedy History," also inspired by Shakespeare. Akala's third album, DoubleThink , was released in 2010, followed by a mixtape titled Knowledge Is Power in 2012, and a fourth album, The Thieves Banquet in 2013. He has been included on the annual Powerlist of the 100 most influential Black British people in the UK, most recently making the 2021 edition.
Connect with Akala 👉 https://instagram.com/akalamusic
Hosted by Mikey Muhanna
Connect directly with Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu
Explore Sole DXB 👉 https://www.instagram.com/soledxb/
Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns
FOLLOW & RATE THE QUARTERTONES PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/afikra-quartertones/id1646407556
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/26VHvC6yVOxlRFjeOts6uf
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1044639452
THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl7FiLcdH_iSgv4RiXEy4GAh
ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.