Akala
One of the modern icons of UK underground hip-hop Akala – brother of Ms Dynamite, social activist and poet – sets upon Liverpool Guild of Students on Novemeber 25. Getintothis’ Zach Jones thinks you’d be mad to is it.
What do Hip-Hop and Shakespeare have in common?
Well more than you’d think, and Akala wants you know why. The London lyricist has been pushing the boundaries of UK hip-hop since his debut release in 2006. Since then Akala has grown to be more than just an MC, an active political commentator, writer and above all a thorn in the side of the British corporate establishment.
Hip-Hop and Shakespeare share more than one similarity, whether it’s the wide appeal to the English working class of the time or the innovation to the English language, hip-hop may very well be the most potent influence on lexicon of the 21st Century. In his recent tour with the British Shakespeare Company and Ted Talks, Akala highlighted this.
It was just one of the multitude of involvements that have set Akala from the UK Hip-Hop scene. In a watering down that may have originally occurred stateside, the lyricism of hip-hop has in many cases become unauthentic and little more than another tool of major producers. Lil Wayne, I’m looking at you.
It’s miles apart from artists like The Sugarhill Gang, Wu-Tang Clan and N.W.A. who used hip-hop as a socioeconomic tool to express the oppression of the time. Oppression that is arguably more prevalent than ever.
Akala has tapped into this, and with new album Knowledge is Power, vol. 2, brings it home to Blighty where his poetic verses become the voice of Britain’s working class. With tracks like Murder Runs the Globe, Akala transcends the boundary of Britain’s stiff upper lip and lets loose.
As he descends on the Liverpool Guild of Students on 25th of November following from a storming set at this year’s Threshold Festival, we’ll be wrapping up a politically volatile year in a politically volatile style.
[paypal-donation]
