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Akira the Don

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Akira The Don
Akira in 2018
Akira in 2018
Background information
Birth nameAdam Jan Narkiewicz[1]
OriginUK
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • DJ
  • record producer
Years active2004–present
LabelsLiving in the Future (2009–2016)
Something in Construction (2004–2009)
Interscope(2005–2006)
Websitewww.akirathedon.com

Akira the Don(real nameAdam Jan Narkiewicz) is a British musician, DJ, producer, andYouTuber.

His music and production traverses the boundaries between pop, hip-hop, indie, and dance. He lists influences includingIce Cube,Adam Ant,Morrissey,Big Bang,Leonard Cohen,David Bowieand theWu-Tang Clan.His debut albumWhen We Were Youngwas produced byDanny Saber.In 2017, Akira the Don released mixtapes in the form of a new genre he created, referred to as "Meaningwave"[2]– a fusion ofwavemusic with meaningful lyrical content andlo-fihip-hop.

Career

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Rapper

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Prior to launching a solo career, Akira the Don was a member of hip-hop group Crack Village, another member beingLois Winstone.[3][4]In 2006, Akira rapped onBrave Captain's albumDistractions.[5]He released his first albumWhen We Were Youngthe same year.[6]

In May 2011, he released his second LP,The Life Equation.The album is co-produced withStephen Hagueand features collaborations withGruff Rhys(ofSuper Furry Animals) andEnvy.[7]Akira often produced his own videos.[8]In 2013, Akira performed atGrant Morrison's MorrisonCon.[9]

In March 2014, Akira releasedA.T.D.R.I.P..He played his final gig as a traditional rap artist in London on 19 May,.[10]

Producer

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Akira has produced songs for a number of artists including two top forty hits forLethal Bizzle[11]along with songs forNewham Generals' Footsie,Big Narstie,Envy,G-Mane, Littles, Marvin The Martian,Issue,and Time.

In 2011, Akira collaborated withChilly Gonzaleson mixtape.[11]

In 2015, Akira produced a cover ofAdamski's "Killer"featuringGrant Morrison. [12]

In 2016, he released a remix of theStranger Thingstheme.[13]

Since 2017, Akira the Don has been integrating philosophically inspired lyrical content into his music. He created and developed the Meaningwave Universe which is aimed at inspiring people to find wholesomeness in their lives, and promotes the ideas of peak performance orflowconsciousness.[14]He's sampled soundbites fromJordan Peterson,Alan Watts,Joe Rogan,Elon Musk,Fred Rogers,[15]Anthony Bourdain,and others.[16]In 2019, he released dozens of albums during a period of "hyper productivity"[17]

In September 2021, Meaningwave and Akira the Don were covered on theFox News Channeltalk showGutfeld!.[18]

In 2022, Akira was featured on Jordan Peterson's podcast.[19]

DJ

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In October 2014 Akira relocated to Los Angeles, where he formed the party rap duo MIDNITEMEN with long time collaborator and nightclub organiser Wade Crescent, and began DJing every week in Hollywood nightspots likeThe Roosevelt Hotel,Blind Dragon, Hooray Henrys and Bootsy Bellows. The latter is co-owned byDavid Arquette,for whom Akira provided accent coaching for the actor's role in a stage production of Sherlock Holmes.[20]

As resident DJ at Blind Dragon, he DJed parties for the likes ofThe Weeknd,Nylon Magazine[21]andHarry Styles.[22]He DJed forJustin Bieberat Hooray Henrys following his VMA's performance.

YouTube

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In 2020, Akira started to live-stream daily DJs sets on hisYouTubechannel, at times doing two sets per day.

Personal life

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Born in West Bromwich and raised in North Wales, for most of his career he lived in London.[23]In 2014, he moved to Los Angeles. In 2020, he moved to Texas in order "to secure the future of Meaningwave, his son's childhood, and the very Don Dynasty itself."[24]Since 2021, he has been residing in Mexico.

Discography

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Albums

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  • When We Were Young(Nov 2006)
  • The Kidnapping of Akira the Don(Nov 2010) featuring Joey2Tits
  • The Life Equation(16 May 2011) co-produced and mixed byStephen Hague
  • Saturnalia Superman: Akira the Don Salutes the Majesty of Christmas(19 December 2011)
  • A.T.D.R.I.P.(11 March 2014)
  • 12 Rules For Life: The Album (JPWAVE)(5 February 2018) featuringJordan Peterson
  • Goldtron III(9 July 2018)
  • JBPWAVE: Genesis(24 August 2018) featuring Jordan Peterson
  • MUSKWAVE - A Space OdysseyfeaturingElon Musk(21 September 2018)
  • Goldtron IV(5 November 2018)
  • The Path(25 January 2019) featuring Jocko Willink
  • Telling Stories(2021)
  • Freedom to Chains(2021)
  • The Call to Adventure(2021)
  • Truth & Dragons(2022)
  • Dunewave: Odyssey (2023) featuringDanikaXIX

EPs

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  • Akira the Don's First EP(Sep 2004)
  • AAA EP(May 2005)
  • All I Want for Christmas Is You (and World Peace) EP(Dec 2006)
  • Five and a Half Songs About Love(Feb 2006)
  • I Am Not Dead (YEAH!)(Oct 2009) featuringGruff Rhys

References

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  1. ^"A LOFI CHRISTMAS SONG".ASCAP.American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.Retrieved9 November2023.
  2. ^Parrish, Joseph (11 May 2019)."The Rise of Meaningwave Music".Medium.Joseph Parrish.Retrieved5 June2020.
  3. ^Cragg, Michael (22 February 2011)."New music: Akira the Don and Chilly Gonzales – Don't Need a Weatherman".The Guardian.
  4. ^"BBC Wales - Music - Akira the Don - Biography".
  5. ^"Martin Carr - Ye Gods (And Little Fishes)".Pitchfork.Retrieved23 February2019.
  6. ^"Interview: Akira The Don".Oxford Student. 3 November 2010.Retrieved3 June2020.
  7. ^"Akira the Don - The Life Equation review".The Quietus. 20 February 2012.Retrieved23 February2019.
  8. ^"Watch Akira The Don's Halloween Ready Video For 'Spooky Scary Skeletons'".NME. 26 October 2016.Retrieved23 February2019.
  9. ^"Akira The Don's Second Day At MorrisonCon".Bleeding Cool. 3 October 2012.
  10. ^"The final A.T.D. Music video: Akira the Don – LATELY | Akira the Don".Archived fromthe originalon 4 May 2014.Retrieved4 May2014.
  11. ^ab"New music: Akira the Don and Chilly Gonzales – Don't Need a Weatherman".The Guardian.22 February 2011.Retrieved23 February2018.
  12. ^"Grant Morrison Appears In Akira The Don's New Music Video For Killer".Bleeding Cool. 2 June 2015.Retrieved23 February2019.
  13. ^"Akira the Don's Remix of the Stranger Things theme".NME. 13 September 2016.Retrieved17 March2023.
  14. ^"Evolution Of The DJ: An Interview With Akira The Don".prosoundweb.com. 29 July 2019.Retrieved5 June2020.
  15. ^"Akira the Don's Mr. Rogers-themed vaporwave mixtape is exactly what the world needs right now".CL Tampa.Retrieved23 February2019.
  16. ^Byebstaff (9 December 2016). "The Top 10 Most Important Music Memes of 2016". Electronic Beats. Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Both vaporwave and its offshoot hardvapor are genres as well as memes
  17. ^"Akira the Don: The DJ of the Intellectual Dark Web".High Existence. 26 April 2019.Retrieved3 June2020.
  18. ^"15 September".Gutfeld!.Season 1. 15 September 2021.Fox News.
  19. ^"S2 E4: Akira the Don: Music and Meaning".15 April 2019.
  20. ^"David Arquette bringing a zany Sherlock Holmes to the stage".Toronto Sun.
  21. ^"NYLON Magazine's Spring Fas... | Photo | firstlook celebrity photos".Archived fromthe originalon 16 August 2016.Retrieved20 July2016.
  22. ^"Harry Styles birthday party DJ politest millionaire ever".Sugarscape.com.
  23. ^"Akira the Don".BBC Wales.Retrieved23 February2019.
  24. ^"TEXODUS".Meaningwave.Retrieved13 July2020.
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