Akir facts for kids

Akir (which stands for Always Keep It Real) is an American rapper, music producer, songwriter, and activist. He is known for his thoughtful lyrics. His songs often talk about important topics like fairness and community.

Akir's Early Life and Music Journey

Akir first got involved in hip hop when he was in high school. From 1994 to 1996, he was a radio host at his school's radio station, WNMH. In 1998, he showed off his rap skills at a competition at Howard University. He placed second out of 50 people!

Akir wanted to get even better at making music. So, he started learning how to produce songs. He worked with his brother and business partner, SouthPaw. Together, they helped produce a song on Immortal Technique's album, Revolutionary Vol. 1.

Soon after, Akir released his very first song, "Best Friend." It was on a mix CD by DJ N'finite called The Blockbuster Vol. 1. Akir released this song through his own company, One Enterprises.

Growing as an Artist

In November 2005, Akir joined with ten other new rappers to form a group called The Reavers. They released an album together called Terror Firma.

After that, Akir's company, One Enterprises, teamed up with Viper Records. They released Akir's first solo album, Legacy.

After Legacy came out, Akir started getting noticed. He was featured in popular magazines like The Source and XXL. These magazines highlighted him as a rising star in hip hop. In 2006, Akir even modeled for a clothing brand called Mecca 5star. His pictures appeared in magazines and on billboards.

Touring and Special Projects

Akir has traveled all over the world to perform. He has completed more than 10 international tours. These include big events like Rock the Bells and Vans Warped Tour. He has also performed in over 15 tours across the United States. In total, he has done over 1000 shows!

He has performed at many famous music festivals. Some of these include Coachella in the US, Roskilde in Denmark, and Hip Hop Al Parque in Colombia.

Akir also worked on a cool project called Flocabulary. This project helps students learn through hip hop music. Akir teamed up with producer 9th Wonder to turn the classic story of Romeo and Juliet into a hip hop song for schools. He was also mentioned in one of their books, The Rappers Handbook.

In 2007, Akir's second album, Legacy, was re-released. This happened through a partnership between One Enterprises, Viper Records, and Koch Distribution.

Akir as an Activist

In 2008, Akir became the head of artist relations for the Hip Hop Caucus. This is a group that uses hip hop culture to encourage young people to get involved in their communities. He worked on their "Respect My Vote '08" campaign. This campaign encouraged people to vote. Many famous people like TI and Pharoahe Monch were also part of it.

Akir also spent time helping young people who were facing challenges. He worked with a non-profit group called Art Start. He taught them how to write, produce, and record music. He worked in a music studio that was kindly given by famous people like Bruce Willis and Queen Latifah.

Akir is also part of a group of hip hop artists and activists called Rebel Army (also known as Rebel Armz). This group includes other artists like Immortal Technique and Diabolic. They all work together to use their music for positive change.

Recent Music

In the fall of 2009, Akir released a mixtape called The Secret. It was hosted by DJ Static and Statik Selektah. He then released an EP (a shorter album) called FOCUS (EP) on August 20, 2013. His full album, The Plan (LP), came out shortly after on September 24, 2013.

Akir's Music Albums

Albums

• Street Edition Volumes 1 & 2 (2003, One Enterprises)
• Legacy (2006, Viper Records)
• Supporter Sundays (2011, One Enterprises)
• The Plan (2013, Viper Records)

Mixtapes

• The Secret (2009) (with DJ Static and Statik Selektah)

EPs

• Focus EP (2013)