Mekka Don facts for kids

Chukwuemeka Nnamdi Onyejekwe, known by his stage name Mekka Don, is an American rapper. He is also an actor, a lawyer, and a business person. In 2012, MTV named him an "mtvU Freshman" and he won an award for his music video "Dirty". His work has been shown on MTV, VH1.com, and ESPN. He has worked with other artists like Bizzy Bone and MGK. Mekka Don chose to leave his job as a lawyer to follow his dream of being a rapper. This story was shared in XXL magazine in 2008.

Early Life and School

Mekka Don was born Chukwuemeka ("Emeka") N. Onyejekwe in Columbus, Ohio. His parents, Okey and Egondu Onyejekwe, came from Nigeria. He has two older sisters and an older brother. All of his siblings work in professional careers.

Mekka Don went to St. Francis DeSales High School in Columbus. He was a talented athlete in two sports. He was part of the State Champion soccer team in his junior year. In his senior year, he played on the football team. After high school, he joined the Ohio State University football team. He played as a wide receiver and defensive back from 1999 to 2001.

After graduating from Ohio State, Mekka Don went to New York University School of Law. He finished law school in 2006. That same year, he passed the New York State Bar Exam, which meant he could practice law. He worked as a lawyer for a short time at a company called Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP. But he soon left to focus on his music career.

Music Career Highlights

Mekka Don started rapping and performing in 1999. However, he did not become a professional rapper until 2006, after he left his law job. He has said that rapping is his "passion."

He quickly found success with his song "U Know Mekka Don." It reached number 2 on a college radio website called www.rapattacklives.com. This was a big achievement, as it passed songs by famous artists like Lupe Fiasco. In 2008, he released a mixtape called "Law and Order" with D.J. Mick Boogie. His unique journey from lawyer to rapper was featured in XXL magazine in a story called "Keep Pushin'."

One of Mekka Don's most famous projects is The All Eyes On Me EP. He released this album with DJ Mick Boogie on January 13, 2009. The album was written from the point of view of Barack Obama. It showed the challenges Obama would face as president. Many people praised the album. URB.com called it "a beautiful stage show." The New York Daily News said Mekka Don was "bringing change to rap." The Source magazine called it "Your Inauguration Day Soundtrack."

In January 2012, Mekka Don released a song and video called "Dirty." This video got a lot of attention. MTV named him an "mtvU FRESHMAN" and he won "mtvU Best Freshman Video." His video was also shown on VH1.com and 50 Cent's website, Thisis50.com. Derrick Ward, a football player for the Houston Texans, appeared in the "Dirty" video. Later that year, Mekka Don released another video for his song "Here We Go." This video premiered on MTV.com and VH1.com. The song was also played on Shade45 radio.

In August 2012, Mekka Don made a deal with ESPN Networks. This allowed ESPN to use his music during college football broadcasts.

In September 2012, Mekka Don was nominated for two Ohio Hip-Hop Awards. These were for Best Male Artist and Best Mixtape Artist. In December 2012, he released an EP called "Paradise." This album had a Dubstep sound and was produced by Tha Audio Unit.

In February 2013, Mekka Don and Ohio State University worked together. They released a music video for his song "Let's Go O-H-I-O." This video was made to build excitement for basketball tournaments. Mekka Don also signed a deal with the Big Ten Network. This allowed them to use his songs for their 2013 Men's basketball tournament coverage.

In fall 2013, Mekka Don released an official Ohio State University football song called "Juice." This song is played at all of Ohio State's home football games.

In March 2014, Mekka Don released his first album, The Dream Goes On. It was available digitally on iTunes and Amazon. It received great reviews from major news outlets like MTV News and The Source magazine. To help pay for the album, Mekka Don used crowdfunding on Indiegogo.com. He aimed to raise $12,500 in 35 days. He ended up raising over $21,000 with help from over 300 supporters.

In fall 2014, Mekka Don and the Cleveland Browns football team made a deal. They licensed Mekka Don's song "Rock For My Browns." This song is played at all of the Cleveland Browns home games.

In May 2015, Mekka Don released a song and video to support Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott. The song was called "Zeke."

In October 2017, Mekka Don's song "Real One" was licensed by ESPN First Take. It was chosen as one of the show's songs of the month.

Mekka Don released the song "Nip and Tuck" in April 2018.

In June 2020, Mekka Don was chosen to be part of the Big Ten Anti-Hate and Anti-Racism coalition. This group works to inspire people to keep going despite challenges. The song and video received praise from people like Chuck D and BNC News. AllHipHop.com called it "The Soundtrack of the Times."

In summer 2023, Mekka Don released a song and music video called "Carry It On" on Father's Day. The song is about leaving a legacy and passing knowledge to the next generation.

In July 2024, Mekka Don released another official Ohio State song called "Buckle Up." The Ohio State football team runs onto the field to this song after halftime at every home game. Mekka Don and Ohio State's Team Shop Legends also released "Buckle Up" merchandise. This merchandise is sold in Ohio Stadium, also known as The Horseshoe.