Mekka Don facts for kids

Mekka Don, whose real name is Chukwuemeka Nnamdi Onyejekwe, is an American artist. He is known as a rapper, actor, lawyer, and businessman. In 2012, MTV recognized him as an "mtvU Freshman." He also won the "mtvU Best Freshman Video" award for his music video called "Dirty."

Mekka Don has appeared on many popular media sites like MTV, VH1.com, and ESPN. He has worked with other famous artists such as Bizzy Bone, MGK, and D.J. Mick Boogie. A hip-hop magazine called XXL wrote about his choice to leave his law career to become a rapper in July 2008.

Early Life and Education

Growing Up in Ohio

Mekka Don was born Chukwuemeka 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, Ohio. He was a talented athlete in two sports there. He was part of the State Champion soccer team in his junior year. In his senior year, he played on the football team.

College and Law School

After high school, Mekka Don was invited to join 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. In the same year, he passed the New York State Bar Exam. He worked as a lawyer for a short time at a firm called Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP. However, he soon left his job to follow his dream of a music career.

Music Career Highlights

Starting His Music Journey

Mekka Don started rapping and performing as early as 1999. But he did not become a professional rapper until 2006. This was when he left his job as a lawyer. He has said that rapping is his "passion."

He quickly found success with his song "U Know Mekka Don." This song reached number 2 on a college radio website called www.rapattacklives.com. It even passed songs by well-known artists like Lupe Fiasco and The Rza. In 2008, he released a mixtape with D.J. Mick Boogie called "Law and Order." His unique career path was featured in XXL magazine in July 2008. The story was titled "Keep Pushin'."

Notable Albums and Videos

Mekka Don became very well known after releasing an album with DJ Mick Boogie. This album, called The All Eyes On Me EP, came out on January 13, 2009. The songs on the album were written from the perspective of Barack Obama. They showed the challenges he would face as president. Critics 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 from the media. Because of this video, MTV named Mekka Don an "mtvU FRESHMAN." He also won "mtvU Best Freshman Video." His video was shown on VH1.com and The Source magazine's website. It was also featured on 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 on Sirius radio.

Music in Sports

In August 2012, Mekka Don made a deal with ESPN Networks. This allowed them 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. It was produced by Tha Audio Unit and hosted by DJ-EV.

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 helped build excitement for the Big Ten basketball tournament and March Madness. Mekka Don also signed a deal with the Big Ten Network. This allowed them to use his songs in their 2013 Men's basketball tournament coverage.

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

In the fall of 2014, Mekka Don and the Cleveland Browns football team made a deal. They licensed Mekka Don's Cleveland Browns 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 chosen by ESPN First Take. It was one of the show's songs of the month.

Recent Releases and Impact

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

In June 2020, Mekka Don was chosen to join the Big Ten Anti-Hate and Anti-Racism coalition. This group works to fight hate and racism.

After being away from music for a few years due to an injury, Mekka Don returned with a new song. ..... It was made to inspire people to keep going even when things are tough. The song and video received praise from many, including Chuck D and BNC News. AllHipHop.com called it "The Soundtrack of the Times." A TV show called RightThisMinute called it an "Inspirational Hit."

In the summer of 2023, Mekka Don released a popular song and music video on Father's Day. The song was called "Carry It On." It 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." It was very popular. The Ohio State football team now runs onto the field to this song after halftime for every home game. Mekka Don and Ohio State's Team Shop Legends also released "Buckle Up" merchandise. This merchandise is sold at Ohio Stadium, also known as The Horseshoe.