The Glasgow School of Art

Akala public lecture
Friday 7 October 2016, 5pm
Reid Auditorium

More lectures in the 'Race, Rights and Sovereignty' series:
Dr. Karen Salt
Dr. Suchitra Balasubrahmanyan

A History of Black People in Britain
– an overview of the untold history of the 2000 year presence of black people in the British Isles as told by BAFTA and MOBO award winning artist, writer, educator and historian Akala.

Hosted by The Students' Association in association with The GSA Public Lecture series

Tickets are free but please book via Eventbrite. Book early to avoid disappointment

<< Akala is playing O2 ABC2 Glasgow later that evening >>

Over the last few years Kingslee ‘Akala’ Daley, b.1983, has emerged from London’s hip hop underground and into the mainstream as one of the leaders of a new British artistic renaissance. Bursting into the underground scene in 2004, he made history by being the first unsigned artist to have a video appear on MTV UK’s ‘TRL’. 2006 saw his first album ‘It’s Not A Rumour’ drop with trance-sampling smash single ‘Shakespeare’ being play-listed and championed on BBC’s Radio 1 via the support of influential DJ, Zane Lowe. The album received critical acclaim and earned Akala the ‘Best Hip Hop Artist’ award at the 2006 MOBO awards, beating out Kanye West. Reflecting the disorder and flux of contemporary life, Akala’s second album ‘Freedom Lasso’ was an energetic visionary essay on modern life, drawing influences from the whole spectrum of music – rap, rock, electro, punk and folk. Summer 2010 see’s Akala return, poised to flip-turn the UK music scene once again with his third effort.

The name Akala is a Buddhist term for "immovable” - along with his fans he is at the centre of a burgeoning movement of a young, intelligent and socially-conscious generation. Akala's music has always reflected his personal struggles - against ignorance, racism and the dumbing-down of the art form that once empowered him with knowledge.

Race, politics and social conditioning are among the recurring themes presented as barbed comedic satire. In tackling those topics Akala finds himself confronting the issue of the decline of hip hop as a social and political force, angrily restating the genre's credentials as the best, most powerful means of delivering what KRS-ONE calls Edutainment.

Akala touches on race, class, sexism, history, war, hip-hop culture and what it is to live in a world one knows to be inherently unequal, yet rounds it all off not with accusations or anger but inward self-analysis.

http://www.akala.moonfruit.com/

“smart, addictive and right on the mark.” The Independent

“Startlingly effective.” The Guardian

“...let’s see Akala’s peers follow his lead.” NME

“a spirited corrective for mainstream hip-hop’s directionless excess.” Mojo

“Possessed of an intense lyrical flow” The Times

“..bold and brassy.” Metro

“...one of the best British albums of the year. No genre category needed” Disorder