By Usayd Younis and Adam Elliott-Cooper

Hip Hop’s Shakespeare, Akala, is often regarded as one of the most lyrically sophisticated, innovative and politically radical Hip Hop artists in the UK. His songs address a range of issues, including racism, imperialism, inequality and the corporatisation of culture, and as a result, rarely receives the airplay on mainstream media outlets that his immense talents deserve.

Akala runs the Hip Hop Shakespeare Company, in which he engages young people in appreciating literature. Its aim is to boost their intellectual confidence and understanding. Akala is also a commentator on social issues, and is known for his wide historical erudition and the deeply philosophical vision of his work.

Akala is a regular on SBTV in addition to his more well known songs such as Shakespeare and Yours and My Children.

We were lucky enough to catch up with Akala at the National Union of Students’ Black Students’ Conference, where we discussed race, history, philosophy, and much more. We also caught exclusive acapella performances of Fire in the Booth Part 1 and 2.

Akala: The Interview

Akala – Fire in the Booth Part 1 (Acapella)

Akala – Fire in the Booth Part 2 (Acapella)

See also:
Comment | Lowkey: Why I had to say no to Westwood TV
Exclusive | Jody McIntyre interviews Lowkey

Usayd Younis is Ceasefire Associate Editor. He is a radical film-maker, designer and activist. You can find his website at usayd.com. He tweets at @usayd

Adam Elliott-Cooper, a writer and activist, is Associate Editor of Ceasefire and a doctoral researcher at the University of Oxford. His column on race politics appears twice a month. He tweets at @adamec87.