Akira the Don

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Akira The Don
Akira in 2018
Background information
Birth name	Adam Narkiewicz
Origin	UK
Genres	, Lofi, EDM, hip hop, trap
Occupation(s)	Musician, DJ, producer, Wavelord
Years active	2004–present
Labels	Living in the Future (2009–2016) Something in Construction (2004–2009) Interscope (2005–2006)
Website	www.akirathedon.com

Akira the Don (real name Adam Narkiewicz) is a British musician, DJ, and producer.

His music and production traverses the boundaries between pop, hip-hop, indie and dance. He lists influences including Ice Cube, Adam Ant, Morrissey, Big Bang, Leonard Cohen, David Bowie and the Wu-Tang Clan. His debut album When We Were Young was produced in collaboration with Danny Saber (U2, Black Grape), James Brown (Nine Inch Nails, Ash) and Emile (50 Cent). In 2017, Akira the Don released mixtapes in the form of a new genre he created, referred to as "Meaningwave"^[1] – a fusion of wave music with meaningful lyrical content and lo-fi hip-hop.

Life and career[]

Born in West Bromwich and raised in North Wales, for most of his career he lived in London.^[2] In 2014, he moved to Los Angeles. In 2020, he moved to Texas in order "to secure the future of Meaningwave, his son's childhood, and the very Don Dynasty itself."^[3]

Rapper[]

Prior to launching a solo career, Akira the Don was a member of hip-hop group Crack Village.^[4] In 2006, Akira rapped on Brave Captain's album Distractions.^[5] He released his first album When We Were Young the same year.^[6]

In May 2011, he released his second LP, The Life Equation. The album is co-produced with Stephen Hague and features collaborations with Gruff Rhys (of Super Furry Animals) and Envy.^[7] Akira often produced his own videos.^[8] In 2013, Akira performed at Grant Morrison's MorrisonCon.^[9]

In March 2014, Akira released A.T.D.R.I.P.. He played his final gig in London on 19 May,.^[10]

Producer[]

Akira has produced songs for a number of artists including two top forty hits for Lethal Bizzle^[11] along with songs for Newham Generals' Footsie, Big Narstie, Envy, G-Mane, Littles, Marvin The Martian, Issue, and Time.

In 2011, Akira collaborated with Chilly Gonzales on mixtape.^[11]

In 2015, Akira produced a cover of Adamski's "Killer" featuring Grant Morrison. ^[12]

Since 2017, Akira the Don has been integrating philosophically inspired lyrical content into his music. He created and developed the Meaningwave Universe which is aimed at inspiring people to find wholesomeness in their lives, and promotes the ideas of peak performance or flow consciousness.^[13] He's sampled soundbites from Jordan Peterson, Alan Watts, Joe Rogan, Elon Musk, Fred Rogers,^[14] Anthony Bourdain, and others.^[15] In 2019, he released dozens of albums during a period of "hyper productivity" ^[16]

DJ[]

In October 2014 Akira relocated to Los Angeles, where he formed the party rap duo MIDNITEMEN with long time collaborator and nightclub organiser Wade Crescent, and began DJing every week in Hollywood nightspots like The Roosevelt Hotel, Blind Dragon, Hooray Henrys and Bootsy Bellows. The latter is co-owned by David Arquette, for whom Akira provided accent coaching for the actor's role in a stage production of Sherlock Holmes.^[17]

As resident DJ at Blind Dragon, he DJed parties for the likes of The Weeknd, Nylon Magazine^[18] and Harry Styles.^[19] He DJed for Justin Bieber at Hooray Henrys following his VMA's performance.

Discography[]