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ABOUT AKALA:

The streets gave birth to hip hop, and the streets are where it lives. But the corporate world stole rap. Now Akala's stealing it back.

In 2006 Kingslee 'Akala' Daley, 24, redefined hip hop with his debut album "It's Not A Rumour", and the revolutionary, trance sampling underground smash hit "Shakespeare". The album, which he released on the independent label Illa State Records, received critical acclaim from the British press and earned Akala the Best Hip Hop Artist award at the 2006 MOBO awards in England where he beat out U.S. heavyweights Kanye West and Busta Rhymes.

On Oct 1st 2007 Akala released his brand new album "Freedom Lasso" which musically, lyrically and philosophically travel far beyond his previous work. Reflecting the disorder and flux of contemporary life, "Freedom Lasso" is an energetic and visionary essay on the modern way, drawing influences from the whole spectrum of music -- dance, rap, rock, punk and folk.

The first single off the album, "Bit By Bit" saw Akala rhyming on the difficulties of love over a wasp's nest of synths and Kraftwerk-style proto-techno breaks. Think Jean Michel Jarre having a synth-off with Aphex Twin whilst Timbaland shares a blunt with Plastikman. Its urgent, shape-shifting beats underpin a simple message: that the one you live with can be the one who pisses you off the most. "That's the truest reflection of love I can think of," he says. Remixes are by red-hot French Electro-house producers Baxter Baxter.

The second single "Comedy Tragedy History" sees Akala name-check 28 Shakespeare plays and a number of famous quotations from the Bard's work - all set to a grinding electro-hip hop beat complete with live Violins!!

See below for upcoming tour dates and watch this space for the latest updates, releases and exclusive footage.