DyspOra

Gabriel Erjok Majer Akon (born c. 1994), known professionally as DyspOra (pronounced "die-spora"), is a South Sudanese-born Australian hip hop artist, poet and activist. He is the founder of the music collective and independent record label Playback 808, and released the 8-track EP, The AustrAlien, in partnership with the not-for-profit organisation Music in Exile in April 2020, after a series of singles and shorter collaborations. He calls his brand of hip hop "Sonic Activism", as he uses his music as a tool to influence social change.

DyspOra
Born
Gabriel Akon

c.1994
Wau, South Sudan
NationalityAustralian
Occupation
Years active2012–present
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
Labels

Early life

Born around 1994[1][2] as Gabriel Erjok Majer Akon,[3] he spent his first seven years living in Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, before migrating to South Australia as a 10-year-old with his family in 2004.[2][4] Attending school in Adelaide, he would write poetry, and soon afterwards transformed himself into a socially-conscious rapper called DyspOra.[5]

Career

Akon established Playback808 as an independent hip hop collective in 2011[6] and later (around 2017) as a record label.[7]

Akon attracted national attention in 2017 after performing his song "Open Road" with Elsy Wameyo live on Tonightly with Tom Ballard on ABC TV[2] and has performed at many major music festivals and events. He challenges racism in Australian society and the music business and cites the music and leadership of Bob Marley and Fela Kuti as sources of inspiration, saying that had he not listened to them, he may have aimed at a legal or medical career.[7]

In January 2019 Akon released "The One Freestyle", in which he takes aim at Australian police and the vilification of Sudanese people in Australia. He thinks that racism, as something which he and his loved ones experience constantly, is not being addressed with enough urgency in Australia, and believes in the power of music to influence people.[5]

On 17 April 2020, Akon released his first EP, The AustrAlien on all platforms, after a preview on Triple J.[8] The 8-track mini-album The AustrAlien was produced in partnership with the not-for-profit organisation Music in Exile[9][10][11] (which showcases refugee and migrant artists[3]), and features Elsy Wameyo, Lord Levi, NeSs as well as producers from Playback 808.[8] “When I succeed I am Australian, but when I fail I am African", he said as he announced its release. “It’s about wanting to belong, but still feeling alienated... I call them, ‘Australiens’. They are the ones that want to be Australian, but they get treated like aliens, so they’re somehow on the fringes. They are the biggest potential this country could ever have because of what they could add to this country. All the nation has to do is invest in them", he says.[3]

Community work and activism

Akon calls his brand of hip hop "Sonic Activism", as he uses his music as a tool to influence social change.[5] Akon has given TEDx Youth talks at universities and is a big believer in giving back, and is regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists empowering young people through his music.[12]

His community work includes giving his time to helping disadvantaged young people in the northern suburbs of Adelaide, running weekly music sessions for up to 70 people at Northern Sound System in Elizabeth. With the live sessions interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, Akon helped to supply the young musicians with microphones, and has kept in touch using Zoom video chat. He has proven an inspiration to young artists such as Kaye Lou and Phylo.[1]

He is an ambassador for the Timpir Foundation, an organisation he founded himself to provide education to more than 1,400 children in South Sudan and in refugee camps in Kenya.[5]

Akon addressed the crowd at the Black Lives Matter protest in Adelaide on 6 June 2020, saying that he stood with Indigenous Australians in their fight against racism and injustice.[13][14]

Recognition and awards
  • DyspOra/Akon received Best Male Artist at the 2017 South Australian Music Awards.[15]
  • Akon received the Youth Award for 2018 at the Governor's Multicultural Awards in South Australia in 2019, for his "outstanding youth and community work for the local and international community".[4][16]

References
  1. Smith, Matthew (7 June 2020). "'Black Superman' champions talent in Adelaide's northern suburbs". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  2. Byrne, Declan (12 June 2019). "Refugees making music in Australia". triple j. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  3. "Dyspora - Australien". Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR). 21 April 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  4. Maynard, Amy (26 June 2019). "Inspiration from former refugee Gabriel Akon at Naracoorte High". Naracoorte Herald. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  5. Skujins, Angela (12 June 2019). "DyspOra: The music and the meaning". CityMag. Photos by Josh Geelen. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  6. "Playback 808 Kingdom [Playback808: About - click link]". Facebook. 5 July 2018. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  7. Fuamoli, Sosefina (3 August 2017). "Interview: Gabriel Akon on his journey to DyspOra & growing a hip hop empire in Adelaide with Playback808". The AU Review. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  8. "DyspOra: I'm excited to be releasing The AustrAlien EP on ALL platforms at midnight..." Facebook. 15 June 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  9. "Dyspora announces long awaited debut EP 'Australien'". NME. 9 April 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  10. "DyspOra". Music in Exile. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  11. "Dyspora announces long awaited debut EP 'Australien'". NME. 9 April 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  12. "This is DyspOra: Sonic Activist". Mirage News. 18 June 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  13. Wedding, Nicole. "Gallery: Moments From Adelaide's Black Lives Matter Rally". Broadsheet. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  14. Skujins, Angela (9 June 2020). "'You're going to hear us – really hear us'". CityMag. Photos by Jack Fenby, Tim Lyons and Dimitra Koriozos. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  15. "DyspOra". triple j Unearthed. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  16. "Governor's Multicultural Award 2019". Multicultural Communities Council of SA. 26 March 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
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