Gabriel Erjok Majer Akon (born 1994), known professionally as DyspOra (pronounced "die-spora"), is a

South Sudan South Sudan (; din, Paguot Thudän), officially the Republic of South Sudan ( din, Paankɔc Cuëny Thudän), is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia, Sudan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the C ...

ese-born Australian hip hop artist,

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...

and

activist Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived greater good. Forms of activism range fro ...

. 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 A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

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.

Early life

Born around 1994 as Gabriel Erjok Majer Akon, he spent his first seven years living in Kakuma refugee camp in

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

, before migrating to South Australia as a 10-year-old with his family in 2004. Attending school in Adelaide, he wrote poetry, and soon became a socially-conscious

rapper Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...

called DyspOra.

Career

Akon established Playback808 as an independent hip hop collective in 2011 and later (around 2017) as a record label. Akon attracted national attention in 2017 after performing his song "Open Road" with

Elsy Wameyo Elsy Wameyo, also known as ELSY, is a Kenyan-born Australian singer-songwriter, mostly singing in the hip hop genre. Based in Adelaide, South Australia, Wameyo was awarded Young Kenyan of the Year in 2018, and won People's Choice Best Hip Hop Aw ...

live on ''

Tonightly with Tom Ballard ''Tonightly with Tom Ballard'' was an Australian comedy entertainment show presented by comedian Tom Ballard and regular contributors Bridie Connell, Greg Larsen, Greta Lee Jackson and Nina Oyama. It aired on ABC Comedy from 4 December 2017 until ...

'' on ABC TV. He has performed at many major music festivals and events. He challenges racism in Australian society and the music business. He cites the music and leadership of

Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981; baptised in 1980 as Berhane Selassie) was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements o ...

and Fela Kuti as sources of inspiration, saying that had he not listened to them, he may have chosen a legal or medical career. 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. On 17 April 2020, Akon released his first EP, ''The AustrAlien'', on all platforms, after a preview on

Triple J Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian Radio in Australia, radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greate ...

. The 8-track mini-album was produced in partnership with the

organisation Music in Exile (which showcases refugee and migrant artists), and features

, Lord Levi, NeSs and producers from Playback 808. "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".

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. He has given

TEDx TED Conferences, LLC (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is an American-Canadian non-profit media organization that posts international talks online for free distribution under the slogan "ideas worth spreading". TED was founded by Richard Sau ...

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. 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 Northern Sound System (NSS) is a dedicated youth centre focused on music, broadcasting, and other creative industries, located in Elizabeth, a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. Background The Northern Sound System was established i ...

Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...

. With the live sessions interrupted by the

COVID-19 pandemic in Australia The COVID-19 pandemic in Australia is part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). The first confirmed case in Australia was identified on 25 Januar ...

, Akon helped to supply the young musicians with microphones, and has kept in touch using

Zoom Zoom may refer to: Technology Computing * Zoom (software), videoconferencing application * Page zooming, the ability to magnify or shrink a portion of a page on a computer display * Zooming user interface, a graphical interface allowing for image ...

video chat. He has proven an inspiration to young artists such as Kaye Lou and Phylo. 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. Akon addressed the crowd at the Black Lives Matter protest in Adelaide on 6 June 2020, saying that he stood with

Indigenous Australians Indigenous Australians or Australian First Nations are people with familial heritage from, and membership in, the ethnic groups that lived in Australia before British colonisation. They consist of two distinct groups: the Aboriginal peoples ...

in their fight against racism and injustice.

Discography

Extended plays

Singles

Recognition and awards

The

South Australian Music Awards The South Australian Music Awards, also known as SA Music Awards, commonly SAM Awards, formerly Fowler's Live Music Awards (FLMA), are annual awards that exist to recognise, promote and celebrate excellence in the South Australian contemporary mu ...

(previously known as the Fowler's Live Music Awards) are annual awards that exist to recognise, promote and celebrate excellence in the South Australian contemporary music industry. They commenced in 2012. DyspOra won Best Male Artist in 2017. 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". Akon was a state finalist in the 2020

Young Australian of the Year The Australian of the Year is a national award conferred on an Australian citizen by the National Australia Day Council, a not-for-profit Australian Governmentowned social enterprise. Similar awards are also conferred at the State and Territ ...

awards and was also nominated for the Channel 7 Young Achievers awards in the same year.

References

{{reflist Australian rappers South Sudanese emigrants to Australia Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Musicians from Adelaide Australian hip hop musicians