Akala is headlining The Waterfront in Norwich on April 25 as he embarks on a 10-date UK tour based around his 'Visions' Comic Book EP.

Norwich Evening News: Akala Norwich tour poster. Photo: Courtesy of UEA Box OfficeAkala Norwich tour poster. Photo: Courtesy of UEA Box Office (Image: Courtesy of UEA Box Office)

Akala is a BAFTA and MOBO award-winning hip-hop artist, writer and social entrepreneur, as well as the co-founder of The Hip-Hop Shakespeare Company.

With an extensive global touring history, Akala has appeared at numerous festivals both in the UK and internationally, and has led innovative projects in the arts, education and music across South East Asia, Africa, India, Australia and New Zealand.

Akala has also appeared on Channel 4, ITV, MTV, Sky Arts and the BBC promoting his music and poetry, and speaking on a wide range of subjects such as music, race, youth engagement, British/African-Caribbean culture and the arts, with numerous online lectures and performances that have millions of views on YouTube.

More recently known for his compelling lectures and journalism – having written for the Guardian, Huffington Post and the Independent, and spoken for the Oxford Union and TEDx - Akala has gained a reputation as one of the most dynamic and articulate talents in the UK.

The upcoming tour centres around performances of his latest EP 'Visions' but also a collection of favourites from his 11 year long career spanning body of work.

Norwich Evening News: Akala performing live. Photo: George VicaryAkala performing live. Photo: George Vicary (Image: George Vicary)

This project, which was released on July 28, 2017, is a first for Akala and a first in Hip Hop as he tackles the book's message and themes in musical form, pushing the boundaries of art and music.

'Visions is a semi-autobiographical magical realist story which forms part of a new comic book series, written entirely in verse,' explains Akala.

'This all-encompassing multi-media historical tale explores higher states of consciousness, charting the evolution of the art of rapping from West Africa's Griot traditions, through Jazz, Blues and Reggae up to the modern day.'

With deeply stirring soundscapes and hard-hitting beats produced by James Leggett, and with additional production from his long time collaborator Lavar Bullard, the 'Visions' EP sets Akala's visceral trademark flow to moody strings and timeless rhythms, breaking new ground for his unique approach to Hip Hop.

On top of all of this, Akala's first full book titled 'Natives' is due for release on May 17, 2018.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lSXd2gFt50

The book takes his own experiences and widens them out to look at the social, historical and political factors that have left us where we are today.

Covering everything from the police, education and identity, to politics, sexual objectification and the far right, Natives will speak directly to British denial and squeamishness when it comes to confronting the issues of race and class that are at the heart of the legacy of Britain's racialised empire.

Tickets for Akala's show in Norwich are available for £16 advance from the UEA Box Office website.

Norwich Evening News: Akala. Photo: NXSHAkala. Photo: NXSH (Image: NXSH)