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Akinola what a mouth full huh.. Its the Nigerian name given to him at birth by his father Akinola Sir, which makes Akinola the Jr. prince, as he would say. Although he preferred his nickname Boot, over time Akinola learned to appreciate his birth name, the roots from which it stemmed from, the Uroba language his father didn’t teach him how to speak and the overall background surrounding the entire African culture. However in the beginning it was really easy for Akinola to hide his identity mainly because he shows no features of an African from Nigeria, I mean besides the fact the he's black, there was no ascent, no Uroba language skills, no knowledge of the Nigerian culture, no anything! And that’s because his dad at the age of 21 made his way over from Lagos, Nigeria to the “Land of The Free and Home of The Brave.”, chasing an American Dream while raising three kids of his own including Akinola Jr. plus his first son Kyle Taylor who was born over in Denver, Colorado. It was a tough struggle for Akinola Sir during his earlier time of father hood and education. From working hard washing dishes making the minimum wages of the 80’s and 90’s era to attending school, Akinola Sir managed to keep his family fed and still have the time to make their Christmas living in the Projects, the biggest thing poppin’.Knowing that hard work pays off Akinola Sir graduated from Roger Williams University with a bachelors in Engineering and was able to find a better job to provide for his family.

No longer does his family live in the project, however the struggle still lives within them and as his son Akinola Jr. grew older, he began to recognize the hard work his parents had to contribute in order to survive in America. It affected young Ak emotionally and it put him in a situation were he had to contribute something back to his family so great that it would change his life forever. He didn’t want to wake up seeing him and his family struggle their entire life, nor did he want to live paycheck to paycheck. He needed a way out. He needed a direction, a guide, a vision so lucrative that he would someday become the greatest person to ever do it.

Now at age 13, Akinola had been greatly influenced by the Hip-hop music from artist like Eminem, 50 Cent and Cassidy (before he became a gangster) and it wasn’t until later in the 2000’s that he really started to listen to Jay even though he still couldn’t understand why Big and Pac were still considered the undisputed artists of all times. Anyways, as the power of music influenced him greatly, Akinola began to write his own lyrics. Days and days of writing lyrics in his room drove his mom crazy!!! There was even a point when she had urged him to go out side and play with the neighborhood kids. No, Akinola wanted to perfect his ability to express himself so that one day, he too can be living the American Dream to support his family. It was only then, that his passion for writing music became clear to his mom soon became the greatest supporter of his music. Using the money from her income tax, she took Akinola to purchase his first pieces of recording equipment, studio microphone and all! The motivation and determination grew even stronger the moment Akinola realized that the love and support his family had for him was genuine.

Now, at age 15, in high school and living in a bigger apartment Akinola began to record the lyrics he wrote inside his notebook. Page after page, bar after bar it was all hot to him. You couldn’t tell him nothing about how wack his lyrics were because he already knew he was blessed with the artistic ability to express himself therefore hate to him was irrelevant and after about a year of writing and recording songs he finally had enough material to spit out in the public, entertain his high school buddies and develop a reputation for flowing with sheer greatness! Akinola would soon be introduced to another great lyricist by the name of J-Heavy, the Dominirican Flame spitter who had spent time in Texas but soon moved to Rhode Island with his family.

As time progressed so did the knowledge and creative outlook on how to produce great music but it wasn’t until Akinola was introduced to the Liberian artist/producer by the name of Putugar the Phenom, that he really began to understand how to produce and organize his own beats. Putugar, J-Heavy and Akinola clicked and lyrically became a high school force not to be reckoned with. With Putugars wisdom, J’s Heavy large distribution of hard hitting bars and Akinola sheer confidence, it was made clear that they were hustling and grinding hard to establish similar goals to make it all happen!

Putugar’s kitchen quickly became the headquarters for the development their music. Writing and recording track after track while experimenting with different sounds and instruments to produce the hottest beats for their first mixtape, which was later distributed all over Tolman High School. The mixtape was titled Solja Boys Vol.1. The name spoke for itself and their lyrics conveyed the message and mentality of the Solja Boys movement. Following Solja Boys Vol.1 was SB Vol.2 and finally the 3rd mixtape with all tracks produced by Putugar the Phenom called “Kitchen To Da Korner” simply cause all their music was written and recorded in a kitchen that held the delicious aroma of Cassava Leaf and Pam Butter thanks to mama Putugar.

After hard work and dedication to the grind, their music became well known and respected around the local area, creating a greater buzz as a group of determined individuals but as time continued to expand, the group began to expand in directions different from one another, making is difficult to maintain that link between them. So to stay connected Akinola became affiliated with the 420 Coalition movement that roots all the way back to Maryland and over to Africa.

Having a political outlook, the 420 Coalition still catered to the rhythm and soul of those who recognize the bigger picture. Still in the struggle, Akinola refocuses his view and begsn to see the picture as well. After graduating from high school in 2005, Akinola remained confident, motivated and determined to continue producing great music and remain relevant. In 2007, he released his first solo mixtape self entitled AKINOLA Vol.1 with tracks recorded by 106 & Parks W.O.W Champion and Youth and Actions Coordinator Chachi C. at the Beat Box Studio on Main St. in Pawtucket.

Not having the time or money, Akinola seen the opportunity to distribute his music throughout the entire fall and spring semester of community college while he attended open mics at the Black Rep and other local area such as As220. Thats same year Akinola later met a Hip-hop group called the Rhode Show and began doing alot more shows with them. Still in college, Akinola made it his business to promote his music all over the community and even managed to sell his music to his Oral Communications Professor Kenneth Lyon who is also a musician, his Sales instructor Professor Burard and even some of the hip-hop supporters at school.

They say real recognize real and apparently Akinola is as real as they get. It quickly became known that Akinola was already viewed as a great rapper to the ones who supported his music but to him, he was something much greater than just a rapper. He was an artist, an entertainer and an entrepreneur at heart. The mind and mentality of Akinola didn’t entirely focus on the now in his life, he set up goals to position himself for the future that he had envisioned as a kid living in the projects. Because he knew his amazing ability to write and also knew that music was and still is a universal language that allows listeners to connect and relate to the messages he conveys over melodic tunes, he soon moved away from the so called rapper facade and became more comfortable with being known as an artist influenced by the Hip-hop culture, thus creating his own independent record label, Color’d Paper Records or CPR, which represents the multicultural existence of mankind striving to achieve something of great value!

Now years old 21, Akinola’s mind and vision has gone beyond the box that once trapped him from being artistic. Looking past all haters and negative influences and with the help, love and support of friends and family, he continues to remain focused and determined to take the neccessary steps to achieve his goals.

Akinola, it means “The brave and wealthy one”

He was born to do this!