DJ Akademiks

Livingston Allen[1] more commonly known as DJ Akademiks, Akademiks, or simply by his rapper alter-ego Lil AK is a Jamaican-American podcaster,[8] Internet personality and live streamer.[2] DJ Akademiks rose to fame for his YouTube channel which covers the latest news in the hip hop music genre, and also for being a co-host of Everyday Struggle, a daily show by Complex Networks.[9] He also hosts his own podcast, Off the Record with DJ Akademiks on Spotify.

For the streetwear clothing brand, see Akademiks.

DJ Akademiks
DJ Akademiks in May 2022
Personal information
Born
Livingston Allen[1]


Spanish Town, Jamaica[2]
NationalityAmerican
Other namesBig AK
  • Akademiks, Lil AK, Big AK, AK, The Negrotiator[3]
EducationRutgers University–New Brunswick
Occupations
  • YouTuber
  • media personality
  • hip-hop commentator
  • Twitch streamer[4]
YouTube information
Channel
Years active2012–present
Subscribers
  • 2.78 million (DJ Akademiks)[5]
  • 570 thousand (King Akademiks)[6]
[7]
Total views
  • 1.36 billion (DJ Akademiks)[5]
  • 231 million (King Akademiks)[6]
[7]
100,000 subscribers
1,000,000 subscribers
Twitch information
Channel
Followers483 thousand
Last updated: August 21, 2023

Personal life

DJ Akademiks was born in Spanish Town, Jamaica and has one biological brother.[10] His father was a school principal and is stated to have had many extra-marital affairs due to his affluent status in Jamaican society.[10] DJ Akademiks did not appreciate his father's character of being away from his family, engaging in extra-marital affairs, and eventually starting another family but he claims to have understood and forgiven him as he grew older.[10] DJ Akademiks mainly grew up under the care of his mother and his grandmother.[10] Akademiks' mother left him and his brother back in Jamaica and migrated to the United States of America where she worked many jobs, lived in sub-par conditions, and eventually paid an American man $20,000 USD to marry her so she could legally become a US citizen as quickly as possible.[11] In 2001, DJ Akademiks and his brother were invited over to the US by their mother.[11]

DJ Akademiks aligns himself politically with the Republican Party and states that he will vote for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election.[12] He openly exhibits his distaste for homosexuality and transgender people, basing and supporting his beliefs on his conservative Jamaican upbringing.[13] DJ Akademiks also cites distrust and a lack of respect for the medical profession and has stated that he's not vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus.[14]

Education

DJ Akademiks has a bachelor's degree in biomathematics from Rutgers University (New Brunswick Campus).[15] He was a disc jockey for the Rutgers University radio station WRSU-FM until 2013, when he was kicked out for his commentary and selection of music.[2] As evident from a Crime Alert flyer issued by the Rutgers University Campus Police in June 2011, Akademiks and another accomplice were wanted for stealing computers from fellow students on campus.[16]

Career

Early career

DJ Akademiks was a regular on online hip-hop forums.[17] His first YouTube channel titled DJ Akademiks created in October 2012[18] initially highlighted his university disc jockey sessions, interviews, and Hip-Hop/Rap opinions. Over time, he began posting the latest breaking news in the Hip-Hop/Rap genre. During this time, he operated a website titled Late Night Creep, which centred around Hip-Hop/Rap news but it is currently not operational.[19]

2014

In May 2014, DJ Akademiks created a YouTube channel titled Crime Fails, which highlighted the mishaps committed by criminals during or after their criminal deeds.[20]

In June 2014, DJ Akademiks created a YouTube channel titled The War in Chiraq, which mainly centred around the coverage of the gang conflicts in Chicago and the various drill artists encompassing these conflicts.[21]

2015

In February 2015, DJ Akademiks created a YouTube channel titled King Akademiks, where he solely posted highlight clips from his latest Twitch livestreams and began live streaming on in 2022.[22]

In March 2015, DJ Akademiks created a YouTube channel titled Akademiks TV, where he posted noteworthy footage obtained from various musicians in the Hip-Hop/Rap genre.[23] This footage did not feature any of DJ Akademiks' commentary.

In July 2015, DJ Akademiks uploaded a video to his first self-titled YouTube channel, stating that his channel had been suspended and that he was moving to a new channel, also titled DJ Akademiks where he continued posting Hip-Hop/Rap related news.[24]

In August 2015, DJ Akademiks created a YouTube channel titled DJ Akademiks TV2 – The Negrotiator, which served as a backup for his newly created and now main channel DJ Akademiks, posting the same type of content but with a more critical and opinion-based touch.[25] Since February 2023, this channel was primarily used to host and preserve full-length YouTube livestreams by DJ Akademiks and in September 2023, it was renamed to "The Akademy".[26]

2017–2020

Aside from regularly posting and growing his DJ Akademiks YouTube channel, Instagram account, and Twitter account, from April 2017, to December 2020,[27][28][29] DJ Akademiks co-hosted Everyday Struggle, a daily morning show for Complex, with Joe Budden (eventually replaced by Star, and finally Wayno) and Nadeska Alexis.[9][30] On the BET Awards pre-show on June 25, 2017, DJ Akademiks and his co-hosts interviewed Atlanta rap group Migos, where tensions rose between him, his co-host Joe Budden and late Migos member Takeoff, after he questioned his absence on Migos' 2016 single "Bad and Boujee".[31] This interaction spawned the viral meme "Does it look like I was left off Bad and Boujee" which would bring Akademiks to a new level in his career.[32]

In April 2018, DJ Akademiks launched his rapper alter-ego Lil Ak, by posting a music video for his song "Blues Clues", which included a cameo from rapper 6ix9ine.[33] The music video amassed 3.2 million views. DJ Akademiks created a separate YouTube channel for his rapper alter-ego, titled Lil AK.[34] He continued to release a string of songs and music videos up until September 2020.[35]

2021–present

In August 2021, DJ Akademiks launched his podcast, Off the Record with DJ Akademiks, in partnership with Spotify. It releases three episodes per week that centre around roundtable discussions, and interviews with various Hip-Hop/Rap musicians and media personalities.[36]

In April 2023, DJ Akademiks announced he would begin livestreaming on the politically conservative video platform Rumble.[37] DJ Akademiks said his intention to begin streaming exclusively on Rumble was due to the monetary offer he was provided and also for their lax moderation policies surrounding speech.[38]

Controversies

In June 2017, whilst hosting an episode of Everyday Struggle with guest Vic Mensa, Akademiks asked Mensa his thoughts on the current state of rap music in his city of Chicago, Illinois, to which Mensa responded, "I wanted to slap you in your face. I really felt as if people exactly like you sensationalized and made a following off of clowning situations we go through in real life... whatever made you feel like you had a space to have a perspective of our people dying on a daily basis?"[39] This heated exchange spiraled into further arguments during the episode and also after it aired, with Akademiks dissing Mensa frequently on his Twitch livestreams. In May 2023, Mensa appeared on the radio station Shade 45 and explained how he no longer has it in him to continue any feuds and would even like to have a conversation with Akademiks.[39] Akademiks responded to Mensa on his Rumble livestream by saying that he also does not want to continue the feud as a lot of time has passed and that he will soon be inviting Mensa on his podcast.[40] In September 2023, Vic Mensa and DJ Akademiks finally reunited on Episode 209 of DJ Akademiks' podcast Off the Record with DJ Akademiks.[41]

In September 2018, DJ Akademiks was mentioned in the Eminem song 'Fall' where he raps about Joe Budden and DJ Akademiks negatively reviewing Eminem's Revival album, "Somebody tell Budden before I snap, he better fasten it. Or have his body bag get zipped. The closest thing he’s had to hits is smackin' bitches. And don't make me have to give it back to Akademiks. Say this shit is trash again, I’ll have you twisted."[42] DJ Akademiks responded with, "I thought it was only Joe getting dissed, I got name dropped and dissed. And I’m like, ‘the fuck did I do?"[43]

In December 2019, rapper NAV tweeted, "Akademiks hop on and off dick so much he prolly got STDs"[44] because he claims this is what he learnt from his social circle and it is also due to Akademiks being racist towards him by intentionally misspelling his name, and Akademiks' sarcastically worded social media captions regarding NAV's record sales.[45] Akademiks responded by tweeting that NAV's statement is only shared by rappers who are simply not in the limelight anymore and that NAV has self-image issues, is an attention-seeker, and a "dickrider" because NAV in tandem agreed to quit creating music after rapper Lil Uzi Vert shared his retirement from the music industry.[46] In March 2021, Akademiks and NAV both shared a Twitch livestream together and ended their rivalry and in September 2022, Akademiks invited NAV for an episode on his podcast where they discussed their past rivalry and cleared all prior misapprehensions.[47]

In July 2020, DJ Akademiks was suspended from Complex for insulting model Chrissy Teigen while live streaming on Twitch.[48] Akademiks stated in his livestream how Teigen was sneakily sending jabs at Akademiks online and how she should instead utilize her "big ass mouth" and "weird ass face" to promote her husband John Legend's album "Bigger Love" which seemingly had low record sales in its first week.[49]

In February 2022, DJ Akademiks confronted rapper Megan Thee Stallion on Twitter, claiming that her allegation that she'd been shot by rapper Tory Lanez was not supported by DNA evidence.[50] In May 2022, DJ Akademiks used an outdated social media post of an LAPD police report, from before bullet fragments were discovered in Megan Thee Stallion's feet during surgery, alongside false claims that the singer had not been shot at all.[51] In December 2022, Lanez was convicted of the shooting and in August 2023, Lanez was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the crime.[52][53]

In September 2022, podcast host and former rapper Joe Budden criticized DJ Akademiks for sharing a video clip of rapper PnB Rock, speaking about being a potential robbery target, several days after PnB Rock had been shot to death in a robbery attempt.[54] That same month, DJ Akademiks was criticized by hip-hop pioneers LL Cool J,[4] MC Lyte,[55] Russell Simmons,[56] and Spice 1[57] for calling older rappers "dusty".

In September 2022, Chicago rapper Chief Keef disputed a claim that DJ Akademiks had created Keef's career[58] and actress Toya Johnson disputed DJ Akademiks over his remarks on her daughter Reginae Carter.[59] Atlanta rapper T.I. also criticized DJ Akademiks' remarks about Carter.[60]

In October 2022, a video of DJ Akademiks shouting at his girlfriend and separating her from a fight surfaced online. Rapper Freddie Gibbs responded to the situation by taunting him on Twitter.[61][62]

Also in October 2022, Atlanta rapper Lil Baby dissed him numerous times on his album It's Only Me.[63] In response he expressed his disdain for Lil Baby and his music, and jokingly expressed his willingness to testify against the rapper should he ever get criminally charged.[64]

In May 2023, he said in a YouTube video that Lil Durk and YoungBoy Never Broke Again have ended their longstanding rivalry to which Lil Durk responded by supporting this claim but YoungBoy Never Broke Again responded by denying this claim and dissing Akademiks and Lil Durk's girlfriend India Royale and also announcing the release of his mixtape project Richest Opp on the same day which Lil Durk planned to release his album Almost Healed.[65]

In August 2023, on his Rumble livestream, Akademiks called out Erykah Badu for upsetting him for a Tom and Jerry related joke she made towards him on Everyday Struggle in 2017.[66] Akademiks further retaliated by claiming that Badu has had innumerable sexual relationships with other artists in the music industry and was especially trying to have a sexual relationship with late rapper XXXTentacion.[67] Badu responded by posting an Instagram video where she sarcastically claimed to have learnt a lesson to be careful with her words as it could lead to deep-rooted trauma for people.[66] Badu also announced that she would be selling a rare and limited supply of her Badu Pussy Incense, the packaging of which is decorated in a picture of Jerry (from Tom and Jerry) wearing a necklace that has "Livingston" (Akademiks' surname) engraved on it.[67]

In August 2023, on a Rumble livestream, Akademiks dissed singer SZA for her avoidant attitude towards him over the years and called her “fat as fuck” and a “double-chin chick" whilst also criticizing her hairline, chin, breasts, and recent surgical procedures.[68] Akademiks' words were met with extreme backlash from artists in the music industry, leading him to apologize to SZA, citing that she took his insults very seriously and that it inflicted an extreme toll on her mental health as she was already dealing with many emotional and body image issues that he cannot publicly disclose on her behalf.[69]

See also

References
  1. "DJ Akademiks Net Worth 2023: What Is The Influencer Worth?". HotNewHipHop. July 18, 2023.
  2. "Meet Akademiks: The Rutgers University Grad Who Built His Own Empire". HipHopDX. May 25, 2022.
  3. "AKADEMIKS I WAS GONNA SIGN FIVIO FOREIGN!!! Ma$e Hooked Him First for $1 Mil". TMZ. September 6, 2022.
  4. "LL Cool J Claps Back at DJ Akademiks for Calling Hip-Hop Pioneers 'Dusty'". Billboard. September 22, 2022.
  5. "About DJ Akademiks". YouTube. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  6. "About King Akademiks". YouTube. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  7. "About DJ Akademiks". YouTube.
  8. "9 Things We Learned From Fetty Wap's 'Off the Record' Interview With DJ Akademiks". Complex. December 23, 2021.
  9. "Introducing 'Everyday Struggle' Starring Joe Budden and DJ Akademiks". Complex Networks.
  10. W Son! Akademiks speaks on Helping Mommademiks Retire & all the sacrifices she made for his success, retrieved November 6, 2022
  11. W Son! Akademiks speaks on Helping Mommademiks Retire & all the sacrifices she made for his success, retrieved August 21, 2023
  12. DJ Akademiks: I'm Definitely Voting For Trump if He Runs Again (Flashback), retrieved August 20, 2023
  13. DJ Akademiks responds to Saucy Santana defending Yung Miami and saying he is not outside!, retrieved August 20, 2023
  14. Charleston White vs Tk Kirkland. Burna Boy vs American Blacks? Fresh and Fit Demonetized?, retrieved August 20, 2023
  15. @Akademiks (July 13, 2020). "I graduated with a bachelors of science degree in Biomathemathics from Rutgers University (New Brunswick campus). Guapdad.. you are a loser. In entertainment, in life and in school. Go to sleep.. go figure out how to get a win. This my last message to ur lame ass" (Tweet). Retrieved November 6, 2022 – via Twitter.
  16. Franklin, Benny (November 29, 2018). "DJ Akademiks Real Name Is Livingston & He Allegedly Stole Computers In College". www.hiphoplately.com. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  17. "How DJ Akademiks became hip-hop's one-man TMZ". The Daily Dot. November 3, 2015.
  18. "DJ Akademiks – YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  19. "DJ Akademiks – YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  20. "Crime Fails – YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  21. "The War In Chiraq – YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  22. "King Akademiks – YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  23. "Akademiks TV – YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  24. PSA: My Channel Got Suspended. Subscribe to My New Channel NOW! (Explanation), retrieved November 6, 2022
  25. "DJ Akademiks TV2 – The Negrotiator – YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  26. "The Akademy - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  27. Akademiks, Nadeska & Wayno Say Goodbye on the Everyday Struggle Series Finale | Everyday Struggle, retrieved October 18, 2022
  28. Grant, Shawn (December 1, 2020). "COMPLEX'S 'EVERYDAY STRUGGLE' SET TO END THIS MONTH". The Source. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  29. "AKADEMIKS, NADESKA ALEXIS & WAYNO ANNOUNCE END OF COMPLEX'S 'EVERYDAY STRUGGLE'". HipHopDx. November 30, 2020.
  30. STAR Joins the Everyday Struggle Crew, Did Drake Diss Akademiks? | Everyday Struggle, retrieved November 6, 2022
  31. "Migos clashes with Chris Brown, Joe Budden on BET Awards night". New York Daily News. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  32. Kemp, Dylan (August 17, 2022). "The Migos Finally Reveal Why Takeoff Was Left Off "Bad & Boujee" - The Source". Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  33. Lil AK- Blues Clues [Official Video], retrieved November 6, 2022
  34. "Lil AK – YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  35. Uber Eats Freestyle, September 4, 2020, retrieved November 6, 2022
  36. "Off the Record with DJ Akademiks". Spotify. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  37. Gee, Andre (April 12, 2023). "Rumble's Deal With Akademiks is a Sign of The Hip-Hop World's Right-Wing Impulse". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 13, 2023. But while Spotify and Complex reached out to him because he has a following of rap fans, Rumble did so because he has a following of conservative rap fans.
  38. DJ Akademiks Responds to Peter Rosenberg & other people hating on his move to Rumble!, retrieved August 20, 2023
  39. edwinortiz. "Vic Mensa Confronts DJ Akademiks Over Coverage of Chicago Rap Scene: 'I Wanted to Slap You in Your Face'". Complex. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  40. Full circle moment! DJ Akademiks reacts to Vic Mensa's Freestyle & says he would have a conversation, retrieved August 23, 2023
  41. Vic Mensa Pulls Up on DJ Akademiks Again . . .!, retrieved September 18, 2023
  42. Eminem – Fall, retrieved November 6, 2022
  43. Jahmal, Karlton (September 2, 2018). "DJ Akademiks Responds To Eminem Diss: "The F**k Did I Do?"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  44. "https://twitter.com/beatsbynav/status/1212144525537243136?lang=en". Twitter. Retrieved August 23, 2023. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  45. Price, Joe. "Nav Talks 'Good Intentions,' Issues With DJ Akademiks, and Industry Racism". Complex. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  46. "Akademiks & Nav Ring In 2020 With Twitter Beef". HipHopDX. January 1, 2020. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  47. Episode 131: Beef Over! (feat. Nav), September 14, 2022, retrieved August 23, 2023
  48. White, Roman (July 3, 2020). "DJ Akademiks Suspended by Complex For Sexist Chrissy Teigen Rant". The Source. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  49. "Chrissy Teigen attacked by "disgusting" Akademiks in hateful rant". Capital XTRA. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  50. "Megan Thee Stallion and DJ Akademiks engage in a tense social media exchange amid Tory Lanez lawsuit". The Independent. February 24, 2022.
  51. Tenbarge, Kat; Adams, Char (December 21, 2022). "How Tory Lanez trial bloggers are shaping the conversation around Megan Thee Stallion". NBC News. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  52. Begert, Blanca; Coscarelli, Joe; Morino, Douglas (December 23, 2022). "Tory Lanez Found Guilty of Shooting Megan Thee Stallion". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  53. "Tory Lanez sentenced to 10 years for shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the foot". NBC News. August 8, 2023. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  54. "Joe Budden Blasts DJ Akademiks For Sharing Insensitive Interview Clip Following PNB Rock's Death". Blavity. September 20, 2022 – via Yahoo!.
  55. "MC LYTE SAYS DJ AKADEMIKS' 'DUSTY' COMMENTS ARE PROOF 'THERE'S MORE TO LEARN'". HipHopDx. September 30, 2022.
  56. "Russell Simmons Stunts On Akademiks: "I Remember Signing Paperwork For Jay-Z & Kanye West"". HotNewHipHop. September 23, 2022.
  57. "Spice 1 Calls Out DJ Akademiks Over Disrespectful Comments". HotNewHipHop. September 25, 2022.
  58. "Chief Keef Reacts To DJ Akademiks Claiming He Made His Career". AllHipHop. September 28, 2022.
  59. "Toya Johnson Goes Off On Akademiks For Calling Reginae Out Of Her Name". HotNewHipHop. September 24, 2022.
  60. "T.I. Calls Out Akademiks Over Reginae Hate". HotNewHipHop. September 25, 2022.
  61. "DJ Akademiks Explains Female Fight Incident, Freddie Gibbs Trolls Him". HotNewHipHop. October 15, 2022.
  62. "Freddie Gibbs Reacts to Video of DJ Akademiks Yelling 'I'm the Prize' While Breaking Up Girl Fight". XXL. October 14, 2022.
  63. "LIL BABY Rips Akademiks on Album ... YOU CAN BE TOUCHED, BROKE CHUMP!!!". TMZ. October 14, 2022.
  64. "Kanye West Calls Out Charlamagne Tha God, DJ Akademiks, And Peter Rosenberg". Vibe. October 20, 2022 – via Yahoo!.
  65. II, C. Vernon Coleman IIC Vernon Coleman (May 9, 2023). "YoungBoy Never Broke Again Disses Lil Durk and DJ Akademiks, Ak Responds". XXL Mag. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  66. Bennett, Jessica (August 9, 2023). "Erykah Badu Says DJ Akademiks Is "Acting Real Pu**y" Over Old Joke, Proceeds To Sell Incense". VIBE.com. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  67. "Erykah Badu and DJ Akademiks Are Feuding — Here's Why!". Distractify. August 11, 2023. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  68. Corrine, Amber (August 11, 2023). "DJ Akademiks Body-Shames SZA: "You Are Just As Fat As Me"". VIBE.com. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  69. Love and light! DJ Akademiks speaks on his SZA Rant and send love to SZA, retrieved August 21, 2023
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.