Off the Grid - Kai Akili
Kai Akili drops brand new 4-track EP
“Off the Grid”
Executive Produced by Malik Ismail
With various sounds ranging from poetic, somber ballads to lyrical sonnets, Kai Akili has shown a great ability to be versatile.
The Chicago emcee traversed his way through the open mic circuit during high school, eventually finding a deeper love for music through learning music theory. His background in music created a mold of soft R&B mixed in with hip hop, which is just some of the many elements that can be found throughout his music.
The phrase “off the grid” is typically used to describe the action of one who has disconnected from their immediate surroundings.
This period of isolation is intended for one to re-center their focus and regain stability in their life. Kai Akili depicts this as his reality on the 4-track EP Off the Grid, executive produced by Malik Ismail.
The project makes a careful statement towards finding oneself through introspection and self-reflection as Kai details his experience going off the “grid” of Chicago to the bayou of New Orleans.
The ego-driven track Journey sets the tone for the EP by utilizing unique, almost tribal production to emphasize Kai’s boisterous lyrics. The song Too Lovely adds contrast to the start of the project by utilizing more harmonies and traditional instrumentation to resolve the narrative. Off the Grid acts as a formidable debut project for the Kai Akili moniker and is intentional in its entirety, from its distinctive production to its purposeful lyrical content and conception.