Akeem Ali or Keemy Casanova, his alter ego, is all set to bring back some nostalgic music for fans of 70’s soul, RnB, and hip hop music. Originally from Jackson, Mississippi, this artist rose to fame with his single, which went viral in 2020.
This was a remarkable feat from the independent star because the song was streamed more than 8 million times online, and it was without the help of any major labels campaigning for his music.
The single was a throwback to the 70s style of music and style with groovy, funky fashion, dance moves, and style. Ever since this viral sensation, Akeem Ali organically started growing his following on social media from a humble 14k followers to a staggering 149k followers quickly.
Since then, he has also released another single titled “Shugga.” Following the same genre and style as Keemy Casanova, Shugga is also filled with solid references to the 70’s mannerisms, instruments, and vocals.
One thing in common with his type of music is that you can’t help but start grooving to the sound of the music once you hear it.
It’s that good! (listen below)
With the outstanding success of both his singles, Akeem Ali signed to Winners United, an indie music label. With professional producers in tow, Akeem is set to experience fame and success on another level by releasing more EPs and hopefully a full-length album soon. And honestly… we cannot wait to see what he does.
For Akeem, there’s nothing more important to him than rap music. While there are tons of rap stars in the industry today, what sets him apart from the rest of the crowd is that he loves to perform with live bands. It works well with his style and sound and brings back oldies-type live instrumentation.
It’s quite a unique touch to his music and performance, making it all the more intriguing to listen to Akeem in his Keemy Casanova persona.
Despite his new and rising fame, Akeem remains connected to his roots, remembering his strict upbringing and his past, which he says were nothing but essential stepping stones for him when growing up. Looking back, he finds that those rough days made him the person and the artist he is today.
Describing his core style of music, Akeem states that with intense experimentation, he found that mostly his style was a mix of trap and boom bap, which essentially gave birth to his alter ego, Keemy Casanova.
Akeem started expressing and finding his love of music at the very young age of 11. He was already writing a lot of music since then and had a knack for poetry. Initially using it as a way to vent his emotions, it soon became something he associated himself with, and he knew that it was what he wanted to do for a living.
He soon realized he had found his passion, and it was worth honing his skills to become the artist he is today.
As for his alter ego, Keemy Casanova, he says the inspiration came to him through a movie about Muhamed Ali. The word “Ali” can be translated to “champion,” “noble,” or “exalted.” Thus, a new persona was born.
Through his new identity, he could express all the things he wanted to say but could never do. What started as an experimental thing became a worldwide sensation because of the sheer honesty in his work and dedication to his art.
He describes the alter ego as a guy who is not afraid to voice his opinions and is entirely and unapologetically true to himself.
The feeling of nostalgia that the 70s music awoke in people made him feel a sense of attachment to this genre. Even though he was never truly living in those times, writing and singing music that resonated with this decade made him feel like he was part of a true force of culture that was inspirational for him.
For Akeem, his family and bonds have a very special place in his heart, transcending into his writing and music. It’s all about the support and love you experience being part of a community that made him fall more in love with his profession.
Check out his social media here.
