We were lucky to catch up with Akira Dudley recently and have shared our conversation below.

Akira, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you take vacations? Why or why not?

I love taking vacations. However, it does not mean that I am completely detached from my work. I find that traveling to new places is a way for me to gain an abundance of insight and joy that can be translated through my artwork. I have seen that people tend to seek refuge in the familiar, whether it be their home, bar, or restaurants. If I do the same things over and over I feel like my life is getting monotonous. When I travel to new places, the opportunities are endless. It is like the Truman Show, Jim Carey starts opening doors and seeing underdeveloped stages and backdrops. In real life, you cannot know what is on the other side unless you see for yourself. This exploratory action tends to reveal an exciting new corner of the world and offer you insights you would not be able to perceive otherwise.

Akira, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I was born and raised in a not so small city of Raleigh, North Carolina. I am an artist, DJ and music producer. These different channels of creativity have connected me with wonderful people in my city. I have had the opportunity to create murals on the side of prominent buildings, I have performed for thousands of people on the biggest stages our town has to offer as a DJ and most importantly, I have made an everlasting imprint on the minds of people I have encountered with my tenacity and vigorous spirit. In addition to my art and music career, my years of time in sales and serving tables at fine dining experiences, I am able to offer a range of expertise in cultivating experiences unlike any other. I am most proud that my efforts are not profit driven, they are impact driven. I want participants to have a change of pace from the typical things the city has to offer. One of my largest projects with the City of Raleigh Arts Department and Raleigh Parks Department. I partnered with artist, Deborah Aschheim, to teach art classes to children in a lower economic community that did not have access to art resources. We made temporary tattoos, helped paint a permanent mural installation and made a temporary mural combining all of their art. At the unveiling ceremony I brought in two vinyl DJs, two live bands and four food trucks to provide the students and attendants with an unparalleled experience.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

After graduating high school, I attended community college with the hopes of graduating with a diploma in Graphic Design. Despite my efforts, I fell short and withdrew from the school. I had never taken a formal art class and felt I was inadequately prepared to pursue the diploma. However, I maintained my focus on my goal. I decided that networking and hard work would be my back door into the market. I painted tirelessly day after day and went to the local flea market to sell dozens of paintings. This attracted the attention of North Carolina State Representative, Chris Malone. Chris hired me to host an official art gallery in Raleigh’s sister city Wake Forest. I continued making connections until the Raleigh Arts Department took notice of my effort and offered me opportunities across the city.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

During the 2020 Pandemic, I was contacted by the city to paint murals. I was able to complete several in a five day time span. They garnered the attention of a local artist that was compiling 100 pieces into a book. I took the reins of the book and contacted more artists to be involved. I got five sponsors for the book that helped me finance the printing and creation of my nonprofit organization, Danger Club. I connected with local businesses to host the book and donated the proceeds to the nonprofit organization, Emancipate NC. The Raleigh Murals Book garnered the attention of news outlets, local artists, professors, other publications and businesses that were interested in working with me directly.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Linktr.ee/kingakira
• Instagram: @king_akira
• Linkedin: Akira Dudley
• Youtube: https://YouTube.com/channel/UCnotjx7pFm-8zryzO6sTv1w
• Other: Spotify – King Akira
  Apple Music – King Akira