JC-AKA

Born Jude(J) Chukuemeka(C) Igwe Aka (JC-AKA), to a struggling family in Iva-Valley, Enugu, Enugu Nigeria, I immigrated to Sacramento, CA at the age of 9. My upbringing shapes my music; cliché I know, but it’s true. Growing up in one of the most impoverished parts of Nigeria in Iva Valley, moving multiple times to stay with various family members due to different family issues/concerns, and the cultural/physiological shock of relocating to a quite suburb in the Sacramento, all influenced my interest in music.

Music was one of the more pleasant parts of life in Nigeria. It made us laugh, dance, feel, and gave us strength. I was exposed to a multitude of African music: the Igbo Ogene Music, West African Highlife, Gyration, the various African trends, such as Awilo and Brenda Fassie, which hit cassette decks across the continent, can still be heard on my speakers on a consistence basis. And then there is Reggae Music; the genre that I play on from time to time. Like many African men, my father loves Reggae and exposed us to more than just the Marley greatest hits. Gregory Isaacs and other Roots Rock Reggae kings were a staple in our household. The newer generation that combine Reggae with Hip-Hop such as, Shabba Ranks and Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, I discovered on my own.

With time I went from being a consumer of music to an active participant. Held back from school for a year so that I could master the English language, I used the time to start playing with the language and began writing poetry. At same time, my dad formed an African music group encompassing me and my brothers, which performed live on many stages including the California State Fairs. Around the same time, I joined the school choir. But living in California, Hip-Hop won my heart as I became exposed to it. As I grew older I endeavored in many activities and explored potential for various careers, but nothing gives me the same satisfaction as music, thus I have chosen to make it my life.