What It Takes To Be "The Champ"
The music industry is preparing itself for an unforgettable bout with “The Champ”. Akene Dunkley is a producer that has been blessing peoples’ ears with his unforgettable sounds for 23 years. Calling himself The Champ to express the idea of overcoming obstacles and being triumphant in life, is a mantra that Akene has adopted for life as well as his career. In 1990 the Bronx, New York native moved to the quiet town of Freehold, New Jersey. It was evident when Akene was young that his passion in life would be music. At the age of six he had mastered the keyboard and had become a skilled organist as well. However, he did not take full advantage of his gift until later on in his life.
Akene decided to enroll at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey as an Electrical Engineer major with a minor in music. The young musician proved to be an impressive student by graduating with honors from the university. After accomplishing the goal of ascertaining his degree, The Champ set out for an internship at Johnson and Johnson’s. Yet, he did not feel fulfilled with what he was doing with his career. It was not that he did not enjoy his work, but it was a powerful feeling that created an intuition that would lead him to another path. Akene did something that many people are too hesitant about doing, which is following their heart. He realized that music was what he desired and loved to do, which is why he has become the accomplished producer he is today.
Sitting in a dark studio illuminated by the lights from a switchboard and a desktop computer, The Champ embraces the peaceful aura and the silence of the room. Armed with a Motif, Phantom, and popular beat making programs such as “Reason” and “Pro-Tools”, he works feverishly to create the next head nodding beat. Inspired by 27 Grammy award winning producer Quincy Jones and Timbaland’s right hand man Danja Hands, and an extreme fetish for unique drum loops, Akene is constantly creating unforgettable sounds.
The Champ is devoting a lot of his time to various independent projects. By being able to draw from the music he experienced from his trip to Brazil and his four time trip to Italy, Akene is able to create a distinct sound and uniqueness with his music. In fact, The Champ worked with a Euro Pop group from Germany called No Angels, in which he produced a song entitled “One Life” on their highly anticipated album.
In the end, Akene plans to share his music with the world. He continuously works on R&B, Hip Hop, Gospel, Pop, and Rock songs. By doing this he is establishing that his style is far from being one dimensional and his skills enable him to adapt to any genre. The music industry is constantly changing and producers such as Akene are at the forefront of this unique transition. With his hard work and dedication to his craft, Akene will prove that there is no doubt that he is the Champ!
By: Shah Al-Amin
