5Star Akil is a household name for those who have followed his career in urban radio and listened to him spin tunes in popular clubs. He has interviewed some of the top artistes in the region such as Buju Banton, Mavado and Machel Montano, yet when he sat down to interview Bunji Garlin at the SLAM 100.5 Eye Slam concert series, he was wracked with nerves.
“I don’t know I was out of my element, I was intimidated, I never interviewed him before,” said the affable DJ/Presenter as he sat in Metro’s offices downstairs from his Slam studio in the Guardian Media building. Turns out, nerves, like it is for many of those in the spotlight, is a normal thing for 5Star. He gets them every time he has to step on stage to host but it dissipates once he’s under the spotlight.
With his Carnival gig as a host on CNC3’s Front Row, 5Star better is getting accustomed to the butterflies in his stomach as the interviewing bug has bitten him. “I hosted shows on Synergy but Front Row is a different experience. I like interviewing artistes in that format. I like interviewing artistes and getting deep with them,” he said.
This next phase of 5Star Akil, the brand, is certainly something to look forward to. Eager, wide eyed and enthusiastic about life, the 30-something-year-old DJ is focused on pushing his career forward in the entertainment industry. Growing up with a father who was into pan, Akil loved music from small, tinkering with and taking apart radios, much to the ire of his parents. He also recorded his favourite DJs, listening to the way they spoke and presented their music.
He juggled his day job as an air condition technician with his real love of DJing with the Associate Degree Soundsystem in clubs such as Nuts and Base. Born and bred in the area of St James he attended Mucurapo Boys RC, Diego Martin Junior and then went off to Mucurapo Senior Comprehensive where he did welding. His plan was to make his name in under water welding, rake in the money and use that money to invest in a singing career.
He spent five years with Associate Degree where he began finding himself and got the concept for his name. “It was my fifth year with the band and it was also the first year I brought out my first track Shake yuh Bumper so I needed a sobriquet. I started thinking - for five years I gave five stars and added Akil and everything just fell into place.” This Carnival he has released another track called Up in the Rave. The song, which has a concept of raving instead of waving, was written by Dale Ryan, produced by Sheriff Music (Lackaz) and MillBeatz and mixed and mastered by Precision Productions.
Despite the belief that radio DJs who sing have an unfair advantage when it comes to airplay, 5Star said he still has to fight as hard as any other soca artiste out there. “It doesn’t come easy. Sometimes it’s even harder seeing that I am a radio personality already on air, other stations may not want to play my song. I will still have to do all the groundwork, send out songs, go to the interviews; I still have the same routine as any other artiste,” he said.
He is also open to collaborating with any and everyone because each person has their own personal style to bring to the table. He did also mention his overwhelming interest in working with MX Prime, whose uniqueness in song and vocals enthralls him. (Not forgetting Machel, Swappi and Destra, who he believes would be great to work with.)
In terms of his singing and professional style, 5Star explained he is not a believer in following or mimicking anyone since everyone has their own style. “However,” he says ‘I admire Machel’s determined and professional style in getting his music to the next level. This is something that I aim to do; take myself and my brand on levels as high as that”.
5Star now presents on Slam 100.5 FM’s Drive Mode programme on afternoons and is DJing under his own brand 5Star Akil. After some time away from parties, he will make his return to the party circuit after Carnival.
While working on another frequency a few years ago, 5Star was shot five times on his way out from his shift. He doesn’t talk about the incident but said it changed his life forever.
He spent seven to eight months in and out of hospital and now cherishes life and those closest to him, especially his two sons, Jordan, 10, and Tyler, 8.
“The shooting has opened up my eyes to see how life really is and to appreciate people, live more and be closer to God.”
Follow him on Twitter:@5StarAkil or find him
on Facebook via facebook.com/5starAkil
