WATCH: Akira The Don’s Final Video

See Akira The Don bow out by getting murdered in the California desert

Let us mourn the loss of Akira The Don – his video for ‘Lately’ will be his last. Watch his suitably cinematic farewell above. It was directed by comic book author Adam Egypt Mortimer, with Akira The Don professing that, "’Lately’ was the perfect project for his techno gothic sensibilities. We shot it in the California desert, by where Trevor lives in Grand Theft Auto V."

‘Lately’ is taken from ATD’s final LP, A.T.D.R.I.P which you can listen to in full here. It’s an unpredictable mix of chart-friendly grime pop, dubby euro-dance and pretty much everything else; as Akira says, it’s "a collection of dope-ass songs I made that I wanted you to have."

In the midst of this eulogy there is, however, reason for hope. On his substantial website, Akira describes his departure thusly: "I’m saying farewell, rather than final, because no one truly knows what the future holds, and bands that claim to be going away for ever then return kind of annoy me – but I have no plans to making any more Akira The Don music, not in any kind of near-future anyway."

The Quietus Digest

Sign up for our free Friday email newsletter.

Support The Quietus

Our journalism is funded by our readers. Become a subscriber today to help champion our writing, plus enjoy bonus essays, podcasts, playlists and music downloads.

Support & Subscribe Today