In the history of Singaporean hip-hop, perhaps no document has been as revered as Akeem Jahat’s breakthrough mixtape SeluDOPE. Released in July of 2014 via YouTube and SoundCloud, the 20-track masterpiece has resulted in a string of legacy hits for the influential Woodlands rapper - with tracks such as ‘Nora Danish’, ‘Lvl 22s’, ‘MDBKF’, ‘Pesanan Mama’ and ‘Ribena’ (just to name a few) earning cult status in Singapore and Southeast Asia at large.
Last month, Akeem commemorated the 10th anniversary of his game-changing mixtape with a brand new album that puts a contemporary spin on his most beloved tracks. Featuring new beats, new arrangements and new flows - 53LUDOPE reimagines his seminal classics with long-awaited studio versions of seven fan-favourite tracks. With standout production by Ryb3na, Fakirjmario and LastKhalif, alongside dynamic guests like Hullera, YBJ, IMRN and Faiz Ruzayn - Akeem’s latest on Cross Ratio Entertainment feels fresh and familiar at the same time.
We spoke to the trailblazing local rapper about his memories of SeluDOPE, and the making of 53LUDOPE.
Hi Akeem! It’s hard to believe that it's been 10 years since SeluDOPE was released. What are your favourite memories of making that mixtape?
Yes, it’s hard for me to believe it‘s been 10 years as well. My favorite memory would be going against everyone telling me that the mixtape route wouldn’t have worked out!
Could you describe how much you’ve changed since then?
A lot! A decade of bullsh*t and growth.
If you could talk to Akeem from 10 years ago, what piece of advice would you give?
I’d tell him, “They don’t understand you, don’t try explaining.”
Which song on the mixtape resonates the most with you now?
Most definitely, ‘MULA DARI BAWAH KOLONG FLAT’. I manifested everything in that one.
Obviously this happened a long time ago, but do you remember when Nora Danish posted about your song on social media? What was your reaction when she discovered your track?
Yes, only because everyone else was more excited than I was. (Laughs) My first reaction was to turn off my phone because my number was blowing up about it.
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Did you ever expect SeluDOPE to have the lasting impact that it did?
Honestly, no. I did it just to show the ones around me there is an uncharted style in rap music at that time. I am just grateful for how much of an impact it has been for most.
In your opinion, what effect or influence did SeluDOPE have in the local hip-hop scene?
I see people being comfortable in their own skin ever since the mixtape dropped.
What prompted you to revisit the mixtape with 53LUDOPE?
The fans of the SeluDOPE. I was constantly reminded these past few years that it was going to be the 10th year anniversary for the mixtape.
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How did you go about picking which tracks to reconstruct?
It was a really hard process. It was pretty much impossible to re-imagine every track because of how the originals were written. So I had to carefully pick which one to vandalise even more while paying homage to the originals.
What was the creative process behind deciding how to refresh or rearrange these fan-favourite tracks?
I just wanted to have fun and try out these new styles I have been picking up. I figured out I wanted to test if the lyrics would stand the test of time when I introduce them on a different canvas. Tough but not impossible.
Tell us about working with collaborators like Ryb3na, FakirJMario, LastKhalif, Hullera, YBJ, IMRN, and Faiz Ruzayn. How did they come aboard the project, and what input did they have?
All the collaborators are fans of SeluDOPE! That's the best part of the project - it’s by the fans, for the fans. Shoutout to 53Universe, we were at their studio making these songs, so naturally some of them got on the songs. FakirJMario is my younger brother. Hullera is an artist under my label management. LastKhalif answered the call on time.
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Finally, what’s next for Akeem in 2025?
HollyUU:OOdlands (you're just going to have to find out).
