AKINO DIRTFREE
Known as the “industry’s best kept secret, Akino ‘Dirtfree’ offers a fresh new perspective of what defines a 21st century rhyme slinger from Jamaica. He carves out his own lane by serving up passion and dedication in hard bars that reflect the grime and grit of the streets.
Born Norman Clarke (June 28, 1990) at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital in Kingston, he grew up in an area bordering one of the city’s most infamous neighborhoods, Tivoli Gardens.
He spent his formative years in the rough neighborhood of Pink Lane in Denham Town where he attended St. Anne’s Primary school and Tivoli Gardens High school.
He turned to music to create a better life for himself and his family before eventually migrating to the USA in 2013.
“My music stands to make a statement because I feel like dancehall has lost the core value of being one’s self,” he said.
The dancehall new-gen breakout star delivered his debut EP ‘Artificial Silence’ (December 2017) to rave reviews from dancehall fans and critics alike. The project showcased his relatable lyrics, his endless versatility and a captivating mysterious persona that has hooked dancehall aficionados.
Most are enthralled by Akino’s brainchild and hyphenated moniker ‘Dirtfree,’ which stands as a symbol of what his creative process entails: meticulous, painstaking work.
The talented youngblood had a breakout year in 2020 as he generated a huge buzz on social media with his latest single, ‘Feel Good’, a sexually charged song that has gained a listening ear with the teenaged audience in Jamaica.
Recently signed to the US-based label, Program Over Everything Music (P.O.E.M), Akino Dirtfree has carved out an impressive underground following in the Runaway Bay area of the parish St. Ann, and on the club scene in Atlanta where he has rocked the mi at several shows in Atlanta nightclubs alongside artistes such as Mavado, Masicka and Alkaline.
“I actually got some great words of encouragement from Alkaline after I opened up for him on a show, so that was great,” he said.
Now that he has his hands firmly placed on the axle of his destiny, there’s no turning back or half-stepping.
“It was always in me to be an artiste, but I just never had the guts to pursue my dream. but the older I got, I started to take it serious, it just felt like my calling, and when I saw Chronixx and Alkaline ah push out, it inspired me to do the same,” he said.
Dirtfree lists his primary musical inspirations as Popcaan, I Wayne, Sasco, Junior Gong, and Chronixx. He recorded and released his first official single, Sidestep, in 2016, on his own Dirtfree Music label.
Since that time, he has been finetuning his sound while listening to a wide range of genres, and now, he is ready to unleash that sound on an unsuspecting public.
“Mi plan to be the biggest artiste who ever live, that is my aim and goal,” the brash youngster said.
He plans to put out a major project in 2021 but in the meantime, he is promoting a barrage of club-bangers such as ‘Telescope’ on the Brick pon Brick rhythm, ‘Head and Shoulder’ on Numbers Don’t Lie rhythm, and ‘Mama Mi Queen’.
Open your mind. Let Akino Dirtfree marinate in its dark recesses. You won’t regret it. You can bet your house on it.
