DJ Akio Kawahito Talks on Building Africa’s R&B Movement and Finding His Purpose

When DJ Akio Kawahito walks into a room, he carries the calm confidence of a man who has lived many lives from an international development worker to a global DJ shaping Africa’s R&B movement.

Speaking on Unpackin’, the Japan-born, US-raised, South Africa–based creative opened up about his unlikely journey, the birth of his Strictly Soul brand, and why Accra has become one of his favorite cities on the continent.

“I’m an American with Japanese roots and a legal resident of South Africa,” he began. “I’ve always been social, even as a kid, but growing up in an immigrant family, entertainment was never seen as an option. It was go to school, get your degree, become a lawyer or a doctor.”

Still, music found a way. While studying Economics and Art History and later International Relations, Akio became the go-to DJ at university house parties. “I used to play music for fun, I didn’t even realize I was DJing,” he laughed. “My grades were good, but nightlife and community were always my focus. I’ve been bringing people together since I was five.”

After graduation, he worked at the International Criminal Court, but his passion for music never faded. When an opportunity came to work on a youth development radio project in Cape Town using hip-hop, he took the leap.

In 2016, while part of a hip-hop DJ collective, Akio began experimenting with R&B during his opening sets. “I started playing R&B to balance the crowd to play for the girls,” he said with a grin. “That’s how the idea for Strictly Soul came about.”

When the pandemic hit, the idea came alive. “Me and a friend would take my DJ equipment to the rooftop and livestream R&B sets every Sunday,” he recalled. “That became the foundation of Strictly Soul.” The first in-person event launched in October 2020, marking its fifth anniversary this year.

Since then, Strictly Soul has grown into Africa’s biggest R&B event community, expanding across South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Namibia, Ethiopia and Ghana with plans for Zambia, Nigeria and even Asia.

“At first, people told me R&B wouldn’t work in Africa,” he said. “They thought it was too slow or emotional. But we showed that R&B can be as energetic as Amapiano or Afrobeat. Now, people are begging us to bring it to their cities.”

For Akio, Strictly Soul isn’t just a party; it’s a cultural movement. “We play the old songs from 90s and 2000s classics but we focus on the new wave too.

Now in its third edition in Accra, Akio says Ghana holds a special place in the Strictly Soul story. “Accra fits perfectly into our regional strategy,” he said. “There’s already a growing R&B scene here and we want to build on that energy. The crowds are amazing.”

His team has partnered with local acts like DJ Dennis and the Playlist Party collective, ensuring that the experience remains rooted in collaboration.

From academic halls to packed concert halls, from the ICC to Accra’s nightlife, DJ Akio Kawahito is living proof that passion and purpose can coexist. “It’s not just about the music,” he said. “It’s about finding your people, the ones who feel the same rhythm you do. Once you find that, you’ve found your purpose.”

WATCH FULL INTERVIEW HERE:

https://youtu.be/XwbuTqY2CCs