Reverend Akeem Downs is a native of Duncan, South Carolina. He holds a Bachelors in Music Education degree from Winthrop University and a Masters in Education from Southern Wesleyan University. Reverend Downs also studied briefly at the School of Wisdom and Higher Learning Bible Institute of Easley, SC. He is currently an Assistant Band Director at Laurens District 55 High School and serves on the board of directors for the Creative Advancement Center.

Reverend Downs is an accomplished musician. At an early age, he became a musician and music director at the Ebenezer Baptist Church. While a student at Winthrop University, he served as the music director and later choir director of the national award winning Association of Ebonites Gospel Choir and won the best accompaniment section award at the National Gospel Choir Competition in New York, New York. He served as a musician and minster of music in different ministries in the Rock Hill/Charlotte, NC area, in particular Freedom Temple Ministries of Rock Hill, SC and Mount Carmel Baptist Church of Charlotte, NC. He also served as music director for the Church Unification Outreach organization of the Greenville, SC.

Reverend Downs was licensed and ordained as a gospel minister at Antioch New Life Christian Center under the leadership of Bishop Dr. Byron Corbitt. At Antioch, he served as minister of music, assisted with Sunday Fire School, Bible Study and Kingdom Generation youth ministry.