AKON : A SINGER WITH MIND-TOUCHING LYRICS

Akon, born Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam on April 16, 1973, in St. Louis, Missouri, is a Senegalese-American singer, songwriter, record producer, Entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is known for his unique blend of R&B, hip-hop, and pop music, as well as his distinctive voice and catchy melodies. He spent the early years of his life in Senegal, West Africa, before moving to the United States with his family at the age of seven. Growing up in a musical household, he was exposed to various genres of music and developed a passion for singing and performing. He attended Clark Atlanta University on Atlanta, Georgia for a semester before dropping out. He instead focused on his music business

In 2004, Akon gained international recognition with his debut album “Trouble”, which spawned several hit singles, including “Locked Up”, “Ghetto” and “Lonely”.  His soulful voice and infectious hooks captivated audiences worldwide, establishing him as a rising star in the music industry.

Over the years, Akon released several successful albums, including his second album “Konvicted” (2006), which featured the chart-topping singles “Smack That” and “I Wanna Love You”.  His collaborations with numerous artists, such as Eminem, Snoop Doggy, Gwen Stefani, Michael Jackson, Olamide, Kizz Daniel, Skales and many others who further solidified his status as a versatile and sought-after artist. His third album, “Freedom” (2008) did not give high sensation, as his first albums but he continued and has released many other albums like “El Negreeto”, “Akonda”, “Konnect” and “The Konnection”.

Akon achieved his first solo number one on the Billboard Hot 100 with the single “Don’t Matter”. His second album “Konvicted”, had sold more than a million records in the US in its first six weeks on sale. It stayed in the Billboard 200 album chart’s Top 20 for 28 consecutive weeks.

Akon was friends with Michael Jackson when he was still alive and when Michael died, he released a tribute song called “Cry Out Of Joy” in 2010, a song that Akon sang with Michael, “Hold My Hand” was released.

Along with his music, Akon founded his own Konvict Label which helped to launch careers of several artists including T-Pain, Lady Gaga and Kardinal Offishall. He has showcased these label connections on 2013’s Konvict Mixtape, Vol.1 and 2017’s Konvict Kartel, Vol.2.

Akon has been nominated for many awards including 5 Grammy Awards, 3 American Music Awards winning 1 and 4 MTV Video Music Awards. Billboard ranked Akon number 6 on the list of Top Digital Songs Artists of the decade. In 2006, “Smack That” was nominated for Best Rap/Sung collaboration at the Grammy Awards.

Aside from his music career, Akon has been actively involved in philanthropic work. In 2007, he founded the Konfidence Foundation, which aims to improve the lives of underprivileged children in Africa and provide them with access to education and healthcare. He has also been an advocate for renewable energy and launched the Akon Lighting Africa initiative in 2014, which aims to bring electricity to rural areas in Africa using solar energy. He has also launched his own Konvict Clothing line, featuring street wear such as jeans, hoodies and t-shirts. An upmarket version named Aliaune features blazers and smarter wear.

Throughout his career, Akon has received numerous awards and accolades for his contributions to the music industry. He has sold over 35 million albums worldwide and has been recognized for his chart-topping hits and memorable collaborations.

Despite taking a hiatus from music in recent years, Akon remains a highly respected figure in the industry. His unique sound and philanthropic efforts have made him a beloved artist and humanitarian, leaving a lasting impact on both the music world and communities in need.

Delia Nyadi