Akon

Artist Image: Akon
Attribution
Image Credit: U.S. Embassy Nairobi (Flickr.com), CC BY 2.0

Biography

Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam (born April 16, 1973), professionally known as simply Akon, is a Senegalese American R&B and hip hop recording artist, songwriter, record producer and businessman. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up", the first single from his debut album Trouble. He has since founded two successful record labels, Konvict Muzik and Kon Live Distribution. His second album, "Konvicted" received three nominations for the Grammy Awards in two categories, Best Contemporary R&B Album for "Konvicted" album and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Smack That" and "I Wanna Love You". He is the first solo artist to hold both the number one and two spots simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 charts twice. Akon often sings hooks for other artists and is currently credited with over 300 guest appearances and more than 35 Billboard Hot 100 songs. He has worked with numerous performers such as Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Whitney Houston, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Gwen Stefani and many more artists. He has had five Grammy Awards nominations and has produced many hits for artists such as Lady Gaga, Colby O'Donis, Kardinal Offishall and Leona Lewis. Lady Gaga and T-Pain are two artists who were given their chance at fame by Akon. Forbes ranked Akon 80th (Power Rank) in Forbes Celebrity 100; in 2010 and 5th in 40 Most Powerful Celebrities in Africa list; in 2011. Billboard ranked Akon No. 6 on the list of Top Digital Songs Artists of the decade.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 2003
Number of Albums 36
Record Label
Website www.akon.com
Wikipedia Akon on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

Where did Akon spend most of his childhood?

Senegal

...mentioned date. Although he was born in the States, his family moved to Senegal where he spent most of his childhood. He caught the music bug early on...
How old was Akon when his family moved back to the US?

seven

...uitar and djembe. His family moved back to the United States when he was seven , settling in Union City, N.J., where he discovered hiphop. When Akon an...
Where did Akon discover hiphop when he was seven?

Union City, N.J.,

...ily moved back to the United States when he was seven, settling in Union City, N.J., where he discovered hiphop. When Akon and his brother were in hig...
Where did Akon's parents relocate to when they were in high school?

Atlanta

...hen Akon and his brother were in high school their parents relocated to Atlanta and left the brothers behind the finish school. Akon soon found himsel...
Who did Akon admire for allowing him to turn his life around?

his father

... the legal system. Akon credits a love for music and an admiration of his father , for allowing him to turn his life around. Big Break: After Akon was ...
What was the name of the music mogul Akon formed a friendship with?

Devyne Stephens

...home studio. He formed a friendship and mentorship with music mogul Devyne Stephens , who helmed the careers of Usher and Alicia Keys. Akon recorded mo...
Devyne Stephens helmed the careers of whom?

Usher and Alicia Keys

...ship with music mogul Devyne Stephens, who helmed the careers of Usher and Alicia Keys . Akon recorded more songs with Stephens and his tapes eventuall...
SRC Records is an imprint of what company?

Universal

...eers of Usher and Alicia Keys. Akon recorded more songs with Stephens and his tapes eventually made their way to SRC Records, an imprint of Universal ....
What genre of music does Akon mix with his African heritage?

American rap and R&B

...The hugely popular singer Akon successfully mixes American rap and R&B with his African heritage, that he so proudly bears to the world. When you list...
What was his father's occupation?

percussionist

... capital city of Senegal, and was raised by his father, a Senegalese percussionist , who taught him a lot about music. As a teenager, he permanently mo...
When did Akon permanently move back to the USA?

As a teenager

...ather, a Senegalese percussionist, who taught him a lot about music. As a teenager , he permanently moved back to the USA. It was in jail where he bega...
Where did he begin to appreciate his musical background?

in jail

...bout music. As a teenager, he permanently moved back to the USA. It was in jail where he began to appreciate his musical background. After his release...
What was the name of Akon's first album?

Trouble

...pes reached the office of Universal. This gave birth to his first Album Trouble in the year 2004. Ongoing Success Since then, Akon released several mo...
When did Akon release Trouble?

2004

...ice of Universal. This gave birth to his first Album Trouble in the year 2004 . Ongoing Success Since then, Akon released several more albums and also ...
What rapper collaborated with Akon on Smack That?

Eminem

...kon released several more albums and also produced albums for others. Another notable collaboration is the one with rapper Eminem entitled Smack That....
What song did Akon first gain fame with?

Locked Up

...ger, producer, and entrepreneur Akon first gained fame with the single Locked Up , from his 2004 debut album, Trouble. A Top Ten hit in the U.S. and U....
What label did Akon start?

Konvict

...onvicted and 2008's Freedom. Along with his music, Akon founded his own Konvict label, helping launch the careers of artists including TPain, Lady Gag...
In what year did he release his first Konvict Mixtape?

2013

...aga, and Kardinal Offishall. He has showcased these label connections on 2013 's Konvict Mixtape, Vol. Born Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam in St. Lou...
Where was Akon born?

St. Louis, Missouri

...'s Konvict Mixtape, Vol. Born Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam in St. Louis, Missouri , in 1973, Akon grew up in Senegal before he and his family (incl...
In what state did he and his family settle?

New Jersey

...percussionist Mor Thiam) returned to the United States and settled in New Jersey when he was seven. There he discovered hiphop for the first time, as ...
What was he discovered for the first time in New Jersey?

hiphop

...States and settled in New Jersey when he was seven. There he discovered hiphop for the first time, as well as crime. He was eventually jailed, but he ...
How many songs has Akon achieved triple platinum certification?

four

... spot on the US Hot 100 charts on two separate occasions. The singer has four songs which have reached triple platinum certification, three songs with...
Akon was the first solo singer to hold both the number one and two spot on what chart?

US Hot 100

...the first solo singer to hold both the number one and two spot on the US Hot 100 charts on two separate occasions. The singer has four songs which hav...
How many of the songs have received double platinum certifications?

three

... singer has four songs which have reached triple platinum certification, three songs with have received double platinum certifications and more than t...
What has the singer often appeared as a featured artist in?

songs with other artists

...um. The singer has also often appeared as a featured artist in songs with other artists and has received credits on more than 300 songs, 35 of which h...
How many of his songs have reached the US Billboard Hot 100 charts?

35

...songs with other artists and has received credits on more than 300 songs, 35 of which have reached the US Billboard Hot 100 charts. He has received fi...
How many Grammy Award nominations has he received for his vocals?

five

...5 of which have reached the US Billboard Hot 100 charts. He has received five Grammy Award nominations for his vocals. He was heard by music executive...
What rapper brought him with him?

Lil Zane

...ve Devyne Stephens, president of Upfront Megatainment after the rapper Lil Zane brought him with him to the rehearsal hall (a place that was responsib...
The single Lonely topped the charts in Australia, the UK and what other country?

Germany

...dio hits. The singles Lonely topped the charts in Australia, the UK and Germany . The following year the singer was featured on the song Soul Survivor ...
Young Jeezy featured the singer on what song?

Soul Survivor

...Australia, the UK and Germany. The following year the singer was featured on the song Soul Survivor by Young Jeezy, the song was critically acclaimed....
How many multiplatinum albums has Akon released?

two

...debut album in 2004 and has since risen to the top of the pop charts with two multiplatinum albums. Along the way Akon has worked with some of the big...
Akon has worked with some of the biggest names in what genre of music?

hiphop and R&B

...ms. Along the way Akon has worked with some of the biggest names in hiphop and R&B , including Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Gwen Stefani, and Michael Jackson. K...
Akon's music reaches across genres and provides an example of what evolution of AfricanAmerican music?

multicultural

...s, Akon's music reaches across genres and provides an example of the multicultural evolution of AfricanAmerican music. Akon was born Aliaune Akon Thia...
What is Akon's birth name?

Aliaune Akon Thiam

...e multicultural evolution of AfricanAmerican music. Akon was born Aliaune Akon Thiam in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Senegalese parents who travele...
What is the birth date of Akon?

April 30

...e immigration would not be a problem. Though Akon's birthday is known, April 30 , the year of his birth is a matter of dispute, and in interviews Akon ...
What has Akon refused to divulge in interviews?

his actual age

...f dispute, and in interviews Akon has repeatedly refused to divulge his actual age . While many media outlets have cited the year as 1981, in an interv...
Who did Akon interview for VH1.com?

C. Bottomley

...many media outlets have cited the year as 1981, in an interview with C. Bottomley for VH1.com Akon recalled meeting Michael Jackson right before Thril...
In what year did Akon first meet Michael Jackson?

1983

... Akon recalled meeting Michael Jackson right before Thriller came out in 1983 , making it more likely that he was born in the 1970s. Akon spent the fir...
Akon spent the first seven years of his life in what country?

Dakar, Senegal

...n the 1970s. Akon spent the first seven years of his life living in Dakar, Senegal , before the family relocated to Jersey City, New Jersey. He had a d...
What was the name of the city the family moved to after Dakar?

Jersey City

... of his life living in Dakar, Senegal, before the family relocated to Jersey City , New Jersey. He had a difficult time adjusting to life in the United...
What album received three Grammy Award nominations for Best Contemporary R&B Album?

Konvicted

...rouble (2004), followed by the second single Lonely. His second album, Konvicted (2006), received three Grammy Award nominations for Best Contemporary...
What was the name of his third album?

Freedom

...ed up by Don't Matter and Sorry, Blame It on Me. His third studio album Freedom (2008) was led by the single Right Now (Na Na Na). Akon often provides...
What is Akon's nationality?

Senegalese

...Akon (born Aliuane Badara Thiam, 30.4.1973) Akon is a Senegalese American hiphop songwriter singer and producer. He is the only artist to ever achieve...
Akon is the only artist to achieve the number one and number two spots simultaneously on what chart?

Billboard Hot 100

... achieve the number one and number two spots simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 . Childhood: Born in Senegal, Akon was raised in a musical environ...
When was Konvicted released?

November 2006

...um was released in 2004. His second album, Konvicted was released in November 2006 . The album contained collaborations with Eminem and Snoop Dogg. Kon...
How many records did Konvict sell in its first six weeks on sale?

more than a million

...ned collaborations with Eminem and Snoop Dogg. Konvicted had sold more than a million records in the US in its first six weeks on sale. It stayed in t...
For how many consecutive weeks did it stay in the Top 20 of the Billboard 200 album chart?

28

...ix weeks on sale. It stayed in the Billboard 200 album chart's Top 20 for 28 consecutive weeks. Personal Life: It is alleged that Akon has three wives...
What is Aliaune Damala Dakha Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam often going by?

Aliaune Thiam

...me Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam, often going by the shorter Aliaune Thiam , is best known by his fans simply as Akon. Born in St. Louis, Akon ...
Where did he settle in New Jersey?

when he was seven

...his family returned to the United States and settled in New Jersey when he was seven . While in Jersey City, he discovered hiphop for the first time by...
What school did Akon attend?

Snyder High School

...started hanging around with local thugs crowd. Initially attended Snyder High School , the boy did everything against the school regulation and was kic...
What did he sell for every test?

test questions

...lation and was kicked out after busted for selling guns, bullet and test questions for every test. Hanging with the group, Akon also became popular fo...
Akon was jailed for armed robbery and what?

drug distribution charges

...r his bravery in fighting and was jailed for armed robbery and drug distribution charges . In between time, he used his time to begin writing his own s...
What was Akon jailed for?

armed robbery and drug distribution charges

...opular for his bravery in fighting and was jailed for armed robbery and drug distribution charges . In between time, he used his time to begin writing ...
Who released Akon's debut LP Trouble in June 2004?

SRCUniversal

...is time to begin writing his own songs. The tapes found their way to SRCUniversal which eventually released Akon's debut LP Trouble in June 2004. TROU...
When did SRCUniversal release Trouble?

June 2004

...y to SRCUniversal which eventually released Akon's debut LP Trouble in June 2004 . TROUBLE evolved from the struggles I went through and what I did and...
How many Billboard Hot 100 hits did Smack That reach?

2

...time. Its first single Smack That, featured Eminem in the rapping, shot to 2 in Billboard Hot 100 chart and stayed on the post for five consecutive we...
Which song featured eminem in rapping?

Smack That

...sidered one of the prominent musicians at that time. Its first single Smack That , featured Eminem in the rapping, shot to 2 in Billboard Hot 100 chart...
What country was he a high school in?

United States

... in Senegal, West Africa, as a child and attended high school in the United States . He has released several hit albums that combine his R&Bstyle vocal...
What was the name of the singer, songwriter and producer Akon?

Aliaume Damala Badara Akon Thiam

.... Early Life Singer, songwriter and producer Akon was born Aliaume Damala Badara Akon Thiam in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 16, 1973, to African pare...
How long did akon attend Clark Atlanta University?

a semester

...enager. He attended Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia, for a semester before dropping out. Instead, he turned his attention to the music bu...
What year did he get his own record deal?

2003

...attention to the music business, making home recordings and becoming friends with Wyclef Jean of the Fugees. In 2003 , he received his own record deal....