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Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam, better known by his stage name Akon, is a Senegalese-American musician, record producer, and businessman who was born on April 16, 1973. He gained notoriety in 2004 after the release of “Locked Up,” the lead song from his debut album Trouble, which featured Styles P, and “Lonely,” the second single.
Three Grammy Award nominations for Best Contemporary R&B Album, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, and Best Rap/Sung Song for “Smack That” (with Eminem) and “I Want Love You” were given to his second album, Konvicted (2006). (featuring Snoop Dogg). These two songs were followed by “Don’t Matter” and “Sorry, Blame It on Me,” which both peaked in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100. The lead single from his third studio album, Freedom, was “Right Now (Na Na Na)”.
Akon is frequently featured as a vocalist and is presently recognised with over 300 guest appearances and over 35 Billboard Top 100 songs, earning him five Grammy Award nominations. He is the only solo artist to occupy the top two positions on the Billboard Hot 100 charts at the same time twice. The RIAA has given Akon four songs with a 3 platinum certification, three songs with a 2 platinum certification, more than ten songs with a 1 platinum certification, and more than ten songs with a gold certification. He was recognised by Guinness World Records as the top-selling master ringtone artist worldwide.
Akon eventually started two record labels, Konvict Muzik and KonLive Distribution, in addition to his own musical career. Via these labels, Akon has signed several popular artists, including Lady Gaga, T-Pain, R. City, Kardinal Offishall, Jeffree Star, and French Montana. Akon works simultaneously as a record producer and songwriter, mostly for musicians signed to his labels, but also for well-known performers including Michael Jackson, Snoop Dogg, Lionel Richie, Leona Lewis, Sean Paul, and Whitney Houston.
Akon was listed by Forbes as the 80th most powerful celebrity in the Forbes Celebrity 100 in 2010 and the fifth most powerful celebrity in Africa in 2011. Akon was named No. 6 on Billboard’s list of the Top Digital Music Artists of the ten years.
What is Akon doing now?
Akon has revealed that he would release four studio albums under his new record company, Akonik Label Group, in various genres. Akon debuted his first Latin song, “Get Money,” in May 2019. It features Anuel AA, a rapper from Puerto Rico. While it didn’t make the final cut of his fourth album El Negreeto, it was supposed to be the first single. The album was originally scheduled to arrive on August 30, 2019, however, it was delayed and arrived on October 4, 2019. El Negreeto’s lead song, “Cómo No,” by Mexican-American singer Becky G, was released by Akon on September 6, 2019. On October 25, 2019, he dropped the album Akonda, and in December of that same year, he dropped his sixth album, Konnect.
We have not heard much about him since then.