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About Akon
Akon shot to fame in
2004, with the success
of this first single
Locked Up from his first
album, Trouble and since
then has gone on to
become a successful
musician, producer and
businessman.
Akon’s debut album
Trouble was released in
June 2004, under his own
record label, Konvict.
It is said that the
inspiration for this
album came from his
supposed 3 year stretch
in the prison for grand
theft auto. The single
Lonely released in 2005
topped the charts in
Australia and also made
it to the top five on
the billboard top
hundred. Akon’s global
popularity increased
with the single
Moonshine, with
featuring New Zealand’s
rapper Savage. Moonshine
topped New Zealand
charts and was a success
in Australia as well.
Akon’s work has also
drawn critical acclaim
starting with his guest
appearance on Young
Jeezy’s debut album
Let’s get it: Thug
Motivation 101. He is
known to collaborate
with several artists
which often results in
much success. His second
album Konvicted,
released in November
2006, featured
collaborations with
artists such as Snoop
Dogg on I Wanna Love You
and Eminem on Smack
That, all of which went
on to top US Charts.
Konvicted debuted on the
US Billboard 200 at #2
and went to be certified
a double platinum album.
Akon has collaborated
with various artists
both as a musician as
well as record producer,
often co-writing and
co-producing with
different artists.
In 2006 Akon came close
to winning a Grammy when
Smack That was nominated
for best rap/sing
collaboration. Akon’s
success grew in 2007
with the release of his
single Don’t Matter
which became his first
solo # 1 single.
Freedom, his latest
album was released in
December 2008. It
reached a gold status
and generated hit
singles with many
collaborations, like,
Right Now (Na Na Na),
I’m so Paid (feat. Lil
Wayne and Young Jeezy),
and Beautiful (feat.
Kardinal Offishall and
Colby O’Donis).
In 2007 Akon won the
American Music Award in
the category of
Favourite Soul/R&B Male
Artist. He has received
5 Grammy Nominations for
Smack That, The Sweet
Escape, Bartender,
Konvicted and I Wanna
Love You and four MTV
Video Music Award
Nominations.
Akon has been touring
since 2006. Among
others, he also toured
in early 2007 with Gwen
Stefani on The Sweet
Escape Tour and with
Rihanna on the Good Girl
Gone Bad Tour towards
the end of 2008.
Apart from being a
singer-songwriter and
record producer, Akon is
also known to have
several business
ventures under his wing.
The diamond mine he owns
in South Africa came
under the scanner with
the release of the movie
Blood Diamond. Akon
launched his own
clothing line Konvict
Clothing, featuring
urban street ware, in
2007. There is also a
more upscale version of
Konvict Clothing,
Aliaune, featuring
high-end clothing for
both men and women.
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