Photo: Collision Conf / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
What fascinates me about Akon isn't the string of mid-2000s hits, though that instantly recognizable voice would be legacy enough. It's the second act. Few artists pivot from hitmaker to businessman and philanthropist with this much conviction, channeling fame and capital back into communities rather than coasting on residuals. Born in St. Louis with Senegalese roots, he has always seemed like a man operating between two worlds, and he turned that in-betweenness into a bridge. I respect artists who treat success as a tool rather than a trophy, and Akon is one of the clearest examples in modern pop. The catalog ages well; the mission ages even better.
Overview
Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam (born April 16, 1973), known professionally as Akon ( AY-kawn), is a Senegalese-American singer, songwriter, record producer, businessman and philanthropist. An influential figure in world music, he rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of his single "Locked Up" (featuring Styles P).
Summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Akon
- Name (Japanese)
- エイコン
- Reading
- えいこん
- Born
- April 16, 1973 (age 53)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Ox
- Origin
- St. Louis, Missouri, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- singer / songwriter / record producer / businessperson / philanthropist
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- William L. Dickinson High School
- University
- Clark Atlanta University
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
- Official sitehttps://akon.com
- Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/akon/
- Xhttps://x.com/Akon
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%A8%E3%82%A4%E3%82%B3%E3%83%B3
Singer — see all → · Songwriter — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-11
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.