A child of a dancer mother-Kine Gueye Thiam ( née Gueye), and a percussionist father, Mor Thiam, Akon learned to play five instruments, including drums, guitar and djembe. He spent a significant part of his childhood in Senegal, which he described as his "hometown". His father Mor Thiam was born to a Toucouleur family of Quranic scholars in Kaolack, Senegal.
He was listed by Guinness World Records as the number-one selling artist for master ringtones in the world.Īlong with his own musical career, Akon later founded two successful record labels, Konvict Muzik and KonLive Distribution. Akon has had four songs certified as 3× platinum, three songs certified as 2× platinum, more than ten songs certified as 1× platinum and more than ten songs certified as gold by the RIAA. He is the first solo artist to hold both the number one and two spots simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 charts twice. His third studio album Freedom (2008) was led by the single " Right Now (Na Na Na)".Īkon often provides vocals as a featured artist and is currently credited with over 300 guest appearances and more than 35 Billboard Hot 100 songs, resulting in five Grammy Award nominations. Both singles became Billboard Hot 100 top ten hits, followed up by " Don't Matter" and " Sorry, Blame It on Me". His second album, Konvicted (2006), received three Grammy Award nominations for Best Contemporary R&B Album, and for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for " Smack That" (featuring Eminem) and " I Wanna Love You" (featuring Snoop Dogg). He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of " Locked Up" (featuring Styles P), the first single from his debut album Trouble (2004), followed by the second single " Lonely".
Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam ( / ˈ eɪ k ɒ n/ born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon, is a Senegalese American singer, songwriter, record producer, and entrepreneur.