akon

Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam (born April 16, 1973), known  as Akon, is an American singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. 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".
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). Both singles became Billboard Hot 100 top ten hits, followed 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 was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to a Muslim family.[His mother is dancer Kine Gueye Thiam (née Gueye), and his father is percussionist Mor Thiam. Akon spent a significant part of his childhood in Senegal, which he described as his "hometown." Akon learned to play five instruments, including drums, guitar, and djembe. At age seven, he and his family relocated to Union City, New Jersey, splitting his time between the United States and Senegal until settling in Newark. Growing up in New Jersey, Akon had difficulties getting along with other children. When he and his older brother reached high school, his parents left them on their own in Jersey City and moved the rest of the family to Atlanta, Georgia. Akon attended William L. Dickinson High School in Jersey City.

Akon 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. He is the first solo artist to hold both the number one and two spots simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 charts twice. 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 was listed by Guinness World Records as the number-one selling artist for master ringtones in the world.
Along with his own musical career, Akon later found two record labels, Konvict Muzik and KonLive Distribution. A multitude of successful acts, including Lady Gaga, T-Pain, R. City, Kardinal Offishall, Jeffree Star, and French Montana have been signed to Akon through these labels. Akon sports a concurrent career in producing and songwriting records mainly for artists on his respective labels, as well as for other mainstream artists including Michael Jackson, Snoop Dogg, Lionel Richie, Leona Lewis, Sean Paul, and Whitney Houston.
Forbes ranked Akon 80th (Power Rank) in the Forbes Celebrity 100 in 2010 and 5th in the 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.

Akon also started a project, Akon Lighting Africa, in 2014, which provides electricity in 15 countries of Africa.
He also launched his own charity for underprivileged children in Africa called Konfidence Foundation.
Akon was included as a guest appearance in Pitbull's "I Believe That We Will Win (World Anthem)" official music video, in which all proceeds from the song's sales, streaming and views are being donated to Feeding America and the Anthony Robbins Foundation as relief to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2007, Akon claims that he has six children with three women in an interview with Blender, all of whom he has great relationships with. He says he wishes to keep his family protected from the public eye