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As his debut album rides high in the UK charts Akon reveals the inspirations in his life, behind his lyrics and for his love of hip hop.
As
one of the scene’s fastest rising stars, it’s surprising to
hear that Akon didn’t
like hip hop when he first encountered it. Talking to The Situation, he
explained what changed his opinion and which artists, if any, influenced
him. “When I first came to this country, [the United States] I couldn’t
speak English too well. I grew up listening to all kinds of music, hip
hop just happened to be something that wasn’t musical at the time.
I couldn’t really understand it, but as time went on and I started
to learn English, I started to understand what was going on and I related
to the lyrics.” He continued: “Not only that, but at the time
the evolution of the music was growing, more instruments were being added
from guitars to keyboards. As hip hop grew, the more I started liking
it. I could never give the one artist credit for influencing me because
I listen to everything. Good music influenced me into wanting to do music.”
If Akon doesn’t have any artists that directly influence him, surely
he must be a fan of certain artists from both the past and the present?
“Bob Marley, 2Pac,
I like a lot of early Seal
records,” he revealed. “I like to listen to the Usher
and the Eminem album. I
can go down the line and mention a whole bunch of records that I really
like.”
His debut album ‘Trouble’ has been a great
success. Akon describes the inspiration behind the lyrics and how he hopes
his fans will receive it. “It’s a reality album based on experiences
I went through personally. It has songs that I wrote when I was going
through certain troubled times in my life, that’s why I named the
album ‘Trouble’. When people get the album they’re going
to hear the reality of what went on in my experiences. Hopefully they’ll
be able to take something from it and learn from it.”
Akon wrote his tracks as a way to air his problems at particularly difficult
times in his life. “It was my way of venting and getting it out
of my system. I wasn’t really the type to talk to people when I
was going through problems I just kept them to myself and music was the
way I got around it.” Akon explains why he believes the album has
been such a success and how his music sets him apart from other artists.
“There are a lot of topics on there and a lot people are relating
to it and I think that is the main reason why the album is so successful.”
He continued: “I think the only thing that makes me stand out is
the real life situations and the topics of the songs. The majority of
artists are all stuck on one topic: love and relationships. I speak on
everything but love and relationships. Everything else that goes on in
your life that other artists don’t wanna sing about.”
Talking about the most important focus in both his personal and professional life, Akon explained: “Right now, I’m trying to secure my future, transforming from the streets to turning more corporate and more business minded. Making sure the future is secure for me and my family.” Life is pretty hectic for a rising star but how does Akon like to spend his spare time? “That’s the problem, there is no free time but when there is I'm a movie guy. I like going to the movies, if I could go to the movies all day everyday that’s where I’d be.”
Not content with just making his own hits, Akon is writing and producing for other up and coming artists. He’s a busy guy, so what’s his current schedule like and what can we expect to hear from him in the near future? “Right now the main thing is the touring and doing shows. The next single is called ‘Lonely’ and we're flying out [from Germany] to Los Angeles to shoot the video and then it’s back to London for a show.” Akon moved on to describe the side of the music industry many people don’t get to see. “A lot of people come into the music industry and think it’s all about the music. I think the business overshadows the music and the creative aspect of it.” He explained: “You think you’re going to make songs and do shows but there’s so much behind the scenes that you don’t witness. The business level can distract you from creating, that’s why a lot of artists come in and get out. It’s more cutthroat and if you don’t understand it, it really will bother you.”
Even with a hit album under his belt, Akon’s drive and determination is still very apparent. “My ultimate ambition is to be as successful in everything I do. If I can put 200% into everything I do then I will.” Surely he has a specific goal to achieve by the end of 2005? “That goes unlimited really, as much as I can. Just be more successful in 2005 than 2004. I think that every inch of success is a blessing.”
Finally, does he have any advice for someone who is going through a troubled time in their life? “Just keep doing what you’re doing; a lot of people give up before their time comes. That’s only because lack of patience, and it’s very important that you be patient in anything. You’ve gotta stay focused, dedicate all your time and commitment to it, and eventually the time will come where you’ll be successful in what it is you’re trying to get done.”
Akon’s debut single, ‘Locked
Up’, and the album ‘Trouble’
are both out now.
