Akon, whose full name is Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam, was born on April 16, 1973, in Dakar, Senegal, and is 53 years old. He is a Senegalese-American singer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist. Akon began his professional music career in the early 2000s and gained international recognition with his debut album Trouble in 2004. His music combines R&B, hip-hop, pop, reggae and African musical influences, while his distinctive vocals became a defining part of his sound. Across his career, Akon has released several successful albums and collaborated with artists including Eminem, Snoop Dogg, David Guetta, Gwen Stefani, Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Young Jeezy and T-Pain.
Akon Quick Facts
Full Name: Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam
Date of Birth: April 16, 1973
Age: 53
Birthplace: Dakar, Senegal
Nationality: Senegalese-American
Profession: Singer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur
Genres: R&B, hip-hop, pop, reggae, Afrobeat
Active Since: 1996
Akon Songs
Akon has built a large catalog covering multiple styles and eras of popular music. His major albums include Trouble, Konvicted, Freedom and Stadium, while his wider catalog includes mixtape material, soundtrack appearances, standalone singles and collaborations with some of the biggest names in music. To avoid unnecessary repetition, the master song list below focuses on unique officially released titles, while collaborations identify the other artist involved.
Complete Unique Akon Song List
- Locked Up
- Trouble Nobody
- Gangsta
- Pot of Gold
- Miss Melody
- When the Time’s Right
- Journey
- Don’t Let Up
- Lonely
- Ghetto
- Pot of Gold
- Show Out
- Kill the Dance
- Bananza
- Get Buck
- Ghetto Story
- Trouble Nobody
- Never Gonna Get
- We Takin’ Over
- Smack That
- I Wanna Love You
- Don’t Matter
- Mama Africa
- Sorry, Blame It on Me
- I Can’t Wait
- Once in a While
- Tired of Runnin’
- Still a Nigga
- Rush
- Gringo
- The Rain
- Freedom
- Right Now (Na Na Na)
- Beautiful
- Keep You Much Longer
- Troublemaker
- We Don’t Care
- I’m So Paid
- Holla Holla
- Against the Grain
- Be with You
- Sunny Day
- Birthmark
- Over the Edge
- Freedom
- Trouble
- Chasin’ You
- Nosy Neighbour
- So Blue
- Ghetto Story Part 3
- Throwback
- Give It to ‘Em
- Angel
- Oh Africa
- Chillin’
- Sexy Bitch
- Wake Up
- Push
- One Love
- Gunshot
- Dangerous
- Moonshine
- Hurt Somebody
- War
- Give It All to Me
- Better
- Don’t Matter
- Sorry, Blame It on Me
- Beautiful
- Play Hard
- Party Animal
- Hypnotized
- Let Me Love You
- Stadium
- Boomerang
- Better Than This
- That Na Na
- So Blue
- Can You Believe
- No One Stands Alone
- New York City
- One Day
- Locked Up Again
- Scared of Love
- Ain’t No Sunshine
- Girls
- We Don’t Care
- Hurt Somebody
- The Sweet Escape
- The Way She Moves
- Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ 2008
- Hold My Hand
- Put It on My Tab
- Right Now (Na Na Na)
- Daydream
- Dangerous
- We Takin’ Over
- I’m So Paid
- Go-Go Dancer
- Against the Grain
- Trouble
- Lonely
- Smack That
- I Wanna Love You
- Mama Africa
- Freedom
- Angel
- Beautiful
- Sexy Chick
- One Love
- Oh Africa
- Chillin’
- Party Animal
- Give It All to Me
- Hurt Somebody
- Stadium
- So Blue
- Better
- Don’t Give Up
- Can You Believe
- Locked Up Again
- Ain’t No Sunshine
- No One Stands Alone
- New York City
- One Day
- Ghetto Story
- Nosy Neighbour
- Throwback
- Give It to ‘Em
Akon Albums and Songs
Trouble
Released in 2004, Trouble was Akon’s debut studio album and introduced his distinctive mixture of R&B, hip-hop and reggae-influenced music to an international audience. The album produced early signature songs such as “Locked Up,” “Lonely,” “Ghetto” and “Bananza,” establishing Akon as a major new voice in contemporary music.
Complete official tracklist:
- Locked Up
- Trouble Nobody
- Gangsta
- Pot of Gold
- Miss Melody
- When the Time’s Right
- Journey
- Don’t Let Up
- Lonely
- Ghetto
- Pot of Gold
- Show Out
- Kill the Dance
- Bananza (Belly Dancer)
Konvicted
Released in 2006, Konvicted became Akon’s commercial breakthrough and remains one of the most successful albums of his career. It featured several of his biggest international hits, including “Smack That,” “I Wanna Love You,” “Don’t Matter” and “Sorry, Blame It on Me,” while also featuring collaborations with Eminem, Snoop Dogg and Styles P.
Complete official tracklist:
- Shake Down
- Blown Away
- Smack That — featuring Eminem
- I Wanna Love You — featuring Snoop Dogg
- The Rain
- Never Took the Time
- Mama Africa
- I Can’t Wait
- Gangsta Bop
- Tired of Runnin’
- Once in a While
- Don’t Matter
- Sorry, Blame It on Me
- Never Gonna Get
- Locked Up — featuring Styles P
- Ghetto Story
Freedom
Released in 2008, Freedom was Akon’s third studio album and continued his move toward a more polished blend of R&B, pop and electronic sounds. The album included “Right Now (Na Na Na),” “I’m So Paid,” “Beautiful” and “Troublemaker.”
Complete official tracklist:
- Right Now (Na Na Na)
- Beautiful — featuring Colby O’Donis and Kardinal Offishall
- Keep You Much Longer
- Trouble Nobody
- We Don’t Care
- I’m So Paid — featuring Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy
- Holla Holla
- Against the Grain — featuring Ray Lavender
- Be with You
- Sunny Day
- Birthmark
- Over the Edge
- Freedom
- Troublemaker
- Chasin’ You
- Ghetto Story Part 3
Stadium
Stadium was planned as Akon’s fourth major studio album and was developed over several years as a large-scale project. Rather than becoming a conventional single album, the project was divided into different musical editions and experienced numerous changes before its eventual releases and associated material.
Officially released songs associated with the Stadium project include:
- Stadium
- Better
- Give It All to Me
- Hurt Somebody
- So Blue
- Angel
- Oh Africa
- Chillin’
- Party Animal
- Give It All to Me
- Don’t Give Up
- Can You Believe
- No One Stands Alone
- New York City
- One Day
Akon Collaborations and Featured Songs
Akon has one of the largest collaboration catalogs among artists of his generation. He has frequently appeared as a featured artist on songs by rappers, pop singers and electronic producers, while also bringing other performers onto his own records.
Akon and Eminem
- Smack That — Akon featuring Eminem
The collaboration became one of Akon’s biggest international hits and combined his melodic R&B style with Eminem’s rap performance.
Akon and Snoop Dogg
- I Wanna Love You — Akon featuring Snoop Dogg
The song became a major worldwide hit and is one of the best-known collaborations from Konvicted.
Akon and David Guetta
- Sexy Chick — David Guetta featuring Akon
- Sexy Bitch — David Guetta featuring Akon
- Dangerous — David Guetta featuring Sam Martin and Akon
- Play Hard — David Guetta featuring Ne-Yo and Akon
These collaborations helped Akon become closely associated with the international dance-pop movement of the late 2000s and early 2010s.
Akon and Lady Gaga
- Just Dance — Lady Gaga featuring Colby O’Donis
- Chillin’ — Wale featuring Lady Gaga
Akon played an important behind-the-scenes role in Lady Gaga’s early career through his involvement with her early recordings and label development.
Akon and Michael Jackson
- Hold My Hand — Michael Jackson featuring Akon
The song became a posthumous Michael Jackson single and featured Akon’s vocals alongside Jackson.
Akon and Gwen Stefani
- The Sweet Escape — Gwen Stefani featuring Akon
The song was one of Gwen Stefani’s major international pop hits and featured Akon prominently.
Akon and T-Pain
- Bartender — T-Pain featuring Akon
The collaboration brought together two artists strongly associated with the use of melodic vocal effects in 2000s R&B and hip-hop.
Akon and Young Jeezy
- I’m So Paid — Akon featuring Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy
The song appeared on Freedom and became one of the album’s major collaborations.
Other Major Akon Collaborations
- We Takin’ Over — DJ Khaled featuring Akon, T.I., Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Birdman and Lil Wayne
- Dangerous — Kardinal Offishall featuring Akon
- Moonshine — Savage featuring Akon
- The Way She Moves — Zion featuring Akon
- Put It on My Tab — New Kids on the Block featuring Akon
- Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ 2008 — Michael Jackson featuring Akon
- Chillin’ — Wale featuring Lady Gaga
- Oh Africa — Akon featuring Keri Hilson
- Angel — Akon
- Push — Ryan Leslie featuring Akon
- One Love — David Guetta featuring Estelle and Akon
- Hurt Somebody — Robin Thicke featuring Akon
- Better — Fabolous featuring Akon
- Party Animal — Akon featuring David Guetta
- Nosy Neighbour — Akon featuring David Guetta
- Ghetto Story Part 3 — Akon
Official Standalone Singles or Songs That Are Not Included on the Main Studio Albums
Akon has released numerous singles and recordings outside his primary album catalog. Some became major international hits, while others were associated with films, special projects or collaborations.
Major Standalone Songs
- Oh Africa
- Angel
- Sexy Chick — David Guetta featuring Akon
- Hold My Hand — Michael Jackson featuring Akon
- Chillin’ — Wale featuring Lady Gaga
- Dangerous — Kardinal Offishall featuring Akon
- One Love — David Guetta featuring Estelle and Akon
- Party Animal — Akon featuring David Guetta
- Hurt Somebody — Robin Thicke featuring Akon
- Better — Fabolous featuring Akon
- Moonshine — Savage featuring Akon
- Push — Ryan Leslie featuring Akon
- The Sweet Escape — Gwen Stefani featuring Akon
- Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ 2008 — Michael Jackson featuring Akon
Akon’s International and African Music Collaborations
Akon has also worked extensively with African artists and performers from different regions. His collaborations have helped connect contemporary African music with global pop, hip-hop and R&B audiences.
- Locked Up — Akon featuring Styles P
- Ghetto Story — Akon
- Mama Africa — Akon
- Oh Africa — Akon featuring Keri Hilson
- Dangerous — Kardinal Offishall featuring Akon
- Moonshine — Savage featuring Akon
- Ghetto Story Part 3 — Akon
- One Love — David Guetta featuring Estelle and Akon
Final Wrap-Up
Akon’s music catalog spans more than two decades, beginning with the gritty R&B and hip-hop of Trouble before reaching international superstardom with Konvicted and Freedom. His distinctive voice and songwriting have made songs such as “Lonely,” “Smack That,” “I Wanna Love You,” “Don’t Matter,” “Right Now (Na Na Na)” and “Beautiful” enduring hits, while his extensive collaborations with Eminem, Snoop Dogg, David Guetta, Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Gwen Stefani and many others have made him one of the most recognizable crossover artists of his generation.
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