Senegalese-American singer Akon was a staple of the early-2000s. With hits such as ‘Locked Up’ and ‘Lonely’ the vocalist (real name Akon Thiam) had several number-one hits, and his 2006 album, Konvicted, debuted at number two on the Billboard 200.
However, as well as being an artist, Akon is a businessman and has helped several well-known figures launch their career. His labels Konvict Muzik and KonLive have been home to performers such as T-Pain, Kardinal Offishall, WizKid and Lady Gaga.
That said, earlier this month, the businessman and musician sat down with The Guardian to speak about his career and some of his influences. He even revealed what he believes is the best song to have sex to.
Speaking about his early influences and introduction to music, when asked about the first song he ever heard, the vocalist responded, “I don’t know if it’s the first song I remember hearing, but the first song I remember singing was ‘No Woman, No Cry’ by Bob Marley. I grew up in Senegal, and I would sing it on my way to and from school.”
Concerning the first album he ever bought, Akon swiftly responded, “Thriller by Michael Jackson. I don’t think anyone can tell you they weren’t a Michael Jackson fan at his peak. He was just the biggest thing in the globe!”
He continued, “He was superhuman – his concerts, his performances, his voice! Everything about him was crazy. I was always saying to myself, ‘How is it possible for someone to be that popular and talented?'”
Whilst speaking about artists he liked, the ‘Beautiful’ musician even revealed that he has a guilty pleasure song that he never told his friends about when it was in the charts. Revealing the track that he secretly jams to, Akon said, “‘Oops! … I Did It Again’ by Britney Spears, which would have been embarrassing for me to like around the time because I was hanging around a whole bunch of gangsters.”
Akon has released a lot of music. With platinum hits, number-one albums and more, he has worked with artists such as Eminem, Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent, to name a few. However, he believes one of his own records is the best to have sex to.
One would expect Akon to respond with a soul track, a lovesong or maybe an R’n’B jam. However, when asked, “What is the best song to have sex to?” the vocalist simply replied, ‘Smack That’, the lead single of his 2006 sophomore album Konvicted.
You can hear ‘Smack That’ featuring Eminem below.
