Akon

The deluxe edition of Konvicted includes 3 bonus tracks including "Sorry (Blame it on Me)" and a 30 minute DVD of Akon's journey to his homeland of Africa and his road to global multi-platinum success. The DVD also includes the videos for "Smack That", "I Wanna Love You" and "Don't Matter".

The deluxe edition of Konvicted includes 3 bonus tracks including "Sorry (Blame it on Me)" and a 30 minute DVD of Akon's journey to his homeland of Africa and his road to global multi-platinum success. The DVD also includes the videos for "Smack That", "I Wanna Love You" and "Don't Matter".

Debut album from Aliaune Akon, son of legendary African percussionist and jazz musician Mor Thiam. On this first offering, Akon delivers his own unique blend of rap, hip-hop and even a hint of ragga thrown in for good measure. Includes the single 'Locked Up'.

If R&B has been drifting lately, Konvicted proves Akon's ready to take the wheel: His reedy voice encapsulates Jersey, Jamaica, and continents beyond (Africa, most notably); his wait-a-beat delivery enhances his high-flying hooks; and his attitude mulches thuggery and womanizing into something worth spreading around. If that's not indication enough he's on a roll, consider the accolades Konvicted is racking up--a Grammy nod for "Smack That" (featuring Eminem), a No. 1 single with "I Wanna Love You" (featuring Snoop Dogg), sales in the millions. To count Akon a musical groundbreaker, though, you have to be ready to embrace a new genre that might take Brian McKnight and Usher fans a little getting used to: hardcore R&B. Both "I Wanna Love You" and "Smack That" don't shy away from raunch, and tracks like "Tired of Runnin'" and "Shake Down" bring on an MC edge that belongs more to the street than to the bedroom. Still, count on Akon to convince holdouts he's worth hearing; both his message and his manner bear the marks of the unstoppable. --Tammy La Gorce

singer/songwriter/producer, Akon burst out of the starting gates with the winningly melodic and compulsively danceable single "Right Now (Na Na Na)." The song is sparking up the charts in a record-setting pace that's familiar to Akon's millions of fans worldwide. "Right Now (Na Na Na)" is the lead track from Akon's 3rd upcoming album FREEDOM. The infectious song is the #1 Most Added at Rhythm Crossover radio stations in its first week of release. FREEDOM features collaborations with Hip- Hop's "man of the hour" Lil Wayne ("I'm So Paid") and Akon's platinum artist T-Pain ("Holla Holla"). Akon broke out on the music scene in 2004 with the platinum album TROUBLE that featured singles, "Locked Up" and "Lonely." He returned in 2006 with the triple-platinumcertified KONVICTED CD. The Senegalese native broke chart history in 2007 as the first artist to simultaneously hold the #1 ("I Wanna Love You") and #2 ("Smack "That") positions on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart twice. He went on to become Billboard Magazine's Top Artist of 2007, the #2 Hot 100 Producer of the Year, and #2 Hot 100 Songwriter of the year.