Music

Nov. 26, 2008

Smooth Operator

Akon’s Silky Drop-Top Crooning

By John Hood

When Akon isn’t working, he tries to get down to Miami, but it isn’t often. Photos courtesy Red Eye Pro

Before I headed over to Karu and Y to chat-up Akon, I had no idea how actually massive the cat was. Sure I’d heard his first hit “Locked Up,” and yes, I’d seen that he’d guested on hit tracks by everybody from T-Pain (“Bartender”) to Gwen Stefani (“The Sweet Escape”), hosted his own for folks as diverse as Baby Bash (“Baby I’m Back”) and The Beatnuts (“Find Me in the Back of the Club”), and committed drive-bys with the likes of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony (Strength and Loyalty), Three 6 Mafia (Last 2 Walk), Fabolous (From Nothin' to Somethin'), 50 Cent (Curtis), T.I. (T.I. vs. T.I.P.), and Daddy Yankee (El Cartel: The Big Boss).

What I didn’t know was that he’d remixed (and re-hit) Michael Jackson’s “Wanna Be Starting Something” for Thriller 25 and will be featured on The Gloved One’s upcoming LP (in fact, “Hold My Hand” has already been leaked), or that he’d gotten with both New Kids on the Block (“Put It on My Tab”) and Menudo (“Echo”), which is about as big-time mainstream as it gets, even if the heydays do now have whiskers.

Add the fact that Akon was the first artist in Billboard’s history to have simultaneous No.1 and No.2 tracks not once but twice, including the Grammy-nominated “Smack That” (with Eminem) and “I Wanna Love You” (with Snoop Dog), and that he’s a large part of DJ Khaled’s street-ready all-star anthems such as “We Taking Over” and “Out Here Grindin,’” not to mention the head of the obligatory clothing line (Konvict) and record label (Kon Live, through Interscope), and you could say Akon pretty much permeates everything.

Now the silky smooth crooner is back with Freedom, another hit heavy concoction of pop/R&B/hip-hop amalgams sure to sate those hook-hungry masses. Actually “Right Now (Na Na Na)” is already riding high atop the Pop charts, while its more urban counterpart “I’m So Paid” (with Lil’ Wayne) is doing likewise on R&B and Hip Hop. A third single, “Troublemaker,” isn’t out yet, but still can be heard all over the place.

I caught up with the cat a couple hours before he staged to sing his singles and managed to squeeze five minutes outta his hectic schedule. Here’s what he had to say:

 

“I’m So Paid” with Lil’ Wayne. How’d you and he hook up?

Well that’s all family, you know? I’ve been working with Lil’ Wayne and Jeezy forever. We all started off together and we decided to do a record. And it was long overdue.

 

And that’s not the first with Jeezy or Lil’ Wayne is it?

Uh-huh. That’s not the first with Lil’ Wayne and definitely not the first with Jeezy.

 

That Khaled track you do (“Out Here Grindin’”) has Wayne on it too, doesn’t it?

Yeah, Khaled’s a part of the Konvict music family, so we always try to look out and make sure he’s heavily supported.

 

Konvict’s the record label, the clothing line, isn’t there also a foundation?

Well, Konfidence is the foundation.

 

Where’s that based?

Senegal. But it’s actually there to cater to all of Africa.

 

Is it primarily children, AIDs, what?

Actually it’s primarily just children — health care and education. That’s the only focus, health and education. We’re building schools and hospitals. And for the existing schools and hospitals we’re gonna refurbish them, give ‘em a makeover, new supplies, new everything.

 

Yeah, loot goes far there, too. You can build a hospital for a hundred thousand dollars whereas here you couldn’t even build a bed for that much.

(Laughs) Exactly.

 

So, you must know Youssou N’Dour? 

Youssou N’Dour’s actually a distant uncle.

 

Really? He’s amazing!

He really is. He really, really is.

 

You told Blender that you really liked REM’s “Losing My Religion”…

I love that record.

 

Well, have you heard that mash-up “Smack That Religion”?

No! Are you serious?

 

It’s wild.

I’ve gotta hear that!

 

Oh, I’ve gotta ask: Are you really on the next Michael Jackson record?

Absolutely.

 

What did you do, co-write a song?

No, I wrote the song — wrote and produced.

 

When’s that gonna come out?

I don’t know; it’s up to Michael.

 

What’s it called?

It’s called “Hold My Hand.”

 

I heard what you did with “Starting Something,” you took “Soul Mokossa” and dropped it in…

That’s right.

 

I dig that.

Thanks.

 

Okay, Miami. You dig this town?

I love it.

 

Where do you live full-time?

I live in Atlanta.

 

When was the last time you were here?

I was here three weeks ago.

 

You play here a lot?

Actually, this is my first show.

 

You go out here a lot?

Yeah.

 

Do you really go out as much as you sing about?

No, actually I don’t go out much. I’m always working.

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