Akon is determined to redefine the music industry by altering its “whole vibe,” distancing himself from his provocative tracks from the early 2000s.
Despite this shift, Akon, whose real name is Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam, has explained his unwavering appreciation and lack of regret for one of his more explicit songs.
Now recognized for his charitable endeavors as much as his musical achievements, Akon initiated Akon Lighting Africa in 2014, aiming to deliver electricity to rural areas across the African continent.
He has recently discussed why he stands by the lyrics of one of his sexually explicit songs without any intention of altering them.
The Missouri-born artist with Senegalese roots took a hiatus from the music scene to focus on entrepreneurship and support African causes, including founding the Konfidence Foundation to empower youth in Senegal, West Africa.
In an interview with Metro, the 51-year-old was questioned about his bold lyrics from hits in the 2000s and affirmed he had no regrets.
Among these songs is the 2006 hit “I Wanna Love You,” featuring Snoop Dogg, where he sings: “I see you winding and grinding up on that pole/I know you see me looking at you and you already know/I wanna f*** you.”
Akon commented: “I see it as part of who I was, and who I still am.
“I believe as time goes by, people evolve. As they mature, they make different choices based on their current circumstances.
“I would never advise anyone to change their past, as it shapes who they are today.
“But overall, I cherish all of it, and I feel that embracing what my lyrics represented at that time was crucial for my development into who I am now.
“I absolutely have no regrets.”
This comes as the acclaimed R&B singer released “Akon’s Beautiful Day,” a buoyant single hinting at an upcoming album set for release in February, although the album is yet unnamed. He hopes other artists take inspiration from this new track.
Describing why he returned to music, he stated: “It began with me feeling demotivated.
“I wasn’t really inspired by what I was hearing on the radio lately. It feels like music has lost its essence.
“Artists are releasing singles nonstop, but there’s a lack of cohesive work, no albums anymore that offer a full experience.
“I realized I needed to bring that back. The music industry tends to follow trends. If one thing works, everyone jumps on the bandwagon.”
He added: “So, amid all this low-energy music, I decided to release an incredibly uplifting track. I’m confident it will succeed because I might be the only one doing it.
“Once it proves successful, I hope other artists will follow suit, and together we can transform the industry’s vibe and narrative.”
His latest track has climbed to number three on the TikTok Billboard Top 50, ranking the most popular songs on the platform.