Akon, Not Admitting His Age, Becomes Hero to 30-Something Women

Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam (or not) and a Girl Who REALLY Doesn't Look 15.
The best part is that no one has any idea how old he is, and he ain’t talkin’. Some sources have said he was born in 1981, making him a tender 28 years old. That’s still young enough to have song titles that most people won’t say out loud in mixed company. However, The Smoking Gun states that he was born in 1973, on either April 16 or April 30. That would make him 36 and pushing the limit of being ‘new school”. When he was asked by Vibe Magazine what his age really is, Akon responded, “The only thing I hide is my age..before I lie to you, I’d rather say nothing.”
Speaking as a 30-something woman, I say: “LIE YOUR NACKA LU LU LU OFF, AKON!”
He is definitely the son of famous Senegalese percussionist Mor Thiam, and was raised to play several musical instruments. Word is that he may have born in St. Louis to avoid immigration issues, but split time between Dakar, Senegal and Missouri until he was 15. Or not. Again, it depends on who you ask.
His released his first album in 2004. Since then, he has also released Konvicted in 2006 and Freedom in 2008. After Life is scheduled to drop in 2010. He made his millions, however, primarily on collaboration with other artists. Although he is a true talent in his own right, he has worked with some of the most popular artists in music. He has worked with Snoop Dogg, Chamillionaire, Bone Thugs ‘n Harmony, DJ Khaled, Young Jeezy, Fabolous, 50 Cent, T.I., Daddy Yankee, Gwen Stefani, and so on. He also started his own record label and clothing line.
This allowed Akon to have plenty of available funds, some of which he invested in his homeland, by a diamond mine in South Africa. Initially, he denied the existence of blood diamonds, but has since recanted and now makes sure that his mine fairly pays and treats its workers, and that a portion of the profits from diamonds mined there are donated to the community through his charity for underprivileged African children, The Konfidence Foundation.
In 2008, Akon worked with Michael Jackson on a duet called “Hold My Hand”. Akon told a reporter that Jackson had planned a major release for the song and video, but it was leaked onto the internet, and the big moment was ruined. This was the last song Michael Jackson worked on before his death. We can also thank Akon for co-producing Lady Gaga first studio album. In the future, Akon, Nelly, T-Pain and Pharrell are planning on teaming up to form a rap supergroup. He is an incredibly prolific talent.
But there have been some issues as well. One involved Akon dancing provocatively with a 15 year-old girl in a club while in Trindad and Tobago. He touches on this subject in his new song “Sorry, Blame It on Me”, in which he makes reference to the club being for people over 21. Since the incident was filmed, it got all over the internet, and Verizon decided not to sponsor Gwen Stefani’s Sweet Escape Tour, for which Akon was the opening act. The potentially-embarrassing incident was turned into gold when the track resulting from it became a hit even before the re-release of Konvicted, on which the song was to make its debut.
Also, Akon is a Muslim, and says he has never had alcohol or done drugs. His lyrics say something different. Maybe they’re just words to songs. One wonders, however, how to collaborate with Lil Wayne and NOT be high. He says that his faith helps guide him in the way he treats others. Was he thinking of Mohammed when he wrote “Smack That”? He also says that it was his three-year stint for grand theft auto that inspired the title to the album “Locked Up”. Court documents show no such jail term. Akon was later quoted by another source as saying that he had served several small sentences TOTALING three years, and that the other reporter misunderstood. He may or may not have been a drug dealer. Who really knows?
Maybe his two nearly identical brothers, with whom he is planning a reality show in which they go all over Atlanta claiming to be Akon to see what they can get for free.
Maybe his brothers know the answers to Akon’s Awesome Ambiguity. But they ain’t tellin’. And neither is he.
As far as this kid is concerned, who cares how old he is, whether he served time, or what his real full name is? It’s not like the rap community is chock full of angels and virgins. He’s making it work for him. It’s a beacon of hope for those of us who really enjoy keeping our dates-of-birth to ourselves.
Lie on, brother. Lie on.

