Soundtrack Of My Life: Akon

the first song i remember listening to

Bob Marley & The Wailers – “No Woman No Cry”

“I remember singing this song as a child growing up in Senegal. I used to walk home from school just singing this song to myself. It’s a song that takes me back to my childhood.”

first album i bought

Michael Jackson – “Thriller”

“I remember buying it at the market. I think I was in grammar school at the time. “Beat It” and “Billie Jean” were big songs in my area.I can’t even handle that fact today [Michael Jackson] And I got in a relationship and became really good friends. I grew up admiring him and knew everything about him, so I was sure he would be embarrassed if I met him. But the most interesting thing was that when we actually met, he knew all about me too. It was like we were separated brothers at birth who were finally reunited. “

first time live

NWA, St. Louis Arena, 1989

“Can you imagine my first concert was at NWA? , everyone starts going crazy, thinking, “What the hell is this?” It was like wow, wow, wow! “

song i wanted to write

Sam Cooke – “Change is Coming”

“I play this song every day and I’m always like, ‘Damn, I wish I had written this!'” That’s my favorite message. I mean, the song was made in his 60s, but it correlates with everything that’s going on today. It’s still relevant today as if it was written yesterday. “

songs that make you cry

Akon – “Lonely”

“I was very lonely when I wrote this – true story. For me, writing a song like this is a form of therapy, and when I put it out, it feels so good, and seeing other people resonate with it makes me feel even better. increase.”

That song I can’t get out of my head

Drake – “God’s Plan”

“I’m a songwriter, so I write a lot of my own songs every week, every month, every year, and every song comes and goes. There were certainly moments. I could hear it everywhere and it felt like it was around me all the time. I don’t know what that record was, but it stuck with me for a while. “

songs that make you want to dance

Pharrell Williams – “Happy”

“It’s so cool and positive and always fun to listen to. Pharrell was absolutely perfect on this one.”

karaoke songs

Bob Marley & The Wailers – “No Woman No Cry” (again)

“Well, karaoke sucks for me. I try to stay away from karaoke bars as much as possible. [people] I always want them to do their own songs. But if I had to, I would do this song because I know all the words. “

songs that remind me of my hometown

Akon – “Freedom”

“It reminds me of my hometown in America and my hometown in Africa. When I wrote this song, it kind of reminded me of my life story, but through the eyes of my mother and father. This teeth [about] Their journey and how they came to America in search of freedom. However, coming here, I experienced some difficulties in blending in. You know, when I was an adolescent, I also had culture shock.then when i get comfortable [in the US], I realized all the disadvantages that minorities face here. So I was always fighting for that freedom to some extent, and that’s still the feeling this song gives me to this day. “

Akon releases new EP, TT FREAK