![]() ![]() The album is a hybrid of Akon's silky, West African-styled vocals mixed with East Coast and Southern beats. "Ghetto" became a radio hit when it was remixed by DJ Green Lantern to include verses from rappers 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G. "Locked Up" reached the number 8 position in the U.S. ![]() It spawned the singles " Locked Up", " Lonely", " Belly Dancer (Bananza)", " Pot of Gold" and " Ghetto". Īkon's solo debut album, Trouble, was released on June 29, 2004. Akon knew of Foster's work as producer Knobody and so there was a mutual respect for one another and the pair hit it off. In an interview with HitQuarters SRC A&R Jerome "Knobody" Foster said, "What caught my attention right away was "Lonely", and I said, 'this kid is official – this is a huge record." Foster and SRC CEO Steve Rifkind immediately boarded a private plane to Atlanta to meet the young artist. The songs Akon recorded with Stephens were brought to the attention of Universal's imprint SRC Records. The relationship between Stephens and Akon began as a friendship and mentorship, with the young artist regularly stopping by to ask for advice, with Stephens eventually signing him to his production company and began grooming him professionally. ![]() Music mogul Devyne Stephens, the president of Upfront Megatainment, first heard about Akon when rapper Lil Zane brought him along to Stephens' rehearsal hall, a place that at the time saw talents such as Usher and TLC being developed. ![]() Music career 2003–05: Discovery and Trouble When he and his older brother reached high school, his parents left them on their own in Jersey City and moved the rest of the family to Atlanta, Georgia. Growing up in New Jersey, Akon had difficulties getting along with other children. At age seven, he moved with his family to Union City, New Jersey, splitting his time between the United States and Senegal until settling in Newark, New Jersey. A child of a dancer mother-Kine Gueye Thiam ( née Gueye), and a percussionist father, Mor Thiam, Akon learned to play five instruments, including drums, guitar and djembe. He spent a significant part of his childhood in Senegal, which he described as his "hometown". His father Mor Thiam was born to a Toucouleur family of Quranic scholars in Kaolack, Senegal.
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