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". Through his father Mor Thiam, he is part Dogon, an ethnic group of Mali.
The album spawned four top-ten hits in the US, "Smack That," "I Wanna Love You," "Don't Matter," and "Sorry, Blame It on Me." His third studio album Freedom (2008) was lead by the single "Right Now (Na Na Na)."
His second album, Konvicted (2006), received three nominations for the Grammy Awards, Best Contemporary R&B Album and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Smack That" and "I Wanna Love You". City, Kardinal Offishall, Jeffree Star, and Red Café, among others. The labels served as vital for many soon-to-be successful acts, such as Lady Gaga, T-Pain, R. He later founded two successful record labels, Konvict Muzik and KonLive Distribution. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up", the first single from his debut album Trouble (2004), followed by the second single "Lonely." Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam (/ˈeɪkɒn/ born April 16, 1973), also known mononymously as Akon, is a Senegalese-American singer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and actor from New Jersey.