The Legendary Status of Akon in African Music

With over twenty-six million monthly listeners on Spotify, Akon, the Senegalese-born singer hardly needs an introduction. The singer made his mark in the late 00s and the early 2010s with records like “Locked Up,” “Right Now,” and many more. Recently, he has been releasing remixes of some of his hit songs, his latest output which is titled Afro Freak was released on August 24, 2023.

The Konvict Music founder has raked in more than 300 guest appearances for cons including Micheal Jackson, Eminem, Lil Wayne, and many more.

In the last one and a half decades, the five-time Grammy Awards nominee has been giving back to Africa. From Akon City Senegal, to Akoin. Akon was one of the first international artists to give African music the needed support. From signing Wizkid to Konvict music, and later to a collaboration with Davido and P-Square, etc.

Truly, Akon has paid his dues in African music. This latest EP, Afro Freak, features Amirror, Mr. Brown, and Nektunez. It was released by Konvict Kulture with distribution under Mad Solution.

Nostalgic remains the highlight of this EP. The production samples and interpolates Akon’s old songs. The opening track “So Rough,” interpolates a beat progression from “Right Naw Naw.” Although both songs are miles apart, the nostalgia they invoke is difficult to ignore. “So Rough,” is a bold retelling of a hard life, Jahvor, the featured artiste delivers his verse in the first ninety-second. His sultry voice fails to do justice to what he raps about. The wordings are hard, yet, the vocals are sultry. The listeners are likely to mistake him for a girl.

Akon pierces the topic of this song and shows his versatility as an artist. He urged the listeners to show love, work hard, and be of exemplary behaviour.

The remix of “Sleep,” interpolates the piano chord of “Don’t Matter.” With input from the featured artiste Nektunez. The US-based producer and sound engineer provides the much-needed backup for this track. In this song, both artists urge the listeners to live life. Free from negative comments from the people. They also vow to work hard to defeat poverty. On this track, Akon and Nektunez boast about their work ethics; they don’t sleep. While their mates are dozing off, they are chasing their bread.

The “Slow Motion,” remix takes a detour to the Amapiano subgenre. The log drum is more prominent on this track with minor intrusion from the snare and kicks. Akon shares a story about a time out with a girl. Akon is already a lady’s man, a topic like this won’t be difficult to fathom. The second verse of the song finds Akon praising the girl’s beauty, skin type, and body shape.

On the disco-inspired tune “Enjoy That Remix,” Akon sings about life, and his inability to outgrow some of his friends. Produced by Mr. Brown, this particular track is all shades of inspiration and samples. You find Jazz, Amapiano, and Disco, and they effortlessly sync. It is all down to the ingenuity of Mr. Brown. Also, Akon brings all his years of experience to bear on this song. The heavy production becomes a foundation for this sparse lyrics song. At the midsection of the song, Mr. Brown sings, and he urges the listeners to join him in celebration. The last verse of the song is dedicated to Akon’s lost ones. The topics of this song can be divided into two, a celebration of life and struggle. The two co-exist on this song.

Amirror is Konvict Music’s first female rapper. The Atlanta-born artist appears on three tracks on this EP. This is a deliberate attempt to introduce her artistry to the African audience. “Prolly Cut-Amapiano,” the first track she appears on is spiced with copulation talk. She comes even on this track, she and Akon are on the same wavelength. This track appeared on the TT Freak EP, the same as the next two tracks on the Afro Freak EP.

“One and Only,” is an R&B and Amapiano track. Akon urges a potential girlfriend to leave his abusive boyfriend and join him. A mirror provides the reply to Akon’s first verse, she insists on staying with her boyfriend rather than joining Akon.

Ass and Titties are beautiful, however, Amirror feels she is more than that. She fully explores this topic in “More Than That.” Just like the title suggests, A Mirror boasts about her struggle, hustling spirit, and upbringing. These and many more strengthen her life journey. And they are more valuable to her than ass or titties, which some people overly pay attention to.

The Spellz produced “Loco,” ends the Afro Freak EP. The party tune finds Akon attempting to sing Afrobeats in a pidgin language. It’s not a brilliant effort, however, it’s commendable, for the first time on this EP, we have something on the core Afrobeats.

The legendary status of Akon in African music is already a settled case, however, an extended play like Afro Freak tends to diminish such a status. This EP is just an attempt to sell Amirror to the African audience. Akon repackaged previously released songs, slammed an Afro tag on them, and turned them out to the audience.

There is no doubt that Akon has reached his peak as an artist, I think it’s better if it just left at that rather than making such a sonic gamble like this EP.

Afro Freak shouldn’t have seen the light of the day. It’s just a repacking of old songs. An attempt to win over new fans. It fails to add anything to Akon’s status, rather, it raises a doubt about his sonic dexterity.

Credit: Emmanuel Daraloye