#HIPHOP50 Special: An Interview with AKON
It’s the year 2004. The world is amidst a technological revolution, the hip-hop industry is awash in a variety of trends and events that are defining its landscape (establishing itself both commercially and critically as one of the world’s foremost cultural forces) and newcomer Akon has just released his debut single ‘Locked Up’, an unescapable track unlike anything the world has ever heard before.
You can feel it – the significant shift in the air. The way people are consuming and accessing both information and music has changed and it’s safe to say, culture is undergoing a revolution.
Now in 2023, with the pace of technological advancement continuing to accelerate exponentially, we find ourselves searching for peace in the few things that have remained the same. Despite the burgeoning generation of new artists, Akon’s influence still echoes with indelible power almost two decades later.
It can often be said that “dreams don’t work unless you do”, or at least that was the case for Akon (born Aliaune Thiam in St Louis, Missouri to Senegalese parents). Growing up, Akon held fast to a childhood dream of making a positive impact. Standing tall as an award-winning artist, astute entrepreneur, songwriter, and philanthropist, what was once a ‘dream’ to Akon is truly his reality.
As a true testament to the power of cultural and meaningful fusion, Akon is undergoing a musical renaissance, and there is no better time to champion this than on the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, being a movement that has eagerly welcomed and changed many lives globally.
In our special #HIPHOP50 edition interview, PAUSE Magazine sat down with Akon to discuss his latest EP ‘Afro Freak’, the impact of music and collaboration, and how he is using his platform to change the world.
You can feel it – the significant shift in the air. The way people are consuming and accessing both information and music has changed and it’s safe to say, culture is undergoing a revolution.
Now in 2023, with the pace of technological advancement continuing to accelerate exponentially, we find ourselves searching for peace in the few things that have remained the same. Despite the burgeoning generation of new artists, Akon’s influence still echoes with indelible power almost two decades later.
It can often be said that “dreams don’t work unless you do”, or at least that was the case for Akon (born Aliaune Thiam in St Louis, Missouri to Senegalese parents). Growing up, Akon held fast to a childhood dream of making a positive impact. Standing tall as an award-winning artist, astute entrepreneur, songwriter, and philanthropist, what was once a ‘dream’ to Akon is truly his reality.
As a true testament to the power of cultural and meaningful fusion, Akon is undergoing a musical renaissance, and there is no better time to champion this than on the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, being a movement that has eagerly welcomed and changed many lives globally.
In our special #HIPHOP50 edition interview, PAUSE Magazine sat down with Akon to discuss his latest EP ‘Afro Freak’, the impact of music and collaboration, and how he is using his platform to change the world.
