ALIAUNE DAMALA BOUGA TIME PURU NACKA LU LU LU BADARA AKON THIAM

EARLY LIFE

Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam was born on April 16, 1973, in St. Louis, Missouri, to a Muslim family. His mother is dancer Kine Gueye Thiam, and his father is Senegalese percussionist Mor Thiam. Akon spent a significant part of his childhood in Senegal, which he described as his 'hometown'. He learned to play five instruments, including drums, guitar, and djembe. At age seven, he and his family relocated to Union City, New Jersey, splitting his time between the United States and Senegal until settling in Newark. Growing up in New Jersey, Akon had difficulties getting along with other children. When he and his younger brother, Bu Thiam, reached high school, his parents left them on their own in Jersey City and moved the rest of the family to Atlanta, Georgia. Akon attended William L. Dickinson High School in Jersey City.

CAREER

Akon began his music career in high school as part of the Refugee Camp, the extended musical family of the Fugees. He recorded a single, 'Operations of Nature', in 1996, which led to a deal with Elektra Records, though the song did not catch on. Music mogul Devyne Stephens later signed him to his production company. Akon's solo debut album, 'Trouble', was released on June 29, 2004, featuring singles like 'Locked Up' and 'Lonely', with 'Lonely' topping charts in Australia, the UK, and Germany. In 2004, he founded the record label Konvict Muzik, followed by KonLive Distribution in 2007, through which he signed successful artists such as Lady Gaga and T-Pain. His second album, 'Konvicted' (2006), peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 and was certified triple platinum, producing hit singles like 'Smack That' (featuring Eminem) and 'I Wanna Love You' (featuring Snoop Dogg). In February 2007, Akon launched his clothing line, Konvict Clothing. His third album, 'Freedom', was released in 2008. He has collaborated with numerous artists, including Michael Jackson. In 2019, he released 'El Negreeto', which explored reggaeton and Latin music, and 'Akonda', which explored Afrobeats. Akon made his official feature film acting debut as a character named Opuwei in lack November (2012), a Nigerian-American action drama about the Niger Delta's struggles against corrupt government and oil pollution. He also appeared in American Heist (2014), Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016), and The American King (2020).

PERSONAL LIFE

Akon is a Muslim and identifies as a teetotaler. He has stated that he is a polygamist and, as of December 2022, has nine children. He was married to Tomeka Thiam in 1996, who filed for divorce on September 11, 2025. He owned a diamond mine in South Africa and initially denied the existence of 'blood diamonds' but later accepted it, stating his mine was dedicated to avoiding them and donating profits to local communities. In 2020, he revealed he bowed out of the diamond business. Akon is also known for his philanthropic endeavors, launching Akon Lighting Africa in 2014 to provide electricity in 15 African countries and beginning development on Akon City in Senegal, a tourist city with a cryptocurrency-based economy, though the project was officially abandoned in July 2025. In 1998, he was convicted of a gun charge in New Jersey, resulting in three years probation. He was arrested in November 2025 in Georgia on an outstanding warrant related to a suspended driver's license and failure to appear in court.