Akon Biography

Akon, singer/songwriter/record producer

Birthdate: April 30, 1973

Birthplace: Dakar, Senegal

Sign: Taurus

Aliuane Badara Thiam is the son of jazz musician Mor Thiam. His name and age had both been debated by sources as some have printed his real name to be Alioune Badara Thiam while others says that it is actually a much longer Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam. Nevertheless, he goes by the shorter Aliaune Thiam. Some sources also reported that he was born in 1981 but AP has reported that he was born in 1973.

He moved to New Jersey when he was 15 and then recorded his first song "Operations of Nature." The tapes of the tracks he had recorded in his home studio found its way to SRC/Universal, which in turn released his debut LP Trouble in 2004.

The album produced the hit singles "Lonely" and "Locked Up," which had allegedly been inspired by his three-year jail stint for grand theft auto.

In 2006, his second album Konvicted was released. The record included collaborations with Eminem, Snoop Dogg, and Styles P. His "Smack That" track with Eminem stayed at the charts for 5 consecutive weeks. Other singles that chart the tops include "Don't Matter" and "Sorry, Blame It On Me." Konvicted sold more than one million records in the U.S. alone and more than 1.3 million worldwide.

Akon formed his own record label Kon Live Distribution in 2006.

He has confirmed he is working on a reality TV show, which will be called "My Brother's Keeper." The show would focus on his two nearly identical brothers and will go around in Atlanta to pose as him. They aim to fool people to believe that they are his famous brother and try to get VIP treatment.

Also, a film loosely based on him is on the works. The movie is entitled "Illegal Alien" and actor Mekhi Phifer is set to play him.

In 2007, Akon launched his clothing line "Konvict Clothing," an urban streetwear. Another collection, "Aliaune," was also developed for the upscale market.