Aliaune Badara Akon Thiam, better known as simply Akon, was born in April 16, 1973 in  St. Louis, Missouri. Akon was raised in a musical setting and taught to play many instruments including the djembe. Akon lived in Dakar, Senegal, until he was in high school then he settled permanently in Newark, New Jersey.  In an interview he claimed  that he is Muslim, he has never drunk alcohol or smoked due to his faith.

Akon's unproven  three years in jail saw him begin to recognize his music abilities. Akon's solo debut album, Trouble was released on June 29, 2004. In 2005, he released the single Lonely (which samples Bobby Vinton's Mr. Lonely). The album climbed to number one in the UK in April 2005. In December 2005 the same year his manager, Robert Montanez was killed in a shooting after a dispute in New Jersey. His second album, Konvicted was released on November 14, 2006. The first single Smack That featuring Eminem was released in August 2006 and peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. On October 5, 2006, Akon broke a record on the Hot 100, as he achieved the largest climb in the chart's 48-year-history with Smack That jumping from number 95 to 7. A third single Don't Matter which earned him his first solo number one and second consecutive Hot 100 chart topper was released in In January 2007. Sorry, Blame It on Me was the album's fifth single, debuted in August 2007. On December 2, 2008, Akon released his new album Freedom. Akon released a tribute song for Michael Jackson called Cry Out Of Joy. They both were close friends near the end of Jackson's life. In the first quarter of 2010 his fourth studio album, Stadium, was to be released. Akon had also stated that the title of the album may change between now and that time, since originally it was titled Stadium Music and then Akonic.

Akon received four Grammy Award nominations in 2008. Akon received Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist from the American Music Awards in 2007. Total, Akon has received one award from twelve nominations.