Akon Up Close and Personal Interview
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Shelia Goss: Congratulations on your new CD Konvicted.
Akon: It's an incredible album. The CD has 14 songs. 12 plus 2 bonus tracks. It'll be out on November 14th. I'm real excited about it. Smack That jumped from 95 to #7 making billboard history.
Shelia: Congrats on that too.
Akon: Thanks. We've put out 2 singles simultaneously.
Shelia: What can listeners expect differently with Konvicted?
Akon: The previous one (Trouble) had a format that was perfect. I kept the same format on this album, it's just a step up as far as the production. It's more internationally driven because I wanted to make sure I grabbed every genre.
Shelia: Are any of the songs on Konvicted reflective of things that have happened to you in your life?
Akon: Yes, it's like a continuation from the Trouble album. A lot of the songs I wrote for Konvicted are like a follow through to the songs on Trouble.
Shelia: Trouble was a good CD. I like the fact that you mixed it up. Do you still have that same mixture on Konvicted?
Akon: Yes. I give you a mix of everything.
Shelia: You have a distinctive voice to me. Did you always know you wanted to do this?
Akon: Personally I didn't want to in the beginning because I was surrounded by music all my life, so I was running from it.
Shelia: Really?
Akon: Yes. Growing up, I was always surrounded by musicians. After I got into that trouble, got locked up and when I got out I couldn't work a regular 9 to 5 like everybody else because of being locked up. The only jobs available were minimum wage. With today's economy, it's hard to survive on minimum wage with car notes, light bills, etcetera so I had to find another way to keep a lifestyle and live day to day. I was making songs as a hobby, so when all that happened that's when I realized I was going to be an artist and give it a shot.
Shelia: How do you juggle your different business entities with finding time with your family and friends?
Akon: You really can't juggle because you'll end up tangling yourself up or burning yourself out. I prioritize what's important at the time. Sometimes the business is more important; sometimes the family is more important. Sometimes you have to cancel business things to make sure your family's straight and then there are times when you might have to cancel a family event because this particular business will set you all up for the next 2 to 3 years. So I juggle it according to the importance.
Shelia: Are you going to get into acting and if so, do you have any upcoming movies?
Akon: That's the next step. I'm working on my film now. It's kind of like a biography. We start casting in February. We'll be filming in several locations and shooting some of it in Africa.
Shelia: Will you be producing it?
Akon: I'm producing it and creating the soundtrack.
Shelia: I read somewhere there that you have a diamond supply and mining company. Is that correct?
Akon: Yes. Aliaune diamonds. We distribute diamonds to wholesalers.
Shelia: What about stores?
Akon: Our connection is to the wholesalers.
Shelia: What else do you have going on?
Akon: We got the clothing line and that will launch in February.
Shelia: Catered to Men or Women?
Akon: Both. Men's streetwear and a more upscae designs catering more to the women.
I also have the label. We signed Chilli from TLC. We have T-Payne's album coming out.
Shelia: Did you go to school for business?
Akon: It's more of having street knowledge. When you're hustling, you're just a business man trying to figure out ways to expand. So I just grabbed that whole hustle mentality and put it into legitame business. It's an advantage because you start thinking out of the box. As a singer you create a name for yourself and use the name to open up other doors.
Shelia: You're also providing jobs for others.
Akon: Exactly.
Shelia: So how often do you visit home?
Akon: Often as possible.
Shelia: How do you think men can improve relationships with women?
Akon: Honesty of it. We need to learn how to communicate. If men would learn how to communicate, relationships would be a whole lot better.
Shelia: You could always just put on one of your songs (smile).
Shelia: If you could go anywhere to get away from everything and relax where would you go?
Akon: Probably Australia.
Shelia: Tell me more about your CD.
Akon: You'll be able to play the album from beginning to end. It's one of those type of albums.
Shelia: You sound pretty laidback.
Akon: I'm a real laidback type of guy.
Shelia: What do you find sexy about a woman?
Akon: Hair (long or short) - Long
Favorite color to see on a woman - White
Jeans or Dress - Both
Favorite fragrance - don't have a favorite, long as she smells good.
To learn more about Akon and when you can pick up your copy of Konvicted, visit him on myspace: www.myspace.com/akon
Interview by entertainment writer Shelia M Goss. She's also the national bestselling author of My Invisible Husband. To read more interviews or find out more about this writer, visit her website http://www.sheliagoss.com.
Akon: It's an incredible album. The CD has 14 songs. 12 plus 2 bonus tracks. It'll be out on November 14th. I'm real excited about it. Smack That jumped from 95 to #7 making billboard history.
Shelia: Congrats on that too.
Akon: Thanks. We've put out 2 singles simultaneously.
Shelia: What can listeners expect differently with Konvicted?
Akon: The previous one (Trouble) had a format that was perfect. I kept the same format on this album, it's just a step up as far as the production. It's more internationally driven because I wanted to make sure I grabbed every genre.
Shelia: Are any of the songs on Konvicted reflective of things that have happened to you in your life?
Akon: Yes, it's like a continuation from the Trouble album. A lot of the songs I wrote for Konvicted are like a follow through to the songs on Trouble.
Shelia: Trouble was a good CD. I like the fact that you mixed it up. Do you still have that same mixture on Konvicted?
Akon: Yes. I give you a mix of everything.
Shelia: You have a distinctive voice to me. Did you always know you wanted to do this?
Akon: Personally I didn't want to in the beginning because I was surrounded by music all my life, so I was running from it.
Shelia: Really?
Akon: Yes. Growing up, I was always surrounded by musicians. After I got into that trouble, got locked up and when I got out I couldn't work a regular 9 to 5 like everybody else because of being locked up. The only jobs available were minimum wage. With today's economy, it's hard to survive on minimum wage with car notes, light bills, etcetera so I had to find another way to keep a lifestyle and live day to day. I was making songs as a hobby, so when all that happened that's when I realized I was going to be an artist and give it a shot.
Shelia: How do you juggle your different business entities with finding time with your family and friends?
Akon: You really can't juggle because you'll end up tangling yourself up or burning yourself out. I prioritize what's important at the time. Sometimes the business is more important; sometimes the family is more important. Sometimes you have to cancel business things to make sure your family's straight and then there are times when you might have to cancel a family event because this particular business will set you all up for the next 2 to 3 years. So I juggle it according to the importance.
Shelia: Are you going to get into acting and if so, do you have any upcoming movies?
Akon: That's the next step. I'm working on my film now. It's kind of like a biography. We start casting in February. We'll be filming in several locations and shooting some of it in Africa.
Shelia: Will you be producing it?
Akon: I'm producing it and creating the soundtrack.
Shelia: I read somewhere there that you have a diamond supply and mining company. Is that correct?
Akon: Yes. Aliaune diamonds. We distribute diamonds to wholesalers.
Shelia: What about stores?
Akon: Our connection is to the wholesalers.
Shelia: What else do you have going on?
Akon: We got the clothing line and that will launch in February.
Shelia: Catered to Men or Women?
Akon: Both. Men's streetwear and a more upscae designs catering more to the women.
I also have the label. We signed Chilli from TLC. We have T-Payne's album coming out.
Shelia: Did you go to school for business?
Akon: It's more of having street knowledge. When you're hustling, you're just a business man trying to figure out ways to expand. So I just grabbed that whole hustle mentality and put it into legitame business. It's an advantage because you start thinking out of the box. As a singer you create a name for yourself and use the name to open up other doors.
Shelia: You're also providing jobs for others.
Akon: Exactly.
Shelia: So how often do you visit home?
Akon: Often as possible.
Shelia: How do you think men can improve relationships with women?
Akon: Honesty of it. We need to learn how to communicate. If men would learn how to communicate, relationships would be a whole lot better.
Shelia: You could always just put on one of your songs (smile).
Shelia: If you could go anywhere to get away from everything and relax where would you go?
Akon: Probably Australia.
Shelia: Tell me more about your CD.
Akon: You'll be able to play the album from beginning to end. It's one of those type of albums.
Shelia: You sound pretty laidback.
Akon: I'm a real laidback type of guy.
Shelia: What do you find sexy about a woman?
Akon: Hair (long or short) - Long
Favorite color to see on a woman - White
Jeans or Dress - Both
Favorite fragrance - don't have a favorite, long as she smells good.
To learn more about Akon and when you can pick up your copy of Konvicted, visit him on myspace: www.myspace.com/akon
Interview by entertainment writer Shelia M Goss. She's also the national bestselling author of My Invisible Husband. To read more interviews or find out more about this writer, visit her website http://www.sheliagoss.com.
