Akon

Akon in 2010, Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

Birth Name: Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam

Place of Birth: St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.

Date of Birth: April 16, 1973

Ethnicity: Wolof Senegalese

Akon is an American singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, record producer, and actor. Akon’s style of music is a blend of West African vocals mixed with hip hop rhymes. He is also known as A-Kon and El Negreeto.

He was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He is the son of Kine Gueye Thiam (née Gueye), a dancer, and Mor Thiam (born Mor Dogo Thiam), a drummer, cultural historian, and entertainment consultant. His father was born in Kaolack, Senegal, to a Toucouleur family. He is of Wolof descent; the Wolof are an ethnic group in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania. Akon spent time in Senegal during his childhood, as well as Union City, and Newark, in New Jersey. He is a citizen of Senegal and the U.S.

Akon is a Muslim.

He has (at least) nine children.