By Popular micro-blogging platform, Twitter is awash with a flurry of birthday wishes for Senegalese-American singer Akon as he clocks 49 today.
Here are 10 things you should about the music legend.
1. He was born Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam on April 16, 1973, in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. He, however, spent a large part of his childhood in Senegal.
2. Akon attended William L. Dickinson High School in Jersey City for his high school education. He proceeded to Clark Atlanta University, though he didn’t obtain a degree.
3. On June 29, 2004, he launched into prominence in the music world after releasing his solo debut album, ‘Trouble’.
4. ‘Konvicted’, his second album released in 2006, bagged three Grammy Award nominations.
5. Akon is acclaimed to the first solo artist to hold both the number one and two spots simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 charts twice.
6. According to Guinness World Records, he was the number-one selling artist for master ringtones in the world.
7. Akon made his switch to the corridors of music executives after he set up two successful record labels, Konvict Muzik and KonLive Distribution.
8. He ventured into the world of fashion in February 2007. He created his own clothing line, Konvict Clothing specialising in urban streetwear.
9. In 2014, he launched a project Akon Lighting Africa in to provide electricity in 15 African countries. He also does charity work for underprivileged children in Africa through Konfidence Foundation.
10. He is a proud father of six children from three different women.
