Akon's career is a model of global cross-border development. In 2004, he rose to fame with his hit songs "Locked Up" and "Lonely." Over the next decade, he led trends in pop and hip-hop, with album sales exceeding 35 million copies, earning five Grammy nominations, and launching stars like Lady Gaga and T-Pain. In the 2010s, Akon shifted his focus to his African roots, engaging in large-scale infrastructure and technology projects. His landmark initiative, "Akon Lighting Africa," brought solar power to over 1 million households on the continent. He once planned the ambitious $6 billion Akon City project, but the Senegalese government officially halted the plan in 2025, opting for a more practical collaboration approach. Now, Akon is making a comeback to the music stage. In late April this year, he released his first major studio album in years, "Good Times," and embarked on a global tour with singer Ne-Yo, covering 57 cities. In a recent episode of the "Influential Figures" podcast, I interviewed Akon. We discussed why he invested in cryptocurrency early, how he used artificial intelligence to create his new album, and his experience as one of the last artists to collaborate with Michael Jackson. On Cryptocurrency: "I remain a firm supporter of cryptocurrency to this day. Cryptocurrency itself is a form of currency—there's no doubt about it. It is the future." On Using AI in Songwriting: "For this album, I utilized various new technologies. I am a tech enthusiast and will make full use of all available tools. I also used artificial intelligence in the album's creation—to organize ideas, brainstorm themes, restructure the work, refine concepts and lyrics, and even assist with arrangement, style, and musical scales. These are details that, as a musician, I don’t usually dwell on. Sometimes, I want to explore different ways to interpret a chorus, and AI is the perfect tool for that." On Working with Michael Jackson: "His greatness lies in the fact that, despite his top-tier status, he had no airs. He saw himself as completely equal to ordinary people. He even felt a sense of loss because he couldn’t freely go out into the world or interact closely with the public like others could—as if he were trapped in a cage. Yet, in the eyes of the world, he was already a legendary figure blessed by fate."
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