Akon

Akon: I will be the same person; I can't really see myself changing. I am just happy people can relate to my music like I do.

Akon: I grew up [in Senegal] but I was born in St. Louis. My mom and pop made sure we were all born in the States, that way we wouldn't have any immigration problems. We came here to go to school. Then in the summer we would go back to Senegal. Eventually, after high school, I ended up staying.

Akon: As a kid, growin' up, I can't front, it was hard. I was just coming in from Africa. I was mad black. Dark skin wasn't in style. My accent was crazy. I was getting teased and fighting, but you know, kids are gonna be kids anyway. But they didn't give me the impression that I didn't get along with them. I ended up making crazy friends once they got to know me. I just think it's a lack of understanding. People stereotype you before they get to know you as a person.

Akon: 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, so I had to find another way to keep a lifestyle and live day to day, so I realized I was going to be an artist and give it a shot.

Akon: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. When I was stealing cars I used to think, "If I stole your car it's because you did something bad and it's coming back to you. If I can't get this car, it's because God doesn't want me to have it because this is a good person." If I wanted to steal a car and took it, no problem, I figured it was because this person who owned it had done wrong and God was letting me steal their car as retribution. That's absolutely ludicrous! It's ridiculous. [Laughs] But that's how I thought at the time.

Akon: I love Phil Collins. "In The Air Tonight" is an incredible song. I hope to work with Phil. He's got an amazing vocal tone. His vocal tone makes me cry.

Akon: The language barrier [was the toughest transition when coming to the US]. Learning to speak English. Nobody in the U.S. really speaks French. Well, not in New Jersey!

Akon: [The cops] play my song "Locked Up" in their cars when they pick kids up and are taking them to jail. The police told me that the song is the police department's anthem. It doesn't get realer than that.