Words by Claudio E. Cabrera Rating: 3.5 out of 5.0
The man with multiple wives, the magic touch, and the powerful voice is back to bless us with more Konvict Music on his sophomore LP, Konvicted.
Since entering the scene, Akon ended his days dealing amphetamines to make women scream. Years of struggle both in Africa and the U.S. have all ended, and Akon burst onto the scene two years ago with Styles P on "Locked Up" and freed himself, ending up "Lonely." Both hits made dents on American and European charts. Now, a year later, the singer/producer extroadinaire from the African country of Senegal is back with the follow up to his debut smash Trouble with Konvicted. But, the sophomore curse hasn't seemed to affect him much. No. Akon is in his prime and it's evident on this new album.
The album opens with the firestarter "Shake Down," produced by Giorgio Tuinfort, where Kon proclaims: "I have enough money to free Amistad" with it's deep Southern bass and concrete cracking drums. Tuinfort provides Akon with a cut that will shake the club down to its core. Lyrically, R. Kelly may be the only man standing in front of Akon when it comes to penning.
He stunts his hit-making ability and street cred with lines like: "Need street credibility / Who you gonna get? / I give you that credibility / for the right check!" Tuinfort brings Styles P and Kon back together for another eerie, piano banger on "Blown Away," where the "going gets rough and the tough stay tough!" While fans were waiting for Styles P's Time is Money, Pinero gave them another reason to salivate. "Mama got a church I could join / Man got a mosque I could join / But I ain't go yet / Cool with the devil on my back /...Most of the hood on the path / To get blown away!"
We all know about the Eminem featured and produced "Smack That." All you got to say about this song is that it debuted at no. 95 on Billboard and the following week went all the way down to no. 7. The "I'm In Love With A Stripper" reminiscent "I Wanna F--- You" featuring Snoop Dogg, is a smooth batch of pianos and chimes concocted by Akon with a raunchy message. An ode to the work strippers do on those poles.
But where Akon's bread & butter is, are on the tracks that evoke his most inner thoughts and emotions. The birds chirping and rainfall hitting the ground on the opera sounding self-produced "The Rain" and the mellow guitars and smooth bass on the rock influenced "Never Took The Time," show Akon in his most vulnerable state. Worries from how to follow up the success of Trouble and if he can handle all the problems that come along with being "star" are highlighted on "The Rain." Regret fills the soothing guitar riffs on "Never Took The Time." A man in misery is Akon after being left by his girlfriend for not paying enough attention.
An anthem for the motherland, "Mama Africa," samples Gentlemen's "Dem Gone," where Akon wails "Senegal... Can you feel this!" Akon provides a reggae themed song that would make the rude boyz and galz mellow out. The congas and guitar riffs are so alluring that they make you feel like your laying on a South African beach. Lyrics that remind you of the plight and the resillience of Africa are conveyed. "A is for all the love and life they took away / F don't forget that we were bought and traded / R ripped from our land and shipped away / I is the inpiration we use to survive."
But, like most albums, some of the cuts on Konvicted should've gotten Akon "Locked Up" like the T-Pain-assisted "I Can't Wait," which many will not want to wait to skip the track. The pathetic third single, "Gangsta Bop," sounds like Akon tried to take a page out of Eminem's production book with slashing synths and crashing drums. Too bad he couldn't replicate Em's success. Some samples shouldn't be touched, and it's rare to find one that's remade right. Akon took Bobby Blue Bland's "If Loving You Is Wrong, I Don't Want to be Right," and didn't do it any justice. The cut hears Akon regretting his contribution to the death of his fellow blacks by selling drugs. After hearing it, he should regret making this song.
Despite minor setbacks on Akon's sophomore album, he solidified himself as an entity of his own. You can't group him with Usher, R. Kelly, or any other notable singer because he has a totally different style. He also speaks about relevant issues way more pertinent than breaking up and dancing in the clubs. If there's anything that Akon should be Konvicted for, is for making good music.
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