Thursday, April 17, 2008

Akon....Konvicted Konartist?



Remember all those stories swirling around a few years ago about how Akon had more street cred than Jay Z and Tupac combined?

Story goes like this, for those of you who either:
A) Don't care
B) Were living under a rock
C) Don't care
D) Need a brief refresher course
E) All of the above

While penning his first album (the R&B hit "Trouble"), Akon's story of running a "notorious car boosting ring in Atlanta specializing in Ferrari, Lambourgini, and Mercedes-Benz thefts" that could have landed him in prison for up to 75 years, became as well known in some circles as the happy birthday song (interesting tidbit...did you know that song is actually still held under copyright laws?).

As it were, Akon told reporters he penned "locked up" (the first single off "Trouble") while serving a 3 1/2 year sentence in prison in which he fought with inmates and risked life and limb on a daily basis.

Shortly after the success of "Trouble" Akon created his own record company, the aptly named "Konvict Music", and released a second album, "Konvicted" (He really likes his name... and using it to play on words that start with "con" ... "Kontrived", "Kontrolled" "Konartist"... etc).

Here's where things get interesting... Apparently Akon has never been to prison. The entire story, the basis for Akon's street cred, spurs from two arrests in the year 1998. According to theSmokingGun.com, Akon was first arrested in New Jersey for carrying a conceiled weapon. He was put on one year probation. Later in the year, he was arrested again, this time for being in the possession of a single stolen BMW (his notorious car boosting ring), landed Akon EIGHT months in a county lock-up (prison ultra lite, if you will). After his 8 months, Akon was back out on the street, trying to win over fans with his "slightly" embellished story.

Smoking Gun Full Story:
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/0416081akon1.html?link=rssfeed

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