Akon: Building an Empire, Funding Africa, and Why 'I Am the Fund' Changes Everything | EYL

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Earn Your Leisure – Akon: Building an Empire, Funding Africa, and Why 'I Am the Fund' Changes Everything

Podcast: Earn Your Leisure
Episode: Akon: Building an Empire, Funding Africa, and Why 'I Am the Fund' Changes Everything
Release Date: June 12, 2026
Hosts: Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings
Guest: Akon

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Main Theme Overview

In this insightful episode, music icon and entrepreneur Akon returns to Earn Your Leisure to discuss how he's leveraging his success in music to empower entrepreneurship in Africa, build lasting legacy assets (including his music catalog and a technological infrastructure), and disrupt traditional investment mindsets. He unpacks why his "I Am the Fund" approach changes everything—distinguishing himself from traditional hedge funds—and he provides a real-world look at the systemic challenges and immense opportunities in Africa. The episode delves into the new economics of music, catalog sales, African development, generational wealth, AI, and the importance of leveraging data and engagement over traditional sales metrics.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Akon's Investment Philosophy: "I Am the Fund"

• Redefining Ownership and Investment
  • Akon contrasts his personal investment strategy with how most funds work, stressing that he invests to raise his own value, not just to chase direct returns.
  • Quote: "I'm not thinking like a hedge fund, I'm thinking like I am the fund." (06:50-07:05; expanded at 20:00-22:00)
  • Insight: He frames artist development and backing ventures as equity-building plays—raising his own long-term value and leveraging attached assets rather than relying on quick returns.

The Economics of Music: Timelessness & Catalog Management

• Timeless Music & Catalog Value
  • Akon emphasizes creating "timeless music" that doesn’t need to chase trends to ensure it has enduring value.
  • Quote: "Just make reality music that people can relate to. So as long as people can relate... that relation is gonna always conform into that new platform." (10:14-11:23)
• Strategic Catalog Sales
  • He’s actively selling pieces of his catalog for funding projects but keeping core assets for generational wealth.
  • Quote: “There’s a block of catalog that I would never sell. That’s for my family.” (12:48-13:09)
  • Views his catalog like real estate—selling portions strategically while retaining valuable core assets. (13:10-13:37)
• Industry Reflection
  • Artists should consider engagement and social reach (views, likes, shares) over traditional sales.
  • Quote: “If I can get billions of views on Instagram and TikTok... these are the active users constantly checking, playing, and sharing that record.” (07:13-07:21, 40:06-41:15)

Music Metrics in a Social Media Age

• New Measures of Success
  • Traditional first-week sales are outdated (41:20-41:45).
  • Engagement, not just views, is the currency: “Those are the people that will spend money on tickets, T shirts, merch... those are the believers in your work.” (40:06-41:15)

Africa: Opportunity, Hurdles, and Empire Building

• Biggest Hurdle: External Influence, Internal Mindset
  • The largest challenge is “the outside world coming in”; internal struggles allow external interests to dominate. (07:23, 23:39-25:12)
  • Quote: “If you go into an environment where people don’t got, you can just bribe... They gotta survive, so they gonna accept it.” (23:39-24:00)
  • Quote: “Africa got to be willing to die for it. That’s the only way it works.” (24:45-25:12)
• Opportunities for Diaspora & Population Growth
  • Population boom in many African nations offers an incredible return for those with knowledge and resources.
  • Quote: “Whatever you’re doing here and you do it there, your money, your value, all that’s going to triple, quadruple, like, literally within a year.” (26:05-27:06)
• Infrastructure & Smart Investment
  • Coastal cities are prime for growth due to trade and infrastructure needs. (27:18-27:43)

Technology as a Unifier: AI and Language

• Launching African-Centric AI

  • Akon is launching Khan GPT, an AI platform based in Dubai focusing on African dialects, enabling cross-language communication across Africa.
  • Quote: “We just built the data center ... it’s African-based ... all African dialects in other languages. If you’re in a village ... you’ll be able to communicate with the rest of the world.” (30:04-30:39)

• Language Barriers and Colonial Legacy

  • Discussed colonialism’s legacy: linguistically fragmented societies inhibit trade and unity. He sees technology as key to overcoming these historic divisions. (33:52-36:32)

The Power of Data and Direct Fan Engagement

• Owning the Fan Relationship
  • Akon meticulously gathers fan data—engagement metrics, ticket sales, merch, attendance patterns—preferring direct channels over intermediaries like Ticketmaster. (42:16-44:42)
  • Quote: “The data is priceless. ... My goal is to entertain that super fan. That person gonna ride and die for me.... I am collecting everything.” (42:16-43:15)

Collaboration, Tours, and New Projects

• Tour with Ne-Yo and New Album ‘Beautiful Day’
  • Akon and Ne-Yo collaborate not only for synergy but also to analyze and cross-pollinate their fan bases.
  • Quote: “We both was going to go out on our own separate tours, and then we stopped and thought about it, man. Wait a minute. We hitting all the same markets around the same time. Like, what are we doing?” (44:50-45:28)
  • New album ‘Beautiful Day’ dropping April 24th; tour covers Europe, Canada, and the US. (45:41-46:08)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Bad Contracts:
  “It’s never a bad contract in the beginning. It’s only a bad contract later when you’re making money.” – Akon (06:50, 18:00-19:37)
• On Mindset:
  “I’m not thinking like a hedge fund, I’m thinking like I am the fund.” – Akon (20:00-22:00)
• On Africa’s True Challenge:
  “The biggest problem is the outside world coming in. But then the problem that actually allowed that is the internal problem with the mentality.” – Akon (23:39-25:12)
• On African Music’s Global Rise:
  “The fact that it’s even mainstream to me is enough for it. But what I am afraid of is the idea that that is the only way out.” – Akon (07:55-08:06, 28:02-28:36)
• On AI and Language Barriers:
  “Language barriers had. Was one of the biggest walls in Africa that was unseen, but they used as the biggest tool.” – Akon (34:18-35:43)
• On Data Ownership:
  “I got services, situations, links, all kind of stuff that my fans come to just to get more information on my tour. And that’s where I collect my information from.” – Akon (43:10-43:44)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Akon’s Investment Philosophy & "I Am the Fund" – 06:50–07:05, 20:00–22:00
• Timeless Music & Catalog Sales – 10:14–13:37
• Contracts and the Music Business – 18:00–19:37
• Africa’s Hurdles and Opportunities – 23:39–27:06
• AI and Tech in Africa – 29:33–30:39, 33:52–36:32
• Fan Data & Touring Analytics – 42:16–44:42
• Building with Ne-Yo & New Album/Tour – 44:50–46:08

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Conclusion

Akon’s conversation with Rashad and Troy is a masterclass in the melding of business, technology, music, and global economic empowerment. By straddling the worlds of music, investment, and African economic development, Akon demonstrates how creative vision, ownership, and technological adoption can shift generational destinies. His philosophy—“I am the fund”—drives home the importance of leveraging personal value, building assets for legacy, and turning obstacles into revolutionary opportunities.

For more, follow Akon and Earn Your Leisure on their respective platforms and look out for Akon’s new album ‘Beautiful Day’ and the global tour with Ne-Yo.

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Transcript

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[Akon]

network

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[Akon]

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[Akon]

Everybody when they sign in the contract for the first time, it's the best thing that ever happened to them. It's only a bad contract later. When you making money? When I invest, I'm investing so I can raise my value to get more money. Whereas them, they're investing to make the money back plus interest. I'm not thinking like a hedge fund, I'm thinking like I am the fun.

[Host/Interviewer]

I might not sell a bunch of records anymore, but if I can get billions of views on Instagram and TikTok, is that something that musicians are starting to look at?

[Akon]

That's what I'm looking at. And you should, because those are the active users that's constantly checking for that record. Constantly playing that record, repeating it and sharing it.

[Host/Interviewer]

As far as Africa, what do you think the biggest hurdle is?

[Akon]

The outside World coming in. If you go into an environment where people don't got. You can just bribe, they got to survive, so they going to accept it. Africa got to be willing to die for it. That's the only way it works. That's the ultimate opportunity for anybody to go in and really, like, whatever you're doing here and you do it there. Your money, your value, all that's going to triple, quadruple, like, literally within a year.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

At what point are you thinking, I got to build catalog?

[Akon]

That's always the case. Just make timeless music.

[Host/Interviewer]

People are selling their catalog. Is that something that you're considering?

[Akon]

My catalog is so big. There's pieces that I'm creating specifically just to be able to gain value and then sell it later.

[Host/Interviewer]

How do you feel about the direction that African music is headed in?

[Akon]

The fact that it's even mainstream to me, is enough for it. But what I am afraid of is the idea that that is the only way out.

[Host/Interviewer]

All right, guys. Welcome back. Eyl. We got a special guest. My brother Akon. What's going on, man?

[Akon]

This is a special day, boy. Since I le. Since I seen y' all last, bro, I can't. I can't begin to express how proud I am of y' all advancement, man.

[Host/Interviewer]

Appreciate it.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Appreciate that, man.

[Akon]

Hey, bro, this is amazing.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

We've seen each other all over the world, right? Last interview in a hangar, right? Which was illmatic, and here we are today, man.

[Akon]

Man, this is. This is amazing.

[Host/Interviewer]

I appreciate it, man. Before we start, I gotta ask you, man, is Senegal giving back that trophy? Man, that's. That's highly controversial.

[Akon]

It's highly controversial. 100%. And we all, as a family in Senegal, all spoke about it. Like, we know we're the champions.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

I'm with y'.

[Sponsor/Advertiser Voice]

All.

[Akon]

I mean, if you want the cup, we'll give it back to you, but, you know, like, you know what I'm saying? It actually looks worse, us giving it back to you, like, the person that has to receive it.

[Host/Interviewer]

Hakeemi said they don't deserve it. I respect what he. You heard what he said? Uh, he said that they don't deserve it. He said. He said we lost. Like, we don't. We shouldn't be getting a trophy. Like, we lost, right?

[Co-host/Interviewer]

And you was there. You. You watched that lot.

[Akon]

I was there from top to bottom. Like, I almost jumped out the stands myself.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

It's crazy. I don't think people gotta understand it. To see you in Africa and watch the reception. Like, we were at the semifinal game, and you Went on the screen and it was like. I'm like, what's going on? Everybody's running. I'm like, oh, con on the screen.

[Akon]

Okay, man, I wish y' all was. I knew y' all was there. Like, ah, man. Yeah. You know, but I was just happy that y' all actually was, though. That just shows that y' all making y' all rounds, though.

[Host/Interviewer]

Yeah, that's a fact.

[Akon]

That's amazing, man.

[Host/Interviewer]

Well, let's get into it, man. I know you got the new music coming out, so we definitely gonna talk about that. But I wanted to get your perspective on a few things. You know, obviously you wanted the great minds when it comes to business, right? What's your thoughts on the state of music right now? I know you got, you know, a hit out now, but have you changed your tactical strategy as far as, like, TikTok? Like, are you aiming towards social media? TikTok influences when you're actually making the music. Or is it still like how it was before? Like, how has that changed being social media?

[Akon]

Yeah, like, me personally, I didn't change anything. I felt like the formula that I have for me specifically is like the formula that will always be like, for me. Right. So I think everybody has a formula that works for them. With me, I just feel like it's recession proof when it comes to what I'm doing because of the fact that I'm covering like the globe. And now when you look at social media and how it's actually spread and then you look at my music, how it's actually like, it adapts to every generation, right? So if next generation comes a whole new different technology, my fans today is gonna present that to their kids and then they gonna adapt that onto whatever that next technology is, you know what I mean? So I never really worried about trying to conform into this technology. Cause then I'll be like, I would literally be stuck in this frame of work. So when something else new come, I'm gonna have to readapt again. And you want something that's gonna be sustainable, that's gonna adapt to anything else that's new, that's adapted. You know what I'm saying? So my formula has always been just make reality music that people can relate to. So as long as people can relate and people are creating new platforms, that relation is gonna always conform into that new platform.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Yeah, your songs, when they ring off even now, it just feels like it could have happened in this year.

[Akon]

Right.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

You know what I'm saying? I wonder when you're creating or when you Were creating. Yes. You're making songs. Yes. You wanna make a hit. At what point are you thinking, I gotta build catalog? Or did it just. You know what?

[Akon]

That was always the case.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Okay.

[Akon]

Like, as I'm making it, I'm making it to build catalog. Right. But I always looked at it from a perspective of just make timeless music. You know what I mean? I think what you can relate to is always gonna be timeless. If it's not timeless now, then it's gonna be a memory tomorrow. But even memories are timeless. So don't overthink it or try to make music for now. And I think that's the biggest mistake artists make, because when now is no longer here, then they have to try to make music for the next now. And you just have to find. You find yourself reinventing every time. Before you know it, you're gonna find you're gonna lose things to reinvent into.

[Host/Interviewer]

You know, speaking of catalog and timeless music, people are selling their catalogs.

[Akon]

Right, right, right.

[Host/Interviewer]

So is that something that you. You're considering? You have considered.

[Akon]

I got. My catalog is so big.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Tell the people.

[Akon]

Tell the people a little piece here, you know, hold a little piece here.

[Host/Interviewer]

That's what Jermaine Dupree was saying. He think about selling pieces of.

[Akon]

And that's how you should do it, like, especially. But it depends on, you know, what you have. Like, what's your plans. Like me, I was selling pieces of my catalog so I can build my city or.

[Host/Interviewer]

You already started to sell pieces of your catalog?

[Akon]

Oh, yes, I've definitely started selling some pieces, but there's a block of catalog that I would never sell. That's for my family. Right. That's gonna continue to make money for them and their kids and for on. But because I make, like. Because I'm constantly creating. There's pieces that I'm creating specifically just to be able to gain value, raise the, you know, and then sell it later. You know what I'm saying?

[Host/Interviewer]

It's like real estate.

[Akon]

Exactly. It's just like real estate.

[Host/Interviewer]

So, like, when. But you have an artist that actually sold T pain, right? You participate in that.

[Akon]

I mean, his portion he can sell. I still have a port.

[Host/Interviewer]

Oh, you still have your portion.

[Akon]

So when you're selling, you're selling the portion of the catalog that you own. Like, prime example, if I own my masters, 5050 with Universal, if I sell off my Masters, I'm selling my version, my 50% universal still retaining theirs. Or they can hold onto theirs if they decide to. Okay, you know what?

[Co-host/Interviewer]

I'm saying, yeah, I mean that makes a lot of sense. And even part of it was like how people were getting their masters and you know, the provisions of 30, 35 years before it reversed back.

[Akon]

Right.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

And trying to figure out reversions. Yeah, the reversions. Once I get full control now, it makes more sense because I have more value.

[Akon]

Exactly.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Here's the thing also because early on, like you said, you have artists and I'm sure there's catalog that we keeping that in the tuck. When you're structuring those deals early in your mind when you're getting the artist, you're like, that's a superstar. We've got to structure the deal to have that. How did you have that knowledge early on to figure out that's a star, we gotta have partnership equity shares inside of it.

[Akon]

Cause you kind of choose that according to what you believe in. It's some things that you just be like, nah, that's gonna be big. You believe it yourself. You know that right there gonna go crazy. Right. But then sometimes you find something that you don't really believe in that even goes crazier than what you did believe in. So me, I structure everything as if I believe in it. I won't get into it unless I believe in it. And it's all the same structure until we negotiate later when you actually prove yourself. You know what I'm saying? So like labels, that's what they do. They give you a generic contract and it's one for everybody. Then when you get your weight up, then you go back in and you renegotiate.

[Podcast Host]

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[Akon]

Network

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[Host/Interviewer]

Because there's a lot of artists. All the artists I feel like is always complaining about their record label or they signed a bad contract, right? But it's like it wasn't a bad contract in that moment that you signed it.

[Akon]

Well, it never, it's never a bad contract in the beginning. It's only a bad contract later when you're making money and you giving them. Like when you Ain't making no money. Oh, it's a great contract.

[Host/Interviewer]

Why?

[Akon]

Because they're investing in you.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

I never recouped it.

[Akon]

They're investing in you. Like to me, that's a selfish way of thinking. Because they didn't have to take their hard earned money and put it into you for you to become in the position you're in to complain. They get to put that money on somebody else. People don't think about what comes with investing in you and what they have to deal with. Whether it's relationships, resources, all that they all had to work or actually purchase to gain the value enough to be in a position to invest in you. Everybody, when they sign in the contract for the first time, it's the best thing that ever happened to them. Nobody remembers that moment. They remember in the moment when now they have to give that money back, man. Hell no. I put in all this work. I had to get up early in the morning, do all these radio shows, man. I had to travel over here, sacrifice time with my family. Yes. That's what you asked for. That's what you signed up for. That's what I invested in. Thinking that you understood that that's your role. My role was giving you the resources to commit and actually, you know, like bring your dreams about. Right. So now that you're in the dream and you know that now that, like, this is what it takes for me to get there, you want to be rewarded for what it takes. I rewarded you in advance.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

The advance, Am I right? Yeah. You know what it feel like when you, when you speak about it and I wonder if your mindset was there. It feels like the venture capital world, whereas I'm looking at an investment which is the artist.

[Akon]

Right.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

I'm saying here I'm going to invest in it. And most times, you know, when you put an investment in venture capital, if one out of 10 make it, you make it back, you've got it, you get the right one.

[Akon]

Exactly.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

You're fortunate enough to have done.

[Akon]

I was lucky.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Yeah, A few times.

[Akon]

A few times. That'll happen often.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Right, right. Was that in the frame of mind? Like I'm treating it like that type of investment?

[Akon]

Well, with me it was a little bit different because everything that I invested in was already a part of what I was already doing. So I looked at, I was investing that to build more value for me. Like if I signed an artist like T Pain. T Pain is a songwriter, he's a producer, he's a performer, and he's an entrepreneur. That's Value in itself that I can attach myself to, that raises my value. So I win from the moment I invested in him because he has a value that comes with that. You understand what I'm saying? So now if I go into any corporation, loan office, whatever, and I need something to leverage, I'm leveraging what I bring to the table, plus what's attached to me that I profit from. You understand what I'm saying? So I'm not thinking like a hedge fund. I'm thinking like I am the fund. There's a bigger difference. So. And when I'm thinking like that, I feel like I can never make a bad investment. Like, in that. Like in that. With that mind frame, right? So. Because I know how to leverage this within this sector, so it's a little bit different. Whereas hedge funds, they just invest in, you know, a group of things and hope that one of them pop. But what they do, they kind of hedge their best because they get the information on everything they're betting on and look at the numbers and find and kind of try to, you know, mitigate the odds and the risks and, you know, and the rewards or whatever the case may be. But me, I already know that I'm winning. And as long as I'm winning, there'll be money there waiting, like, ready to invest in me. But now they want to see what my value is, so they know how much to invest. So when I invest, I'm investing so I can raise my value to get more money. Whereas them, they're raising. They're investing to make the money back, plus interest. So it's a little bit different.

[Host/Interviewer]

Yeah, it's a great breakdown every time we see you. We got to talk about Africa.

[Akon]

You got to.

[Host/Interviewer]

Got to talk about Africa.

[Akon]

Especially now that you're African.

[Host/Interviewer]

That's a fact.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

I'm not sure which country is claiming us.

[Host/Interviewer]

We took advice, man. We heard.

[Akon]

We heard what you were saying, man. You have, man, when I. I tell you this is probably the most proudest moment. Cause this was a public info. This is something we spoke about, and y' all acted on it. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? That's amazing, bro.

[Host/Interviewer]

So how's everything going? Obviously, the last time we spoke, you had the city. The city, I think, got derailed a little bit. It was some hiccups. Where do we stand now with everything?

[Akon]

Well, the hiccups are gonna continue. You know, the project that I'm doing is just one of them things that's just. It comes with hiccups. Like it goes back to the new artist. Again, like I asked for it, now I gotta just deal with it, you know what I'm saying? But it's a lot of political, lot of agendas. It's one of the things that's gonna change the face of how the people of Africa think. And I think that's what the fear is like, the switching of that mindset and mentality with a project like that becoming successful. So I'm always be going up a. Up, going up a uphill battle. So now I limit the conversations when it come to that. Because I noticed that they was utilizing that information to kind of try to pull and shut it down, you know what I'm saying? But just know I will always continue to be working towards that direction.

[Host/Interviewer]

Well, just in general, as far as Africa, what do you think the biggest hurdle is? Is it internally as far as dealing with like governments and stuff like that, or is it the external factors, like people that have vested interest?

[Akon]

France, yeah, that's the biggest problem. The biggest problem is the outside world coming in. But then the problem that actually allowed that is the internal problem with the mentality. So they kind of play hand in hand. Like you can't have one without the other. Because the western world got so much influence because they throw their money around. And they can throw their money around in certain parts of Africa Because Africa just struggled so long, like in a position of not having. So if you go into an environment where people don't got, you can just bribe, they gotta survive. So they gonna accept it, right? So they utilize that, that, that, that as a. They honestly use that as a weapon to continue to do what they're doing. But we gotta be smarter and be willing to take that suffering just a little bit longer to be able to be in a position to actually own it and really like do what we need to do. And it's a prime example, like when you look and see what's happening in Iran, right? Iran could have easily just gave in and say, you know what? Take it. But they came together as a people and knew that we have to sacrifice in order for us to be free, own our land, protect our sovereignty, and still be able to look ourselves tomorrow and live and take care of our children the way we know how to do it within the culture we live in. So they fought back and was willing to die for it. Africa got to be willing to die for it. That's the only way it works.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Yeah, you're seeing some countries fighting that

[Akon]

for the ones that was willing to die for it. What Happened. They switching it up. New leadership, new environment, new rules, new attitude. And the countries are actually advancing.

[Sponsor/Advertiser Voice]

Yeah.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

I was reading a report the other day about the opportunities. Obviously, we've seen it and have tried to help change narrative and create narrative around the opportunities that are there in terms of population growth, economic opportunities, infrastructure. There's a study saying that the population growth is going to double, specifically in countries like Chad, Mali, Niger. Triple?

[Akon]

Yeah, triple.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

But there's not the same infrastructure there. And so coastal cities, Dakar, Abidjan, Accra,

[Akon]

they're gonna get that weight.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

They're gonna get the weight of that. Talk about the opportunities that exist in these coastal cities, man.

[Akon]

This is why I've been preaching forever for African Americans to go back home with the knowledge that they have the resources they have and the access that they have. Cause what's crazy is America itself has money to give US citizens to invest in foreign lands. Like they. The reason, what makes us so powerful is the fact that the United States of America is united because they have allies everywhere, because they spread investment everywhere. But if they can, if they cannot, have to give a country aid, but give that aid money to their citizens to invest in that country and flourish, they would prefer to do that. So the money's available to do that. Right. So when you look at influx of people and population growth like that, that's an ultimate opportunity for anybody to go in and really, like, whatever you're doing here and you do it there, your money, your value, all that's going to triple, quadruple, like, literally within a year because of the opportunity of the population.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

We went to Dakar and saw some of that opportunity, some of the vision.

[Akon]

Right.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

I said, yeah, we might be Senegalese after this.

[Akon]

No, 100%.

[Host/Interviewer]

And we tasted the Jolof first.

[Akon]

That Jolo.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

We'll get to that. Yeah. I mean, you got a port city.

[Akon]

Right.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Which means that there's trade 100, which means that there's infrastructure 100. The same way we looked at America in terms of why New York is prominent. Right. Coastal cities, harbors like Newark, harbors like the dmv, Miami. All these places that have access to water.

[Akon]

Right.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Lead to trade, which leads to growth.

[Akon]

100%.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Same things exist.

[Akon]

Yep.

[Host/Interviewer]

What do you think about the music? Like, we've seen Afrobeats take off. Right. We see Tyler, like, it's become very, very mainstream.

[Akon]

Right.

[Host/Interviewer]

How do you feel about the direction that African music is headed in?

[Akon]

I love the direction. I mean, the fact that it's even mainstream to me is enough for It. And the good thing is they have the population to keep that sustainable without a question. Because rhythm and dance, it's in our blood. Like, we don't know how to. We can't shake that, right? So that's one source that we know we can always look up to or look to to help build what we're trying to build back in Africa, because it's moving really, really fast. But what I do, what I am afraid of, is the idea that that is the only way out or that is the only avenue for the young generation.

[Host/Interviewer]

Sports and entertainment.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

We've seen that happen already.

[Akon]

We already seen it happen in America, right to the point where everybody's financially illiterate, but they're super talented. But then what, right? So you don't want that to happen to a billion kids.

[Host/Interviewer]

That's a fact.

[Akon]

Then it's a huge problem that the world gotta work, like, focus on. So that's why these conversations, y' all show like, the information that y' all giving is golden. Like it's the golden egg for our future. Because as long as we are in a position where we can literally like get the info, then we can plan according to the info that we're getting. But if you ain't got the information, the only thing you could plan is your craft and that. You just gotta perfect that. But then once you perfect it, you go in rooms and then you're walking into opportunities that you can't even maximize because all you're walking in is talent without the knowledge.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

You know, the last conversation, we were just at the cusp of artificial intelligence, right?

[Akon]

Oh, right, yeah.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

And so now that was just using it from a prompt and getting, you know, responses. Now we've seen this crashing industries. It's disrupting especially music. I wonder what has your experience been since that time? This is like October of 23.

[Akon]

Since that time I got Khan GPT and I started my own AI company based in Dubai. And we've been up for two years already.

[Host/Interviewer]

We're doing what is killing it.

[Akon]

What does it do? You know, we're more. It's like, it's more, you know, gen AI.

[Host/Interviewer]

Okay.

[Akon]

Like, because I know that's where the direction of the world is going. So we've been cultivating that. Just. We just built the data center that we just, you know, but for the it's African base I'll be launching hopefully before the end of the year. And it's all African dialects in all other languages. So if you're in a village and you don't speak English or you don't speak German or you don't freeze French, whatever your local village dialect is, you'll be able to communicate with the rest of the world.

[Host/Interviewer]

You know, that's information that's interesting because there's so many languages in Africa.

[Akon]

Oh my goodness, Nigeria alone got like 1200.

[Host/Interviewer]

Yeah, it's crazy.

[Podcast Host]

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[Host/Interviewer]

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[Host/Interviewer]

think that that's something that hurts Africa as well? Because it's like the Arab world. They're unified by culture and language.

[Akon]

And language, right.

[Host/Interviewer]

Like China, like it's a billion people, they speak the same langu 100%. Like you go to some places, like you said in Nigeria, within six miles that people don't even speak the same language. Right. Like, do you think that that's something that's kind of hurtful as far as not being on one accord just from a language background?

[Akon]

Yeah. I mean, but that was one of the tools that was used to divide U.S. language. Right. But then, you know, the French went in there and made sure that every country that they colonized spoke and wrote in French. Right. But then they would divide all the tribes purposely French and English, Right? Right. So ultimately what happened was with that language barrier already, the trade can't happen. So there's. You actually halt your growth because you can't communicate to even concoct a plan or sell goods and trade goods back and forth. So language barriers had. Was one of the biggest walls in Africa that was unseen, but they used as the biggest tool. You follow what I'm saying? So that's why when, when, when, when you look at all of the colonized countries, they always speak the, the language of the colonized country. You follow what I'm saying? So everybody speak the same language. There's pure transparency when it comes to trade, you know, planning, whatever the case may be. Whereas Africa, we was fragmented in languages and it was easier for the master to control them, but at the same time it was a default because the slaves used to use them languages and create languages so they can outsmart the masters and the masses couldn't understand what they were planning or what they were saying.

[Host/Interviewer]

That's like Haiti.

[Akon]

Like Haiti.

[Host/Interviewer]

Like Creole.

[Akon]

Exactly. Like that's where a lot of pigeon, you know, like pidgin come from. Like those are like fragmented languages where you mix them all up. But they were actually creating real like certain parts of South Africa where it's not even even a word, it's like a sound. Yeah. And you're like, wait, what did he just say? You think he beatboxing, but he said he actually is talking to you. Right. But these are all traditions of slaves back then, that it was like code on how they can communicate without the slave owner actually understanding what they were doing as they was planning escapes and different things like that. But unfortunately it was a strength for them then. But it's a weakness later by default. Because now when you're trying to unite the tribes, you're trying to unite the people and everybody else to kind of move. You can't. Because that language baron is hard to communicate.

[Host/Interviewer]

But that's what your app does.

[Akon]

That's what that makes it easy.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

I was gonna say.

[Akon]

Yeah.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Technology becomes the great barrier that unifies that. So as you're saying kanji bt and I'm thinking generative AI, I'm thinking there is a world of opportunity now.

[Host/Interviewer]

Right.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Because in order for that you need to have telecommunications. What kind of devices? Who's coming in there? I just saw that Huawei is now coming to Africa.

[Sponsor/Advertiser Voice]

But it also.

[Akon]

Huawei been in Africa a while. But like when I was doing my econ lighting Africa, I was partnering up with them.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Akon]

Because we were putting the Cat 5 wires up under the underground. It was all Huawei that did all of that.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Akon]

So they already, you gotta think they had a 30 year plan for Africa already.

[Sponsor/Advertiser Voice]

So, so that's, that's part.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

So now as you're saying it, because Instead of using Nvidia's GPUs, they're saying that Huawei is going to create the GPUs that will now go into the content. I'm not sure which countries, all of

[Akon]

them, but I'm letting you know now. Be transparent, Gu. They like literally all of them.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

It speaks to the power issue, which is an issue on the continent.

[Akon]

Right.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

How do you see that planning out? Because yes, we've seen Meta with the W project going underseas with their cables, but that doesn't get inland.

[Akon]

Right, Right.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

So how do you see power for the continent going forward? Because this is going to be a huge Issue.

[Akon]

Yeah, it's going to be a huge issue, but it won't be as huge because as you can see, the world is they're slowly transforming away from the traditional energy sources. So there's going to be a lot of renewable energy going in. But when you look at all the fiber optics that's being put in, that's the connectivity for people to be able to communicate, whether you got media sources, mobile sources, whatever the case may be. But as far as energy itself, I mean, we got plenty of wind, we got plenty of water, and more than anything, we got plenty of sun. So just those three alone, when you look at hydro, you look at solar, you look at wind. That alone can power all of Africa. We don't even need no nuclear power plant. Right. But of course, that nuclear is always available, too, with proper funding and all of that. But when the infrastructure isn't put in place, then certain things you want to go nuclear, because certain things only nuclear can power for it to be efficient. You know what I mean? So as of now, though, Africa can literally rely on all renewable energies and be able to compete with the rest of the world because of the vast amount of land that exists there. That's. That's not being used.

[Host/Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

And somebody's gonna see that as an opportunity, why they should invest.

[Akon]

Yes, exactly.

[Host/Interviewer]

So you got a new song. Beautiful day.

[Akon]

Yeah.

[Host/Interviewer]

So I think it's like 6. 600 million social impressions, something like that. They said impressions. Impressions.

[Akon]

Did you check ChatGPT? Yeah, it's like 2 billion.

[Host/Interviewer]

2 billion.

[Akon]

That's a big number.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Last month, man.

[Akon]

Oh, last month. Yeah, last month. That might work. Last month.

[Host/Interviewer]

So it's 2 billion social impressions.

[Akon]

Yeah.

[Host/Interviewer]

So talk about this song, but then also talk about. This is interesting because OpenAI just brought a podcast for $200 million. What was the name of the podcast?

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Alleged.

[Akon]

Are y' all gonna sell? Cause I know they coming at y', all, but y'.

[Host/Interviewer]

All.

[Akon]

Y' all can triple y' all value. Cause y' all in Africa too, now.

[Host/Interviewer]

That's a fact.

[Akon]

I gotta be there to help y' all negotiate that before we finish.

[Host/Interviewer]

But what was interesting, they was, like, the show, like, the actual show doesn't really get a lot of views, but there was, like, the social impressions. So I thought, like, do musicians look at it that same way? Like, I might not sell a bunch of records anymore. Right. But if I can get billions of views on Instagram and TikTok, is that something that musicians are starting to look at? Like, is it, like, shifting?

[Akon]

Yeah, like On a business side of the musicianship. That's what I'm looking at. And you should, because those are the active users that's constantly checking for that record, Constantly playing that record, repeating it and sharing it and not. Those are the people that will spend money on tickets, T shirts, merch, whatever the case. Right. Because they're, they're believers in your, you know, your work. Now you got others like an actual view. It's okay now. But they don't care about just the view because you could just be strolling through, stop for a second, that's all right. And move over. But it still clicked on as a view.

[Host/Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Akon]

Even if you viewed it for a few seconds, it's still viewed. But that don't mean that there was an engagement, there was a like process on it, or that the artist or I'm sorry, the consumer actually engaged in that record or that artist. But now the numbers that they're looking at is engagement. Because if these fans are actually engaging, you know, going into comments, making that means they're emotionally attached. And those are the people that you want to send the ads to. Because now you understanding exactly that relationship to that person and that artist and what that artist represent and how that brand correlates to that is what you want to be. That's the value.

[Host/Interviewer]

So do you think it's a disconnect of they still gauging first week sales?

[Akon]

Yeah.

[Host/Interviewer]

And like that's dumb.

[Akon]

That's dumb. Stupid means nothing. Cause that's all marketing.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Right.

[Host/Interviewer]

And that's an old way of thinking.

[Akon]

That's a very, very old way.

[Host/Interviewer]

Outdated.

[Akon]

Yes. But to their credit, a lot of the older, you could say Fortune 500 companies still think that way. So they use that to leverage to get branding opportunities. But in the end, the long run, that one week means absolutely nothing.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Yeah, that's the J line. We were praising Billboard when we was young. Now I look at Billboard like are you dumb? Right, Right. So I wonder from it. Cause it seems like speaking to you a bunch of times, you're deep into the analytics.

[Akon]

Right.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

I want to talk about the tour, but before we announce, like talk about it. When you're looking at where you're going, are you saying, look, let me look at my analytics, where the engagements happen, we gotta get to these cities. Cause 57 cities, world tour.

[Sponsor/Advertiser Voice]

Yes.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

60. Yeah. How do you gauge where we're moving?

[Akon]

Well, the routing is already there. Me that data is priceless. The fans who bought the tickets, how many of them they bought, where they seating, which one of Them correlated to actual sales at the concession stands. My merch, whether it's a T shirt, a cap, a coffee mug, a hat, you now know exactly who it is, what it is. You even can find out how early they came to the show and how late they left. Right. And this how you gauge which, like, audience member is actually a super fan? Cause me, my goal is to. I'm trying to entertain that super fan. That person gonna ride and die for me. So I'm gonna make sure that person gets all the exclusives. Anything that I need to sell, they get the option to buy it first.

[Host/Interviewer]

And you collecting all that data, you

[Akon]

collecting everything how you do? I am at least.

[Host/Interviewer]

But you're not using like Ticketmaster. Cause they don't give you the information.

[Akon]

Hell no. Ticketmaster will never give you that. Then you won't need Ticketmaster.

[Host/Interviewer]

Yeah, but some venues, you can only use Ticketmaster.

[Akon]

Yes, venue. That's the venue. Exactly. And guess what? As they should, they invested in the infrastructure, so where they can actually maximize that data. But I got services, situations, links, all kind of stuff that my fans come to just to get more information on my tour. And that's where I collect my information from. Because I know they're literally coming for me. They're not coming to Ticketmaster to go to see, like prime example. I know the difference in which one of my fans are coming for me and which ones are coming for Neo. I already know. Right. But my goal now is to. I need to convince that Neo fan that he needs to support me too. You understand what I'm saying? So my goal is to understand what is it about those Neo fans that make them Neo fanatics. By the time they leave my show, they're gonna be Akon fanatics and Neo probably doing the same thing. That's why we collaborate, so we can share each other's fan base. Because they might come and say, man, listen, those two, those my idols, wherever they at, I'm there. That's the goal. But in realistic terms, one of them gonna leave more of a fan one than the other in the end of the night. And what's gonna get you there is the information on how to attract that fan.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Talk about how you guys came together to create the tour.

[Akon]

Oh, man.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Seen a lot of people go out this summer. Yeah, busy summer for shows.

[Akon]

Busy summer. But, you know, Neil's like my family I've been knowing. We go back almost 20 years. You know what I mean? So this is something that we. This was going to happen like we always wanted to do something together, like, you know what I'm saying? So when we got the opportunity to actually go out, man, we ran with it. Cause we both was going to go out on our own separate tours, and then we stopped and thought about it, man. Wait a minute. We hitting all the same markets around the same time. Like, what are we doing? You know what I'm saying? So we got together, man, said we're gonna do this thing the big way. And then after that, then we can go off on our own separate tours. How many countries it's gonna be Europe, Canada, and then the US Fire.

[Host/Interviewer]

Yeah, well, I know you gotta run. You got a busy schedule. We got word from management, but tell the people, like, where they can expect the album, when they can expect the album coming, the tour, how to get tickets, all that stuff.

[Akon]

No, absolutely. So the album is dropping April 24th. It's called Beautiful Day. I. Personally, I can't wait for y' all to get ahold of it. The tour is everywhere right now, but definitely between my page on Instagram and Neo's and both is at Akon and eo, you can get all the, you know, obviously the scheduling, where we gonna be and when. And then just stay tuned, man. My link trees also give you all the links of everything. But you can just go on akon.com and get everything you need. Everything is in that one spot.

[Host/Interviewer]

There you have it, man. We gotta connect.

[Akon]

Next time we in, man, we gotta reconnect. I already know next time I'm becoming to y' all building, I'll be coming to y' all building.

[Host/Interviewer]

That's a fact, but all right, my brother, it's been a pleasure, always.

[Akon]

Yeah, you too, man.

[Host/Interviewer]

All right, y'. All, we tap in with y'.

[Akon]

All.

[Host/Interviewer]

See you next week. Peace.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Peace earners.

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[Sean Duffy]

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[Akon]

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[Akon]

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