- Source of Wealth: Music
- Age: 46
- Birth Place: St. Louis, Missouri, United States
- Marital Status: Married (Tomeka Akon)
- Full Name: Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Bongo Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam
- Nationality: United States
- Date of Birth: April 16, 1973
- Ethnicity: Senegalese
- Occupation: Singer, Musician. Songwriter, Record Producer
Senegalese American R&B recording artist, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur, philanthropist and businessman, Aliaune Damala Badara Thiam, better known as simply Akon has an estimated net worth of $80 million.
Although he was born in St. Louis, MO, Aliaune Thiam — aka Akon — grew up in Senegal before he and his family (including his father, jazz percussionist Mor Thiam) returned to the United States and settled in New Jersey when he was seven. There he discovered hip-hop for the first time, as well as crime. He was eventually jailed but he used the time — three years, he claimed — to work on his musical ideas. Upon release, Akon began writing and recording tracks in a home studio. The tapes found their way to SRC/Universal, which eventually released Trouble, Akon’s debut LP, in June 2004. The album was an interesting hybrid of Akon’s silky, West African-styled vocals with East Coast- and Southern-styled beats. The success of the song “Locked Up,” a Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 hit, made Akon a star and desired collaborator.
In 2007, he signed the young queen of pop Lady Gaga to his Konvict Muzik label. Fast forward to 2010-2011 and Lady Gaga is now the most successful female artist in the music industry today. With the combined revenue from his record labels and his recording career, Akon grossed approximately $21 million in 2010; $20 million in 2009 and $12 million in 2008 according to Forbes.