Akon clears up the air

By Kevin Oguoko

Dressed in a white shirt the Locked Up singer walked with a bounce on his steps into the Ole Serani Hotel hall full of worn out awaiting journalists who had been waiting for him for a couple of hours.

“Hallo Kenya! Make some noise.” He yelled out to the journalists who had until then been waiting for his arrival to the press conference hall for hours. They gave a faint applause.

Accompanied by Spartan Group CEO, Sam Lentz Akon was all chatty as he pushed the journalists from almost all media houses for questions.

Clearly not shy but exuding and aura of calm and confidence, the Locked Up singer was open to all questions. Going ahead to answer questions, clearing up rumours surrounding his music career for almost an hour much to the excitement of journalists and lighting up the previously ‘bored’ atmosphere.

In his answers the soft-spoken Senegalese born singer came out clean almost as an angel. “I wish I was never convicted. I can’t go into other countries because of my felony record. It’s nothing to be proud of but I found a way to get around that.” He commented on the reports in April 2008 that much of his purported criminal and incarceration history were false.

 “I thought I would never come here.” Akon said of his pre-years scheduled performance that never came to pass.

He further explained that he had to personally call Sam Lentz to clear some ‘political issues’ that came to his knowledge only recently and disrupted his Kenyan visit, twice. And that Sam Lentz was not to blame.

Folding his arms above the table, the 5-time Grammy Award nominee closely guarded information about his family and his alleged ‘number of wives’. In his words “I don’t like talking to the media about my family. Because they mostly interpret it wrong.”

But further adding that “Not everything you read on the internet about me is true”, the singer, She denies that Lady Gaga’s music has not in any way overshadowed his fame among his peers in his Konvict Music Label. It was a success signing her and she is truly a living legend.

Part of his mission in the country is to listen to talents and possible signing to his Konvict Music Africa label specifically meant for Africans. Pointing out that Kenyan artists are in a unique position to make International because of their prowess in the King’s language, accompanied by South Africa. A factor that has made Nigerian artists get their music played abroad.

“I’m here for 4-5 days till next week Tuesday. And hopefully by then I will have found some artists for my label.”

On working with Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston, the well-built singer- going by whispers going around by young female journalists around the hall-the singer pointed out that he had a great relationship with them. Even went ahead in making a joke about it.

“Great relationship-Both of them. Right before they died. (Laughs)…Now that makes me worried.” He pointed out.

On the enlarged Carnivore Stage, the singer was tight-lipped about his performance or anything special planned for the Friday and Saturday show.

“It will be a surprise.” He lamented.