Akon Lied About Criminal Past: The Smoking Gun

[troubleman84]

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/0416081akon1.html

Singer Akon, in undated photo, arrested for gun possession; despite singer's claims he served three years in a car theft sting, R&B star only served probation for one conviction for gun possession and was once accused of stealing a BMW.

Akon Lied About Criminal Past, Singer Barely A Con At All

Though his 2004 break-out hit, "Locked Up", resonated with fans for its gritty real-life lyrics, R&B star Akon reportedly wasn't locked up for as long as he claimed.

In previous interviews Akon (born Aliuane Thiam) said he headed an infamous car-theft ring and claimed to have spent more than four years in prison.

Investigative news outlet The Smoking Gun revealed the singer's rap sheet, in an expose yesterday (April 16), that discounted the singer's claims. They reported that among the Grammy award winning artist's six arrests, the only felony conviction he had was for gun possession, and for that charge, the rapper got off on three years probation.

TSG also reported in 1998 Akon was in fact jailed for possession of a stolen BMW, but for a few months, not years. All charges were later dropped and the rapper was released - a far cry from the tale he tells on wax in his sophomore set Konvicted.

Akon's representatives at his label Universal Motown had no comment when contacted.

 

[wannabestartinsomthin21]

Dork. It really speaks to how sad the music industry has become when it's acts think that flaunting and exaggertating a criminal record is a good thing.

 

[Cinnamon234]

Just great. I guess he was trying to get some street cred which is pathetic. Why is MJ working with this fool again?

 

[ExoticPrincess]

Wait, why profess being incarcerated, when you were'nt and seeing how easy it is these days for the media to prove or disprove certain information?

 

[troubleman84]

Wait, why profess being incarcerated, when you were'nt and seeing how easy it is these days for the media to prove or disprove certain information?

Because he was selling an image to sell some copies.

 

[144000]

whatever......if MJ works with him, MJ works with him. the act is in his past, and now he is making legitimate money for both him and MJ we know how to differentiate...let's leave the past in the past. He knew he would be looked at a certain way, so he capitalized off of it.

 

[mj_brainiac]

Akon=OWNED

 

[Datsymay]

whatever......if MJ works with him, MJ works with him. the act is in his past, and now he is making legitimate money for both him and MJ we know how to differentiate...let's leave the past in the past. He knew he would be looked at a certain way, so he capitalized off of it.

Good answer. Even MJ got street cred from being arrested. That is the nature of the world. Can't blame him for selling himself in that way. Middleclass rappers taken on a 'badboy' persona to get street cred too. That is just part of the game.

 

[DuranDuran]

Good answer. Even MJ got street cred from being arrested. That is the nature of the world. Can't blame him for selling himself in that way. Middleclass rappers taken on a 'badboy' persona to get street cred too. That is just part of the game.

I don't think you get any street cred for Mike's reason for being arrested. Anyway, Vanilla Ice said something similar when he 1st came out. He said he was from "the streets". I remember Ice T said "What street? - Sesame Street", lol. But it was found out that Vanilla Ice was from a well to do suburb, and not the hood. When the J5 1st came out Motown told Mike to tell journalists he was 9, when he was really 11. And that they were discovered by Diana Ross, when both Gladys Knight & Bobby Taylor had told Gordy about them but was ignored. Lots of people say things that are not true for press.

 

[dangerous_88]

Dork. It really speaks to how sad the music industry has become when it's acts think that flaunting and exaggertating a criminal record is a good thing.

I agree 100 %

 

[Thriller_MJ]

Dork. It really speaks to how sad the music industry has become when it's acts think that flaunting and exaggertating a criminal record is a good thing.

Couldnt agree more :smile:

 

[Roxanne]

he also lies about his age. hes 35 not 25

 

[Dangerous Incorporated]

So does this mean Akon will have to rob a 7/11 to get some street cred now?

 

[Datsymay]

I don't think you get any street cred for Mike's reason for being arrested. Anyway, Vanilla Ice said something similar when he 1st came out. He said he was from "the streets". I remember Ice T said "What street? - Sesame Street", lol. But it was found out that Vanilla Ice was from a well to do suburb, and not the hood. When the J5 1st came out Motown told Mike to tell journalists he was 9, when he was really 11. And that they were discovered by Diana Ross, when both Gladys Knight & Bobby Taylor had told Gordy about them but was ignored. Lots of people say things that are not true for press.

No, not the reason for being arrested, but the FACT that he was arrested at all, means that he shares something with a lot in the hood, esp because he was arrested falsely. Also notice that MJ's mugshot has become a fashion accessary. It is a fact that the 'bad' image gives the popstar street cred and the media encourages it. Here in Britain it is 'HIP' to be a Chav, which is very similar to being a trailer park trash in America.

 

[xo_lola_xo]

Okay that's just messed up...Bet ya Michael would be real shocked, poor Mike, has no luck with "new friends".

 

[troubleman84]

I don't think you get any street cred for Mike's reason for being arrested. Anyway, Vanilla Ice said something similar when he 1st came out. He said he was from "the streets". I remember Ice T said "What street? - Sesame Street", lol. But it was found out that Vanilla Ice was from a well to do suburb, and not the hood. When the J5 1st came out Motown told Mike to tell journalists he was 9, when he was really 11. And that they were discovered by Diana Ross, when both Gladys Knight & Bobby Taylor had told Gordy about them but was ignored. Lots of people say things that are not true for press.

That's what you called PR, one day, your cover will be blown or you'd admit the real truth. People said Prince played 27 instruments when he really played a majority of like 10, 11, which is still a lot. It's just that the guy was acting like he was being honest when he wasn't. Why build a gangsta image? Sadly, record labels won't sign you unless you have credentials like that. I don't think Mike got "street cred" from his arrest on molestation charges, he was wrongfully arrested, that's a difference.

 

[troubleman84]

So does this mean Akon will have to rob a 7/11 to get some street cred now?

:lol: Not unless his career flops anytime soon. :lol: I mean he's already got enough baggage with simulating sex acts with a young girl (which apparently he didn't know she was a kid) and throwing some kid off the stage for throwing a pretzel at him. :lol:

 

[Datsymay]

That's what you called PR, one day, your cover will be blown or you'd admit the real truth. People said Prince played 27 instruments when he really played a majority of like 10, 11, which is still a lot. It's just that the guy was acting like he was being honest when he wasn't. Why build a gangsta image? Sadly, record labels won't sign you unless you have credentials like that. I don't think Mike got "street cred" from his arrest on molestation charges, he was wrongfully arrested, that's a difference.

I never said he got street cred from the CHARGES. I said he got street cred from being ARRESTED. People in the hood felt that he experienced some of what they were going through and that is the truth.

 

[Roxanne]

Okay that's just messed up...Bet ya Michael would be real shocked, poor Mike, has no luck with "new friends".

i dont think akon is michaels friend. just someone he collaborated with for thriller 25. he probably just met him a couple of times and thats it.

 

[Grand Master S]

Can't blame him for selling himself in that way.

Yes, I can. If you can't blame someone for lying to the public about their criminal history to look cooler, then you can't blame anyone for anything. I don't particularly care, but clearly he did something stupid, he got caught, and there's no reason to defend him. The end. You give celebrities too much special consideration no matter what the situation. I don't hold any ill feelings towards Akon over this, since I again don't really care, but you jumping in to defend him is hilarious.

 

[troubleman84]

Yes, I can. If you can't blame someone for lying to the public about their criminal history to look cooler, then you can't blame anyone for anything. I don't particularly care, but clearly he did something stupid, he got caught, and there's no reason to defend him. The end. You give celebrities too much special consideration no matter what the situation. I don't hold any ill feelings towards Akon over this, since I again don't really care, but you jumping in to defend him is hilarious.

LOL! Yep, exactly. In this regard, it wasn't even right to even go on the shield and defend the swords. Just let it go. Akon lied for the money and they pay him real good so it wouldn't affect him but the truth is he came out as a liar regardless of how he did it. It may be 2008 but PR still works wonders for your career and unfortunately for hip-hop acts like Akon and Vanilla Ice ( :lol: ), if you boost about being a "gangsta", you're getting free press. Look at what the nine shots story did for Fiddy.

 

[Datsymay]

Yes, I can. If you can't blame someone for lying to the public about their criminal history to look cooler, then you can't blame anyone for anything. I don't particularly care, but clearly he did something stupid, he got caught, and there's no reason to defend him. The end. You give celebrities too much special consideration no matter what the situation. I don't hold any ill feelings towards Akon over this, since I again don't really care, but you jumping in to defend him is hilarious.

Celebs have always lied to the public about who they are. It is the publics fault to go believing what they see and hear. Akon wanted to make it in the business and he did what everybody did in the business, they LIED. His was about his criminal record, some is about their social or family backgroiund. That is the way the business work. You may as well say you wont deal with celebs, cause they all put on an act, The public is their audience and all the world is their stage.

 

[Datsymay]

The music industry is not clean. It never was clean. Frank Sinatra had links to the mafia and Elvis was a drug addict and wife abuser. MJ said the place is full of 'sharks and charlatans'. Many industry people started in crime and went on to become reputable music mogul. It is the way of the world. What Akon did was really soft in comparison to what goes on in the industry. All he did was lie about his criminal record to get a job.

 

[troubleman84]

Nah, I don't think it was soft by comparison, it was just as bad. I mean, LOL, of course the music industry is shady. That's why he fitted in.

 

[Grand Master S]

Celebs have always lied to the public about who they are.

"Murderers always murder, cheaters always cheat, liars always lie, etc..."

Whatever. Doesn't make it okay. You just like being on the celebrity's side constantly. What if I convinced people at school that I was a secret agent undercover? I bet that'd make me cooler. Does it make it okay? Maybe not, since I'm not an R & B singer. There's always something to gain from doing something like that. It's not like people randomly go around building themselves up if they didn't get something out of it, so you don't need to inform anyone that he was "playing the game" to sell records. It's obvious what he was doing. It was still wrong. Not every celebrity does stuff this drastic, either. There are logically some who do and some who don't. Drop the "he's a product of the industry" crap and acknowledge that he did something stupid, which he in fact did because it's easy to debunk a lie like this, and now he looks like a dumbass.

 

[Datsymay]

I am not supporting celebs. I am telling it like it is. That is how the industry work. I remember when people criticised Whitney Huston for her pristine clean life. She was considered boring and too safe. Now she has a history. In the music industry, Bad is Good. People who don't have a history will invent one. I didn't make that up, that is how it is. I am just stating the facts.
I am more likely to rejoice that the guy isn't as bad as he claimed than to worry about his inflated criminal record.

 

[Grand Master S]

No, you are not just stating how the industry is. You are passing off any wrongdoing on his part with the senseless logic of "well, he did it to sell records." Of course he did it because he thought it would benefit him; that is not the point. Saying we can't blame him for that is a joke.

 

[Datsymay]

No, you are not just stating how the industry is. You are passing off any wrongdoing on his part with the senseless logic of "well, he did it to sell records." Of course he did it because he thought it would benefit him; that is not the point. Saying we can't blame him for that is a joke.

What I am not doing is making a judgement on his behaviour. I know that if I had a talent that I wanted to show off and the industry told me to pretend that I was bad cause that is the only way I could get a contract, I don't know what I woud do.
Recently Janet complained about how uncomfortable she was about taking he clothes off infront of all these strangers to have her pictures taken. Apparently, it was the record company who wanted her to do it. Michael Jackson, and the Jacksons also had to lie about their ages and who discovered them. That is the way the industry is run. Always has.

 

[Grand Master S]

That is the way the industry is run. Always has.

LOL, and you still think that makes it all right. Akon's lie was even dumber because seriously, how hard is it to get somebody's criminal records in this day and age? His entire image is built around that he's a "Konvict... Konvict." At this point I'm not even criticizing Akon (to reitirate: I don't care), but more so your ridiculous logic.

Good thing you don't live in a communist country. "That's the way our society works. Always has. Can't blame him for that."

 

[Datsymay]

LOL, and you still think that makes it all right. Akon's lie was even dumber because seriously, how hard is it to get somebody's criminal records in this day and age? His entire image is built around that he's a "Konvict... Konvict." At this point I'm not even criticizing Akon (to reitirate: I don't care), but more so your ridiculous logic.

Good thing you don't live in a communist country. "That's the way our society works. Always has. Can't blame him for that."

I have NEVER argued about the rights or wrongs of the goings on of the industry. I don't care to judge people who just want to go to work and make a living.
All I am saying is that what AKON did is not new in the industry, it has always been there. It is called PR.
Akon did not lie about his crimial record, in that he did get arrested and he did go to jail. All he did was exaggerated his staying time.