Most of you will have heard of Akon, and his first single here in the UK, 'Locked Up'. When I first heard 'Locked Up', I wasn't really sure if I liked it or not, but then I grew to like it. I am a big Hip-Hop fan, so the meaning of the song and the beat became really catchy to me and one of my favourite songs from the beginning of this year. Some people say it does their head in, but for me, it doesn't. I decided to buy the album just after it came out, and just before he released the MASSIVE hit 'Lonely', which I also LOVE. Again, some people say it does their head in, but I think this is one of the best songs that will be out this whole year.

So, I'll just write a bit about Akon's start, and his 2 previous singles, only in America. 'Trouble' and 'Belly Dancer'.

●ABOUT AKON'S START●

Akon, whose real name is Aliaune Thiam was born in Senegal with his family. He moved to New Jersey in America when at a couple of years old.
After he had moved to New Jersey, he discovered the Hip-Hop scene, which has always been massive in America since the 80's and even before then with people such as NWA, inc Dr Dre, LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg, Easy E, Ice Cube, Ice T, Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff and loads more. We all know most Hip-Hop/Rap is linked to crime, and so after discovering the Hip-Hop scene, Akon also 'discovered' crime.

After a few years, Akon was locked up, and he took that time to concentrate on his music, and wrote a lot of songs. When he was released, Akon carried on writing raps, freestyles and songs and recorded then in a home studio. His dad was a Jazz percussionist, so Akon already knew a bit about music and songwriting. After a year or so from being released and recording his ideas in the home studio, he sent his demos off to Universal. The bosses loved Akon's individual style of Reggae mixed with Hip-Hop/Rap/R'n'B, and his African accent and eventually, he got to release his debut single, called 'Trouble Nobody', in Summer 2004. 'Trouble Nobody' was a sort of hit in America, but because it did get somewhere, unlike many other people, Universal bosses thought it would be safe to release a second single. Around Christmas, Akon released 'Belly Dancer', which I LOVE. 'Belly Dancer' was also a hit in America, and so he went on to release his latest single, 'Locked Up' which most of you will know.

Now onto the album itself.

The album has a total of 13 songs, and is a mix of Hip-Hop, Rap, R'n'B and Reggae.

●Locked Up - 4:01●

Most of you have probably heard this song which was Akon's debut single in the UK. It is dibbed as a 'smash hit', and it sure is, because it stayed at the top of the Rhythm Crossover charts in America for just over 30 weeks. It had over 85 million radio requests all over America and made it to number 5 in the Top 40 charts here in the UK. It made it into the top 15 charts, swapping position loads of times all over Europe. It has also made it into the European Billboard charts.

As I said at the beginning of my review, it was hard to decide if I liked this single or not, but then it caught my ear. One bit I like in the song is the sound of cell bars closing after he sings the words 'Locked Up'.

The tune is a simple Hip-Hop style, and the lyrics are a bit catchy. The story behind the song is about when he got locked up. He starts off saying 'I'm sitting here trying to find a motive, why did I not go. Freedom aint getting no closer, no matter how far I go, my car is stolen, no registration, cops patrolling, then they go and stop me and I get locked up', which then leads into the chorus. He wrote this song whilst in jail, so I'm guessing this is why he did get locked up, for stealing a car.

The second verse is another story of why he got locked up which is about selling drugs on a corner. One line I like in this verse is the end which says, 'put away the stash, f***ed around and got locked up', which you obviously don't hear on the single version.

The chorus is one of those that repeats. 'I'm locked up, they go let me out, they go let me out, locked up, they go let me out oh, they go let me out. And again for another time.

The third verse is Akon actually in the cell. The beat and tune slow down and he goes on to say, can't wait to get out, move on with my life, got a family that loves me and wants me, going to do right, etc etc.
The chorus then goes on about 2 or 3 times into fade to finish.

Like I said earlier the tune and beat is very simple, but the lyrics make up the song with their meaning.

5/5

●Trouble Nobody - 3:28●

This is another good song on the album. The song starts off with a Hip-Hop/R'n'B kind of beat which is catchy. When I first put this song on, the beat at the beginning was one which made me want to listen to the song. This was Akon's very first single, just in America.

The first verse is all about him trying to find a job and explaining what goes on in the everyday life of a 'convict', which he calls himself at the end of this verse.

The chorus is a really, really catchy one, and I love singing along to it. Basically, the chorus just says, 'the judge says don't trouble nobody, probation says don't trouble nobody, stay out of trouble don't trouble nobody, and I will try not to trouble nobody'. Which just means, if nobody gives him trouble, then he won't give them trouble and vice versa. The line repeats twice.

The second verse is just the same as the first, telling us what him and his friends 'do', and that there's always police around which can stop their fun and so on. Just before the chorus he goes on to say he got to stop living like this and he wants to do better and so on.

The third verse is all about him trying not to do wrong but people judge him by his criminal record and things that he has done in the past. Very short verse which leads into the chorus again.

The only thing I don't like about this song is the ending because it repeats the chorus about 4 times and the 'trouble nobody' gets a bit too much after a while.

I like this song and the beat. The beat has one of those finger clicking sounds in the background which makes it a bit catchier. If that small little thing wasn't there, then I don't think the tune would be as catchy. Again, this is another song with a meaning, which I find are the best songs.

4/5

●Bananza (Belly Dancer) - 4:04●

This was Akon's second single in America which made it big. It is one of the best songs I have ever heard. It starts with a sort of Caribbean/exotic beat with the words 'ah ah' over it.

The chorus then starts which, obviously is all about a belly dancer. The chorus is really, really catchy. It starts 'Hey ladies drop it down, just wanna see ya touch the ground', which is a catchy line when it's sung with the beat behind it obviously. Then the rest of the chorus is just saying shake ya body like a belly dancer and so on. The chorus still has that exotic beat to it but also adds a more upbeat tune, which makes you want to dance.

When the first verse starts, the upbeat dancing sound goes and it is just the exotic/Caribbean beat for all the verses. This song isn't one with a meaning, just all about dancing, and Akon asking a girl to belly dance for him and so on.

The song does remind me of being on holiday, because of the summer tune/beat. It is a very up-beat. Cheery song that would be great at a party. It sort of reflects his reggae upbringing because of the summery exotic beat, and his strong accent goes well with the songs, which makes it even better.

Great song to dance to and also one to sing along to too. Love it.
If you went on, say Turkey which is famous for belly dancers, then it would remind you of being in Turkey, because this song has that belly dancing song style. Very good.

5/5

●Gangsta - 4:21●

This song starts with gunshots and then an up-beat hip-hop beat. From the intro it reminds me of Dr Dre or 2 Pac, so it is a very hip-hop/rap kind of song.

The first verse is Akon rapping, which makes a change to the 3 songs before because in 'Belly Dancer' he sings, and in 'Locked Up' and 'Trouble Nobody' he slow raps, which in this song it is a faster, more up-beat rap.

I don't really know what this song is about, because I don't really listen to this song. From what I know it is just one of your usual rap songs which is about all kinds of stuff like, drugs, girls, partying and so on. Obviously, the gist of the song is what he/his friends do when they are gangsta's. There is a few people rapping on this song, but it doesn't name them, so I cannot say who they are.

The chorus is a repetitive one which says, 'you gangsters, you hustlers, you players, you feelers' and repeats a few times which is very annoying. It has that usual hip-hop and rap vibe to it, with the beat, and the style of rapping, and also has the talking at the end of the song, which isn't about anything in particular.

Don't really like this song, even though I am a big hip-hop/rap fan, it doesn't interest me.

2/3

●Ghetto - 4:01●

I like this song. It starts off with a R'n'B/Hip-Hop kind of tune mixed with Reggae.

The first verse is all about being alone, and you fall and there's nobody there to help you get back up onto your feet. He then says 'they' said that he wouldn't make it and he remembers living in the dark when there was no sunshine, so this is all about his past before he made it. He then says that's what God gave him and he's holding onto it, I think he means his home, because this line leads into the chorus which says 'coz that's the life that you're living in the Ghetto, eating in the Ghetto and sleeping in the Ghetto……..' and then repeats the word ghetto with a few words in between each 'ghetto', but even though it does repeat, it isn't annoying. I like singing along to this chorus.

The second verse starts off with a really good line which says, 'no need to cherish luxuries, coz everything come and go, even the life that you have is borrowed, coz you're not promised tomorrow, so live your life as if everyday go'n be your last', which I think is a good line to say, and is one of those typical/usual things rap stars usually say in their raps. From this line you can tell that the song is all about live your life to the full, because you can't go back and change your past, be thankful for what you've got, which he what he goes on to say.

The song has a very cool, chill out vibe and is again, another Caribbean sort of tune, with the reggae beat. His Africa accent comes out in this song too, and it sort of reminds me of Bob Marley in some ways with the slang.

I love this song, because it's another one that has a meaning behind it, and the fact that he mixes hip-hop and rap with reggae and R'n'B really goes well together and makes it a good calm song.

5/5

●Pot Of Gold - 3:42●

This is another song that I love. It remonds me of something everytime I listen to it but I can';t quite think what it is. It starts with a R'n'B sound, but as soon as he starts to sing the first chorus, the song slows down and turns into Reggae. I'll try and explain what it reminds me of - a sort of, erm, black American church song. I can't exactly explain what I mean.

This is another exotic, Caribbean style song, but a very slow one, which I would probably think of a Caribbean person having it for their fruneral or something, even though it isn't depressing. If that makes sense!

The first verse starts like this, 'life can be gold, so let the history be told, we're all out here, hustling to make our way.' Then the tune sort of changes in to a bit more up-beat but soon goes back down after he says 'and while we're stumbling and falling, why don't you pick yourself up now, you see we're all out here, working day by day'. Then the chorus comes in which asks how can we work it out?'. I know what it reminds me of now! It reminds me of Africa. I don't know why, I think it's just the beat and style of the song.

The rest of the song is just the same as the first. Explaining that if somebody puts you down, get back up and get on with your life, just don 't go to their level.

The song hasn't really got a beat, it's a simple African/Caribbean style drum sound with a piano, a very simple tune but catchy. I love this song, when I put this album on, I always listen to this song first. It's great.

5/5

●Show Out - 3:28●

This is a more upbeat rap/hip-hop song which makes a good change after listening to 'Pot Of Gold'.

It still has a bit of a Reggae style, but not much. The song isn't about anything in particular. The chorus just says, you don't want him to show out at the club and other places. It's basically just about ASkon partying and wanting to be with this girl, but she is into another man. Then he goes on to say that men always spend their money on girls who are just with them for money and so on.

It is a catchy song with an up-beat sound, but not really one you could dance to.
I don't really listen to this song, I have to be in the mood to listen to it if you get what I mean!

3/5

●Lonely●

What a song! You all know this! This is one of the best songs EVER, and I think it will be one of the best songs of the whole year. This is anHip-Hop/R'n'B song.

It's all about Akon's girlfriend leaving him and now he is lonely. The chorus is a bit repetitive but isn't annoying. Some people say it is, so some of you might not like this song. It has a squeaky girly voice over his voice repeating what he says.

The third verse is the best one, even though it is about 3 lines long. 'Aint never met a girl that can take the things that you been through, never thought the day would come when you would get up and run and I would be out chasing you2. Aw, I love that bit.

Half of the song he is telling us about the girl and

half of the song he is speaking to the girl. The fourth short verse is another good one which is catchy and includes the best line of the song - 'stop playing girl and come on home'. If you haven't heard this song then put the music channel or the radio on because it's on all the time.

Even though the song is usually always on because of all the requests, to me, it isn't annoying me yet, but I think it will start to do soon.

Great song.

5/5

●When The Time's Right - 3:50●

This is a proper Hip-Hop/Rap song.

It starts with the usual speaking above the tune, then goes into the first verse, which is quite catchy and very upbeat.

The chorus is very catchy and a bit less beaty than the verses, and a bit slower. It's all about him wanting to go over to a girls house 'when the time is right.'

'I'd like to come over and get to know ya, a little closer, is it ok if I can come over?'

The third verse is the catchiest, but the song is the usual rap song which is about having sex with this girl. Not much I can really say about this song because there isn't much point to the song except sleeping with this girl that he fancies.

It is very up-beat and a great party song to dance and sing to. Not one I listen to a lot though.

3/5

●Journey - 4:23●

This starts off in the style of R'n'B, and when I put it on, it sounded like one of Craig David's songs, but I can never think which one.

This is another song about Akon's past, and growing up. He mixes his Reggea style with Hip-Hop again, along with his accent, which again, mixes into a great beat.

The first verse starts with Akon saying 'this is the ultimate journey of your life, where the weak die and strong survive, where better suffer 40 days and 40 nights, strap on your boots coz you've got a long ride'. So he is introducing us to his song and telling us to put on our boots because we're going on a journey, which is his life.

The chorus then starts, which says 'another journey, another journey into time, just another journey, whoever thought I'd cross this line'.

The second verse is where the song really starts because this is where he begins to tell us about his life, starting from New Jersey, saying he's trying not to reinoriater his past. He says he's tired from the game and took another path. Then he says a good line 'destination 1995, where the devil tried to re-alter my life, a creator took me by the hand and led the way, to make this story short, that's why I'm here today'. Then into the chorus again.

I really like this song because it's another kind of slow, chill out song which you can just sing along to.

5/5

●Don't Let Up - 4:08●

This starts off like 'Where Is The Love?' by BEP (Black Eyed Peas).

The chorus then starts up which has a similar voice like 'Lonely' but squeakier. He's basically telling his sister not to let up even though she's fed up and he doesn't want to see her give up in what she does.

He is speaking to her in the song and is telling her how he feels about her and that he's proud that she has kids of her own. He says don't mind if her kid's dad isn't there anymore, and telling her not to give up on her kids and to move on and have fun.

The second verse says that she looks at all men that they are enemies because she can't hurt anymore because she's been damaged. So probably she had been abused by her children';s dad. The song is really good, and it shows us that he cares for his sister, and that he is supportive of his family and that he cares very much for his sister.

I love this song. The chorus is really catchy, and is a R'n'B style, but the verses are Hip-Hop/Reggae again, and again, his accent comes out which probably makes the song better because he is speaking to a family member.

Another great chill-out song, and I think if he released it, it would probably make top 5, or maybe number 1. That's how good I think it is.

5/5

●Easy Road - 3:26●

This is a similar tune to 'Locked Up' but a bit more up-beat, with a more Reggae style.

In the first verse he says that police were always hanging round and they interrogated his Mum, locked up half of his friendsan so on. Then he says 'I can guarantee one thing that I won't let you do'. Then the chorus starts, 'I wont, let you lock me down, I wont, let you push me round, I wont, let you stop me now, I wont, coz I came too far, I wont let you ruin my day, I wont let you stop my pay, I wont, no, not today, I wont, coz I came too far.'

So this is another song about his life again. The second verse is about the devil trying to stop him, and God trying to help him in what he wants to do. Then he says that he has come too far to turn back and that nobody can stop him doing what he is doing.

Again, this is another song with a mix of different styles of music. The tune is quite like the tune of when you see a film and you have the snake in a vase or whatever, and you have your man playing that instrument (don't know what it is!) to bring the snake out of the vase. Sorry if I don't make sense, but that's what the tune is quite like.

Great song and another kind of chill out song, with a bit of an up-beat sound. Very exotic style again. Not one to dance to!

5/5

●Locked Up (Remix) - 4:08●

This is the single version. It is exactly the same as the first one except that it has a rap at the beginning before the first verse. The rap is all about how bad the food is in porison and what life is like inside.

The same style, same lyrics and, well everything the same except that after the third chorus there is another small rap, again, all about what the prison is like and that he can't wait to get out.

5/5

●WHAT I THINK OF THE ALBUM●

I would tell everybody to buy this album. It is one of the best albums I have ever had, even better since Eminem's Encore, YES, I STACEY, ACTUALLY SAID THAT SOMEONE'S ALBUM WAS BETTER THAN EMINEMS! NOW YOU KNOW IT MUST BE GOOD!

The fact that Akon has so many styles of songs, Reggae, Hip-Hop, Rap and others that are mixed with each other, some that reflect his background where his accent shows and so on is really good. It can be boring if all the songs on an album are the same, you like to have a change. It does annoy me when I listen to an album and there is 3 fast songs, then a slow one, then a fast one, then 3 slow ones which all sound alike. This album is far from that because you have up-beat, then Hip-Hop, then Rap, then Reggae, then a mix of one, then a slow one and so on. It is just like listening to a different artist on each song. The fact that he mixes his sounds and styles makes the album individual, which is why I think it is going to be massive! If it made Platinum, I wouldn't be surprised.

The plus about this album is that you don't need to be a Hip-Hop fan to like it, because he mixes so many styles, it could suit anybody.

I think he will be around for quite a long time if his songs stay as good as this and he stays/or gets better talented than he is.

Out of 100, I'd give this album 98!

●PRICE● - I got this for free so I can't say where I got it from and the price of it. Albums are always different prices wherever you go. Between £8 and £18 wherever you look. I would say www.play.com would be best for online shopping for this album, because it is £8.99, and play.com have free delivery on ALL items.

●WEBSITE● - If you want to check out his website to see who he is, find out more stuff about him/the album, then his official site is www.akononline.com

It is Parental Advisory. Just thought I'd tell you, even though there isn't a lot of swear words, i think about 3 of the songs have swearing in them, so it isn't an Eminem kind of swearing.

Thanks for reading all. Staz xx