He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of the singles "Locked Up" and "Lonely", from his debut album "Trouble". His second album, "Konvicted", earned him a Grammy Award nomination for the single Smack That featuring Eminem. His latest album, "Freedom", was released in 2008. Akon often sings hooks for other artists and is currently accredited with over 200 guest appearances and 32 Billboard Hot 100 songs.
He is the first solo artist to accomplish the feat of holding both the number one and two spots simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 charts twice. He has also founded two record labels, Konvict Muzik and Kon Live Distribution and has a clothing label, Konvict clothing
Akon is a Muslim and has many charities of his own.
Akon's father is the Senagalese drummer Mor Thiam.
Bananza
Akon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just wanna see you touch the ground
Don't be shy, girl, go bananza
Shake ya body like a belly dancer
Hey, ladies drop it down
Just wanna see you touch the ground
Don't be shy, girl, go bananza (hey, girl)
Shake ya body like a belly dancer
Yo, excuse me, beg your pardon, girl
Do you have any idea what you're starting, girl?
You got me tingling, come to me mingling
Steppin' off, lookin' bootylicious and jingling
When you walk, I see it, baby girl
When you talk, I believe it, baby girl
I like that, thick, petite and pretty
Little touch of saditty
Love to work the kitty, like purr
She loves to stir it up (purr)
I can hear her purring up
'Cause she's the type that will get to 'rousing ya
Get you excited and call her boyfriend up (oh no)
What's a plan without the Plan B?
We can meet up at the hutter house for the TV
So stand by like a buddy pass
While I watch this beautiful thing shake that
Hey, ladies drop it down
Just wanna see you touch the ground
Don't be shy, girl, go bananza
Shake ya body like a belly dancer
Hey, ladies drop it down
Just wanna see you touch the ground
Don't be shy, girl, go bananza
Shake ya body like a belly dancer
Girl, I must say, you're the flyest thing in here (uh-huh)
You're so hot, we gon' need some rain in here
Type to make ex-gangstas bang in here (uh-huh)
Girl, you could do anything you want in here
Clown if you want to, frown if you want to
You ain't even gotta drop down if you want to
'Cause I'd rather see you shake it standin'
Either way you do it, girl, you look outstandin' (uh-huh)
And now you got me spending (uh-huh)
The way you got that body bendin' (uh-huh)
An ass like that, girl, you gotta be kickin' (uh-huh)
Have me goin' to church next day repenting
Lap dancing for my FA crew
Slide it over to Boo 'cause he want some too
Up in the VIP with no fee
Blessing you with the G even though we gettin' it free, so
Hey, ladies drop it down
Just wanna see you touch the ground
Don't be shy, girl, go bananza
Shake ya body like a belly dancer
Hey, ladies drop it down
Just wanna see you touch the ground
Don't be shy, girl, go bananza
Shake ya body like a belly dancer
Girl, shake ya body, body
With somebody, body
Whatever you do don't break your body, body
After the party, party
Grab a hottie, hottie
In the back seat of your Maserati-rati
Jiggle jiggle it to the left (ah, ah, ah)
Jiggle jiggle it to the right (ah, ah, ah)
Jiggle it to the front then jiggle it to the back
And jiggle jiggle it all all night (ah, ah, ah)
Hey, ladies drop it down
Just wanna see you touch the ground
Don't be shy, girl, go bananza
Shake ya body like a belly dancer
Hey, ladies drop it down
Just wanna see you touch the ground
Don't be shy, girl, go bananza
Shake ya body like a belly dancer
Hey, ladies drop it down
Just wanna see you touch the ground
Don't be shy, girl, go bananza
Shake ya body like a belly dancer
Hey, ladies drop it down
Just wanna see you touch the ground
Don't be shy, girl, go bananza
Shake ya body like a belly dancer
Hey, ladies drop it down
Just wanna see you touch the ground
Don't be shy, girl, go bananza
Shake ya body like a belly dancer
Hey, ladies drop it down
Just wanna see you touch the ground
Don't be shy, girl, go bananza
Shake ya body like a belly dancer
The lyrics to Akon's "Bananza" are all about admiring and celebrating the beauty of women and their dancing skills. Akon encourages the ladies to "drop it down" and "touch the ground" while he watches in awe. He finds the women he's observing to be beautiful and alluring, and he can't help but be captivated by their movements. He gives them permission to be bold and free in their dancing, going "bananza" and shaking their bodies like belly dancers. Akon is very observant of the woman, noticing her walking and talking, and he likes her "thick, petite and pretty" physique, as well as her sense of confidence. He is so taken with her that he offers her the VIP treatment and admires her body movements in different directions, urging her to keep dancing all night long.
Overall, the song is all about embracing the joy of dancing and admiring the beauty of women. It's a fun and upbeat tune that encourages listeners to let loose and dance as if no one is watching. Akon is clearly smitten with the woman in the song, but his appreciation extends to all the women who are shaking their bodies on the dancefloor.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, ladies drop it down
Addressing the female audience to dance along and drop themselves down
Just wanna see you touch the ground
Encouraging the ladies to enjoy themselves and dance without any inhibitions
Don't be shy, girl, go bananza
Inviting the female audience to lose their shyness and dance wildly
Shake ya body like a belly dancer
Asking the ladies to move their bodies in a seductive manner like a belly dancer
Yo, excuse me, beg your pardon, girl
Getting the attention of a particular female audience member
Do you have any idea what you're starting, girl?
Asking the female audience member if she knows that she is starting something by dancing with the singer
You got me tingling, come to me mingling
Admitting that the female audience member's dancing is arousing the singer's senses and inviting her to come closer to him
Steppin' off, lookin' bootylicious and jingling
Commenting on the lady's voluptuous appearance and the sound of the jewelry she is wearing
When you walk, I see it, baby girl
Complimenting the lady's walking style
When you talk, I believe it, baby girl
Praising the lady's words and voice
I like that, thick, petite and pretty
Expressing the singer's love for the particular type of female body shape
Little touch of saditty
Referring to the lady's sophistication and class
Love to work the kitty, like purr
Suggesting that he loves pleasuring the lady and making her feel good
She loves to stir it up (purr)
Suggesting that the lady enjoys being pleasured
I can hear her purring up
Imagining the sounds the lady would make while being pleasured
'Cause she's the type that will get to 'rousing ya
Describing the lady as someone who can make men really excited and aroused
Get you excited and call her boyfriend up (oh no)
Suggesting that the lady will get so many men excited that they would call their boyfriends up in the middle of the night
What's a plan without the Plan B?
Asking what is the point of having a plan without a backup strategy
We can meet up at the hutter house for the TV
Suggesting a place where the singer and the lady can meet up
So stand by like a buddy pass
Asking the lady to be ready and available just like a standby ticket
While I watch this beautiful thing shake that
Asking the lady to keep dancing and moving her body beautifully while he enjoys the view
Girl, I must say, you're the flyest thing in here (uh-huh)
Complimenting the lady as the most attractive person in the room
You're so hot, we gon' need some rain in here
Saying that the lady is so hot and sexy that they will need rain to cool things down
Type to make ex-gangstas bang in here (uh-huh)
Suggesting that the lady's seductive moves can make even ex-gangstas lose their cool and get violent
Girl, you could do anything you want in here
Giving the lady the license to do anything she wants
Clown if you want to, frown if you want to
Giving the lady the freedom to act however she wishes
You ain't even gotta drop down if you want to
Asking the lady to dance however she wants without any pressure
'Cause I'd rather see you shake it standin'
Preferring to watch the lady dance while standing up
Either way you do it, girl, you look outstandin' (uh-huh)
Complimenting the lady's appearance and moves no matter how she dances
And now you got me spending (uh-huh)
Admitting that the lady has made him spend money on her
The way you got that body bendin' (uh-huh)
Admiring the way the lady has been moving her body
An ass like that, girl, you gotta be kickin' (uh-huh)
Complimenting the lady's backside and implying that she must be a good dancer
Have me goin' to church next day repenting
Jokingly saying that the lady's dance moves have been so seductive that he will need to repent at church the next day
Lap dancing for my FA crew
Suggesting that the lady is giving a lap dance for the singer's friends
Slide it over to Boo 'cause he want some too
Giving the lady the hint to perform a lap dance for his friend Boo
Up in the VIP with no fee
Being in the VIP section without paying any fees
Blessing you with the G even though we gettin' it free, so
Paying homage to the lady by giving her a valuable gift even though they are getting into the VIP section for free
Girl, shake ya body, body
Asking the lady to shake her body in a seductive manner
With somebody, body
Suggesting the lady can dance with anyone she wants
Whatever you do don't break your body, body
Asking the lady to dance without hurting herself
After the party, party
Implying that there will be some kind of after-party to continue the fun
Grab a hottie, hottie
Asking the lady to find someone attractive to hang out after the party
In the back seat of your Maserati-rati
Suggesting the idea of the singer and the lady going somewhere private in the back seat of a fancy car
Jiggle jiggle it to the left (ah, ah, ah)
Suggesting the lady to move her body in a particular direction
Jiggle jiggle it to the right (ah, ah, ah)
Suggesting the lady to move her body in the opposite direction
Jiggle it to the front then jiggle it to the back
Asking the lady to move her body back and forth
And jiggle jiggle it all all night (ah, ah, ah)
Asking the lady to continue moving her body all through the night
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Aliaune Thiam, Terry Hall, Neville Staples, Lynval Golding
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind