Freedom
Akon Lyrics

Everything I have, everything I own, All my mistakes, fan, you already know.
Akon states that he has nothing to hide as he bears all the things he has and the mistakes he has made in front of his fan. He doesn't fear showing his flaws to his audience.

I wanna be free, (free) I wanna be free. (free)
Akon desires freedom, which is something that is apparent throughout the song.

From Senegal West Africa To St. Louis, Missouri, Thanks to Katherine Dunham For giving my pops his glory.
Akon is appreciative of Katherine Dunham for empowering his father and giving him a sense of pride as he journeyed from Senegal, West Africa, to St. Louis, Missouri.

He came down with his drum And a dream to change the world In a free uplifting world And that's all he ever want.
Akon's father came with the intention of changing the world for the better, and it was his desire to do so in a liberated, positive environment.

Mom came a little after, Gave birth to my brother. Then all of the pressure Made 'em fight one another.
After Akon's mother gave birth to his brother, the parental responsibilities became too overwhelming and consequently forced them to fight and argue frequently.

See, the pain would never last, Did the best with what they had, He knew the world was out for grabs And he searched to find his
Akon's father acknowledged that the misery they faced was temporary, and he wanted to find a better opportunity somewhere in the world. Hence, he embarked on that journey.

As a kid I never knew I'd have to hustle just to make it through. So, I found myself skipping school, 'Cause the girls don't think I'm cool.
Akon explains that he had to work hard to overcome difficult circumstances even as a child, which led him to avoid school as he felt excluded and uncool amongst the other children.

And because of that I didn't care Whether or not I went to jail, I just wanna be treated fair, 'Cause that's all I ever knew.
Akon didn't care about the trouble he got into as a result of his actions because all he ever wanted was to be treated with fairness.

Tellin' me I need to slow down, (slow down) 'Cause everybody in the whole town, (whole town) 'Cause they know how I get down, (get down) Foreigner from another town. (whole town)
People advised Akon to indulge in fewer troublesome activities as he was a foreigner in town and was known for his wild behavior.

Can you believe we still around? (slow down) After so many hit the ground. (the ground) And we ain't gonna stop now, (stop now) Until we get that
Akon appreciates how he has managed to survive even after many have succumbed to similar misfortunes. Nevertheless, he is not stopping until he attains his goal of freedom.

If you wanna be free, and the land is drug-free, Put your hands up, (hey) put your hands up. (hey) If you wanna be free, from all your misery, Put your hands up, (hey) put your hands up. (hey) If you wanna be free, with plenty money, Put your hands up, (hey) put your hands up. (hey) If you wanna be free, just praise G-O-D, Put your hands up, (hey) put your hands up. (hey)
Akon calls on people to embrace the idea of freedom by rejecting drug abuse, seeking liberation from strife, attaining wealth, and expressing gratitude to God.

Freedom, (oh) Freedom (Freedom), Freedom, (oh) Freedom Everything I have, everything I own, All my mistakes, girl, you already know I wanna be free (wanna be free), I wanna be free (wanna be free yea yea yea yea)
Akon reiterates his desire for freedom as the ultimate goal in life. Despite his past mistakes and liabilities, he still yearns for the feeling of liberation.