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.
Gringo
Akon Lyrics
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Gotta get my block sold up... ya know me
Gotta get my block sold up... ya know me
Eyo gringo, eyo gringo
I heard you want some marijuana
Want some pure white coca
Eyo gringo, eyo gringo
I'm just your neighborhood dealer
And I'm tryin' to keep my block sold up
Tryin' to keep my block sold up
Tryin' to keep my block sold up
Tryin' to keep my block sold up
Tryin' to keep my block sold up
Tryin' to keep my block sold up
Tryin' to keep my block sold up
Tryin' to keep my block sold up
See I woke up early as hell one morning
And I noticed my stash was half gone
'Cause these fiends can't stop smokin my rocks
'Cause lately around my way these niggas been warrin'
Fightin' for teritory that's mine
'Cause these cats can't stop liquors or shots
I'ma show you right now the only reason the block is movin'
I got dubs at the price of a dime
That's why I'm on top and it don't stop
'Cause I get it so cheap no matter what I wont be losin'
Re-up spots is so hard to find
But I got one cool ass mexican
Eyo gringo, eyo gringo
I heard you want some marijuana
Or some pure white coca
Eyo gringo, eyo gringo
You see I've never been a smoker
I'm just your neighborhood dealer
And I'm tryin' to keep my block sold up
Tryin' to keep my block sold up
Tryin' to keep my block sold up
Tryin' to keep my block sold up
Tryin' to keep my block sold up
Tryin' to keep my block sold up
Tryin' to keep my block sold up
Tryin' to keep my block sold up
You can find me on the other side of the border
With a hundred grand in my pocket
For the first trip just pack a little bit
'Cause I'ma bring the work back by air or even by water
What ever it take to get to the crib
Gotta play it safe cause they out there
See I got so much clientele home waiting
I can't just make one trip
But I gotta get enough to supply the city
But I gotta be careful smugglin' in
Vaseline Reynolds Wrap to hide the scent
Off on the next trip while I wait for Jose
He'll bring it to me
Eyo gringo, eyo gringo
I heard you want some marijuana
Or some pure white coca
Eyo gringo, eyo gringo
You see I've never been a smoker
I'm just your neighborhood dealer
And I'm tryin' to keep my block sold up
Tryin' to keep my block sold up ohhh
Tryin' to keep my block sold up
Tryin' to keep my block sold up
Just tryin' to keep my block sold up
Tryin' to keep my block sold up
I said I'm just tryin' to keep my block sold up
Tryin' to keep my block sold up
Cause I'm a konvict
Never gonna be a convict
'Cause I'm a konvict
Never gonna be a convict
In the song "Gringo" by Akon, he talks about being a neighborhood dealer who is trying to keep his block sold up with drugs. He is addressing someone he calls "gringo" who wants marijuana and pure white coca. Akon explains that he is not a smoker but he is just trying to keep his business running. He wakes up one day to see that half his stash of drugs is gone because people cannot stop smoking his rocks. Akon has noticed that there are fights happening around him due to the territory and the competition in the drug dealing business. He then talks about having dubs at the price of a dime which is why he is at the top and why his business is still running. He mentions that he has only one mexican supplier who is really helpful. He is just trying to keep his block sold up as he is not going to become a convict.
The song depicts how people get heavily involved in drug dealing and how it becomes difficult to stop. It shows the struggles of a drug dealer and how he is always trying to keep his business running. It talks about the supplier-consumer relationship and how difficult it is to keep the business going without reliable suppliers.
Line by Line Meaning
Konvict music upfront
Introduction to the song's producer
Gotta get my block sold up... ya know me
The artist is trying to maintain a steady income from selling drugs
Eyo gringo, eyo gringo
Greetings to his supplier
I heard you want some marijuana
Asking if the supplier wants to purchase some marijuana
Want some pure white coca
Offering the supplier some pure cocaine
You see I've never been a smoker
The artist himself is not interested in consuming drugs
I'm just your neighborhood dealer
He is simply a dealer in the area
And I'm tryin' to keep my block sold up
Repeating his aim is to maintain a steady flow of drug sales
See I woke up early as hell one morning
Sharing a personal experience of waking up to find his drugs half depleted
'Cause these fiends can't stop smokin my rocks
The addicts in the area cannot resist buying drugs from him
'Cause lately around my way these n****s been warrin'
The area is currently experiencing conflict between drug dealers
Fightin' for teritory that's mine
The dealers are battling for control over his established drug market
'Cause these cats can't stop liquors or shots
The addicts cannot control their desire to use drugs
I'ma show you right now the only reason the block is movin'
The artist is confident that his drug sales are the main reason for activity in the area
I got dubs at the price of a dime
He offers a low price for drugs, allowing him to gain more customers
That's why I'm on top and it don't stop
He attributes his success in the drug market to his low prices
'Cause I get it so cheap no matter what I wont be losin'
He obtains drugs at a low cost, so he can continue selling at a low price without losing profit
Re-up spots is so hard to find
It is difficult for him to find reliable sources of drugs
But I got one cool ass mexican
He is able to successfully obtain drugs from a supplier he trusts
You can find me on the other side of the border
He travels to Mexico to get a fresh supply of drugs
With a hundred grand in my pocket
He brings a large amount of money to purchase drugs
For the first trip just pack a little bit
He advises himself to only bring enough drugs for the first trip to avoid getting caught by authorities
'Cause I'ma bring the work back by air or even by water
He is willing to take any route necessary to smuggle the drugs back to his area
Gotta play it safe cause they out there
He is aware of the risks involved in drug smuggling and takes necessary precautions
See I got so much clientele home waiting
He has several customers eagerly waiting for his return with fresh drugs
I can't just make one trip
He needs to travel multiple times to gather enough drugs for his customers
But I gotta get enough to supply the city
He wants to obtain as much drugs as possible to meet the demand in his area
But I gotta be careful smugglin' in
He recognizes the danger of getting caught by authorities while smuggling drugs
Vaseline Reynolds Wrap to hide the scent
He uses methods to avoid detection by hiding the odor of the drugs
Off on the next trip while I wait for Jose
He continues to gather drugs while waiting for his supplier to bring more
Cause I'm a konvict
Repeating himself as an introduction to his record label
Never gonna be a convict
He is confident that he will not get arrested and be put in jail for his drug dealings
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: GIORGIO TUINFORT, THIAM ALIAUNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind