1319) Akon: Business and Music into Philanthropy

Musician, songwriter, producer - Senegalese-American artist Akon has sold over 35 million records worldwide. He is probably best known for hit songs like Locked up, Don’t Matter and collaborations with some of the biggest names in music - Michael Jackson, David Guetta and Lady Gaga to name just a few. But Akon is also an activist, a philanthropist – he _________________ a lot of time to promoting peace in conflict zones like Democratic Republic of Congo and a lot of money on an ambitious project to improve the quality of life of one million Africans by bringing them electricity. He is doing good but making money at the same time. We ___________ ____ with Akon in Dubai. He talks music, business and being an African and American. Akon talks to Al Jazeera. Akon, thank you so much for talking to Al Jazeera. Now very few artists are able to take their celebrity and build it into a ______________ that goes far beyond the art, the music in your case. Now you seem to be succeeding in doing just this. What’s the secret? “Well, it’s not really a secret. You gotta be a businessman first. This is the music business. Some people, more relating to artists, they exclude the business, and they have other people that run it. But ultimately, when I create musically, I figure out, “How can that music be ___________________?” So are you a businessman first and a musician second? “Oh Yes! first businessman, then musician.” You’ve got quite a lot going on. A clothing line, nightclubs, investments in Africa, a ________ _________ even here in South Africa. What is this? Is this like social capitalism? You’re making money, obviously. What do you say to people who say this is all just a way for Akon to make money? “It is a way for me to make money. It is clearly a business. Do not get it ___________. It’s a real business. It’s just ultimately at the stage that I’m at now I only want to get into business that’s going to help people, that’s going to change lives, that’s going to make a difference, because I could be an artist that just goes on stage, does ________________, makes money, literally. But I’m in a position where I'm gifted. I’m in a place where I’ve been offered opportunities where I can make a difference and change lives. So why not making money and change lives at the same time?” Social capitalism? “Basically”. Let’s talk a little bit more about your Africa-focused ____________. I want to start off with Akon Lighting Africa. What’s been achieved? “We’ve actually ________________. We’re beyond a million households now. We’re actually in 14 countries. We started with just creating solar energy for rural areas and house homes, and now we’re doing solar streetlamps all through countries, also incorporating it within each country. We’re putting solar in all the villages. And we’re also creating a system where we are actually __________________ all the locals to be able to maintain it. And also keep everything pretty much in order.” You also joined a non-profit organization Peace One Day with a huge concert in Goma, in the eastern of the DRC area. What was it like to perform at the airport in Goma?