Musical Style and Influence: Akon’s music blends genres effortlessly, fusing R&B, hip-hop, and reggae with elements of African beats and melodies. His ability to seamlessly integrate diverse cultural influences has earned him critical acclaim and a dedicated fan base worldwide.

Akon sports roughneck allure and silken, rhythmic vocals that land him just left of the R&B/rap split. That makes R. Kelly a father to his style, but the St. Louis singer gets his broad pop taste from master songwriters with inimitable voices (Phil Collins, Michael Jackson), as seen in his genre-agnostic ubiquity as a guest hooksmith.

Akon's new EP draws heavily from Afrobeats - a genre that's become a global phenomenon thanks to artists like Davido, Wizkid and Burna Boy. He says he's been trying to boost the style of music, which mixes African and Western influences, for years, and even signed Wizkid to his own label in 2008.