Aliaune Akon Thiam better known in music circles as Akon would’ve been just another hip hop artist trying to break ground, but it took him just one song to make him a star overnight. Senegalese – American Akon pays homage to the early hip hop music which influenced him, and on this his debut work, he also includes women, the lack of them or just trouble with them in general as his album name suggests, everything you hear on this album is about himself and his life.

You won’t find each and every song here a good piece, but Bananza (Belly Dancer), is a club favourite that shows Akon’s playful side, while the sentimental R & B singing over charming chipmunk processed vocals have made a striking combination to come up with a winner in the blissful Lonely a cover of Bobby Vinton’s Mr. Lonely, an extremely repayable track that stands out from nowhere. The chipmunk style sound is again prevalent in Don’t let Up this time unnecessary. You could also tune into the fairly neat remix of Locked Up that has good moments.

Akon was in jail over a year in the US after being arrested for car theft. Though acquitted later, his life in jail is spoken widely in Locked up. Show Out has an hard-hitting groove where he sings, “Don’t tempt me/ Cuz I’m close to the edge/ I’m trying not to lose my head….” while cleverly integrating original school lyrics, at the same time paying respect to hip – hop artist and still maintaining his own identity. His songwriting is amazing and certainly heartbreaking at times.

Akon’s voice is original and fluctuates from R & B, hip – hop and pop. Coupled with great strong grooves, the music is well adjusted to his vibrant vocals that are omnipotent on all tracks and real bouncy at times. His voice is arrestingly beautiful, his delivery perfect and the songs divine.

Locked up in its original avatar is not much different from the remix, but sparsely supplemented by rapper Styles P who juggles around. There’s also Gangsta, that is striking, though not bang on vibrant at the first listen, while Trouble Nobody is punchy, has solid, strong grooves. The medium paced Pot of Gold with its typical beat and call and response vocals, is crisp and entertaining. Akon’s downfall lies in tracks like When the time’s right, Journey and Easy Road that are unproductive and loose compared to the other tracks.

Though there are dance grooves enough to make you shake a leg, at items you may want more. Akon delivers what he can, he has the fire to strike well, he’s debonair, was a good percussionist in his younger days and what more, now a talented singer in his own right. You may not fancy his whole album, but he’s sure good to have round.

Rating: ****

Reviewed by Verus Ferreira