BILFPOD - AKON Is BACK: First Album in 20 Years, No Filter & The Comeback Nobody Saw Coming

Episode Date: April 23, 2026

If you were alive in the 2000s, you KNOW this man. From Locked Up to Smack That to lighting up an entire continent—the GOAT himself, AKON, sits down with Mara Dorne on The BilfPod for the most unfiltered conversation of his career. We go DEEP. No filter. Just truth. In this episode, Akon opens up about the following: -Going 6 years straight with NO days off (2004–2010) and not even realizing it -Why prison was the making of him — and actually saved his life -The real story behind losing his first millions (and why he doesn't regret it) -What it was really like working with Lady Gaga before she was GAGA -Why he kept a small circle — and how a big entourage almost destroyed him -His bold prediction: Africa will dominate global music within the next decade -His brand new album Beautiful Day dropping April 24th — and what comes next This is the episode Mara says she'll never top. And honestly? We believe her. 🎵 Get Akon's new album Beautiful Day — April 24th 🌐 Find Akon everywhere: akon.com 💬 Drop a comment — what's your favorite Akon song of all time? 👍 Like, subscribe & hit the bell so you never miss an episode 🎙️ The BilfPod — where authenticity trumps authority #Akon #TheBillPod #AkonInterview #NewMusic #BeautifulDay #MaraDorn #AkonIsBack #AfricanMusic #Afrobeats #MusicPodcast

Oh, you got it like that. Sorry. Oh, next question. If you were in the 2000s, you already know where I'm going. Because I am fan-girling over here, I am pleased, honored to have the goat himself. A-Con, surrounded by red and blue-rats. For a long time, when you're living it, you don't know it. Like, you just in it. Like, you don't see anything outside a tunnel vision where you're headed.

I went hard for six years straight. From 2004 to 2010, no days off, no breaks. Things just went past me so fast that I didn't even realize that years were passing me by. It was around that time when I started to realize how much I actually had accomplished because people would tell me that. If you could pick any artist that you want to work with that you haven't, who would it be? That's the thing. I've worked literally with everybody. There has to be one. Somebody new coming up. Big T-shirt.

Billy Anish. Welcome back to the Bilt Pod. We're authenticity trumps authority. I am your host, Mara Dorn. Now, if you were in the 2000s, you know smack that ass. You know lonely. I mean, you already know where I'm going because I am fan-girling over here. I am pleased, honored to have the goat himself, A-Con.

Woo! Nice. You already told me you're not going to sing from me. You told me I could sing. That's what you told me you're not going to. I can hold the note. But so you're not going to sing. You're not going to do one.

I can't. I don't know how to sing. You know what? I believe me. You've been fraud like, um, with Millie Vanilli. We got Millie Vanilli and now. No, that's lip singing. Oh, but I know.

I sing. I just don't sing. What do you mean? I don't sing. Like, there's two types of singers. Okay. Okay. You got Acon type singers.

then you got Beyonce type singers. Now, Beyonce can sing. Yeah, she can definitely. Me, I can just hold the note. See, my kind of songs, everybody can sing them. Yes. Because I keep one note. I'm locked up, it won't let me out.

It's like this. You know what I'm saying? Smack that all on the floor. Same key. I love it. I love it. I see you whining and grinding. Same key.

You see what I'm saying? So that's the difference. Now, listen, I, 20 plus years in the music industry, I mean, this isn't, first of all, you look exactly the same age. So I think you really are a vampire, what you said. I said, you have, I got to be a vampire. You have, because I can't even, listen, I forget my age sometime. I don't even know how old I am now. When they ask me, I'd be like, yeah, I'm 20 young.

I think you are. No, I'm not joking. Seriously. I'm really not even, like, blowing smoke. Like, you have not aged in 20-something years. And I'm assuming you probably don't do Botox or filler. I don't do drugs. Nothing.

Don't smoke. Don't drink. Don't do no drugs. Nothing. That might be a big. Maybe, yeah. No drinking, nothing. I definitely don't do none of the Botox fillers and all that stuff.

I keep, I stay smart. That actually makes you look older, believe it or not. Peptides? What about peptides? What's that? Oh, this is a new thing. The peptides, I call like vitamins in a bio. I don't know.

I'm going to tell you after about it. Yeah, I'm going to tell you you're going to like it. Listen, the best vitamins you're going to have is just healthy food. Yeah, that's true. Trust me. Trust me. All right. So I'm just going to dig in deep.

Like, I'm about to eat. I'm about to eat. make you a little uncomfortable. No, I'm always comfortable, I guess, so you know. Yeah, I know, I can tell. Like, you just have that good vibe. I know, I could see it. All right, so listen, who are, like, when you, when you just think about Acon, like,

who is Acon outside of what the world sees? Well, that's the thing. Acon's been Acon to the world. So is that, and that's what actually makes it easy for me to navigate. Like, I don't know how to, I don't know how to defilter myself. Yeah. If that's even a word. But I don't know, but it sounds good to me.

I was buying it. Like, I can only be me because I don't want to have to reinvent myself every year. Like, I don't want to have to be something else to stay relevant. Like, it's just too much work. Do you ever look back and think, wow? I mean, think about all the artists. I can name, I mean, you've been with Eminem, you've had Pink, you've had Lady Gaga, T. Payne. Right.

I mean, you've worked with the best of the best snoop dog. I mean, just think about it. And not only that, what's really impressive is the different genres of music that you have been. involved with. So do you ever look back and think like, holy shit, like you've lived a lifetime. Man, but I didn't even realize that till recently because for a long time when you're living it, you don't know it. Like you just in the, like you're just in it. Like so you don't even you don't see anything outside a tunnel vision where you're headed. But it's just like recently when I really settled down and said, okay, you know what? I'm kind of, I'm kind of bored and I want

to get back into the game. Like I really want to get activated into the music business again on an artist perspective level, because before I was writing, producing songs for everybody else, took a break, continue writing, producing, but now I want to get back in as an artist. It was around that time

when I started to realize how much I actually had accomplished because people would tell me that. Yeah, and I'm assuming you're probably not stopping anytime soon because you're about to release an album. Now we're about to go back super crazy,

about to release another album, me and Neil going on a collaborative tour that's going to be nuts for 60 dates and then I'm going to go off and do my own tour. He's going to go off and do his own tour. And then we're going to to be back in motion with more albums coming. So I think it's going to be another marathon, to be honest. I think so. I think you're legendary. I mean, I grew up listening to your music.

My kid, what's even crazier and iconic is not only do I listen to your music, but, and I'm sure my daughter's here, I'm pretty sure she's over there. She listens to your music. Like, we were pulling up all the songs yesterday. And she was like, do you know this one? I'm like, yeah, how do you know this one? But that just goes to show, like, you didn't get played out or washed out. No, I was blessed, to be honest, you know, and interesting enough, when I was, when I create in general, always try to make timeless music, right? I don't look at it like, okay, this is what's happening right now. Let me write a record about now. Like, I'm always going through something either personal or something fun or something that inspires me to write

songs that I know that if I'm going through it, most likely it's somebody out there that's going through the same thing. That's, I mean, that's in itself is amazing. So none of your songs are made up. It's all something personal, which I did not know about you. I had no idea that your songs were really driven. I knew a few of them, but I didn't know that all of them were. Yeah. Including smack that. Smack that. Yeah.

I love that for you. I love that for you. I can get on that bandwagon. I can produce some good. I think I got some good produce. I could definitely produce some songs. I think so. No,

you would. You actually make a great artist. Like you got the personality. You got the confidence. I'm just crazy. That's all it is. And you're crazy. It's like insane.

You never seen a white lady that's as crazy as me. I'm crazy out of it. I'm off control. Like I don't filter anymore. You get to a point in your life. Right. And I think, you know, as we get.

seasoned, I don't like older, seasoned. You come to a point because there's a lot of controversy. It's going to come with age, yeah. But I think if you ever get to a point when you first started and you're reading the tabloids and they're saying some kind of shit about you. And at first I'm imagining you probably got a little offended

but now do you like really give a shit what people are to say? No, interesting enough, I never got offended. Never? No, because one thing I do is that okay, at that time I was very like naive. Oh, they're just doing their job. They don't really know. Let me just tell them what's happening. No, you didn't like try to fight back. can be like, oh, hell no, no.

I honestly believed that they were just doing their job. Like, I didn't think that they were trying to destroy me or anything like that, right? Because they don't really know me to do that, right? So, but what I did know was that did have a lot of misinformation. Now, the question was whether or not I want to go in and defend myself with the truth, or do I just let it wear itself down? And I notice it's better to just let it wear itself down because the moment you're going to try to defend yourself, you start looking even not only more,

but they start taking more information from what you got and what they got and they start creating information. Yeah. And it creates a pool that you can never control. And here's the thing. Nobody gives a shit. And then they won't until they're entertained by it. Yeah.

Then it's a rap. Then you're over. But here's the real deal. Like no one gives a shit like a few days later. No one cares. Today. Yeah. No one gets today it's fun.

But I promise you like tomorrow. Oh yeah. Nobody gives a shit. They forgot because something else came more exciting than that. Nobody gives their shit. What do you think is the biggest misconception? that people think about you? That's the thing.

What is the biggest misconception? What do you think people think about me? I mean, I'll tell you what I thought. I can tell you if it's a misconception. I'll tell you what I thought. I really thought you were going to roll in here like with a huge entourage. You were going to be super boozy.

Like I'm not into it. That's a very misconception. That's what I thought I was walking into. But that's not what I walked into. Totally different. Super humble guy that was like, hey, what's up? And I'm always like I keep my circle. Like, you can count around the people like this.

What's the importance of? keeping a closed circle. First of all, you're more focused. And you can see your surroundings. Yeah. With a big entourage, you're distracted, and you can't see nothing that's going on. So something is always wrong. Yes.

But you would never know it. And I learned that from having a big entourage when I realized, listen, my major controversies came when there was entourage there. That's exactly. It's the closest one. For the moment I got rid of the entourage, everything was controlled and it was like easy-peasy. But the moment that entourage come. There's so much drama

and it'd be the person closest to you that is letting all the drama and all the nonsense come out. Or starting it, but then you'll be the one taking the blame for it. Yes, amen. I really hope you all heard.

It's the circle that you surround yourself with the smaller the circle, yeah, maybe it's not as fun, you know, whatever. But at least you know who your real friends are. That's how you know. Same thing. When I first started doing really well in business, I would have a ton, not 100,

but a ton of people around me all the time. Little did I know, you know, people want something from you. Of course. That's what they really want. I mean, you got to think, this is human nature, we all have agendas, right? So depending on what your agenda is, we'll determine the severity of it. Like, everyone wants something from someone. We're all using each other.

Yeah. The question is, who can integrally use you in a way to where me using you helps you? Yeah. I don't mind. I'm going to use you. No, I'm going to use you. I'm going to use you. I'm being real about it.

I'm running. Yeah, that's okay. I'm using you right now. I'm using you. I'm using you. I mean, we're using each other. But just say what it is. You know what I'm saying?

Like there's no reason to sugarcoat what it is. And so many times we get caught up and people and then they pull the wool over your eyes. But just say what it is. Yeah, that's when it goes crazy. I'm using you too. Working with all these artists, though,

I mean, you've had a whole eclectic crew of people. Who would you say? I wouldn't say your best, but what was your most fun, like artists that you worked with? To be honest, I would definitely say the funnest one was probably Gaga. I definitely don't doubt that.

Because she's such a fun person. Yeah. And see, the thing is I was able to catch her before everything. So I got the true, like, I got her. Yeah. You know what I mean? Yes. So I know the person, like before she was, before we had, she had this small little

little cane with a little ball in and she wanted everyone to know that she was creative. She was a little bit different because she thought outside the box, but she just was a fun person. Like we were going to clubs to do after parties. She was like, bro, con, what are we doing? I'm like, we're going to sleep. We got to work tomorrow. She'd be like, can we do something?

Like, you know? That's so funny. Like she just like. She looks like it. Yeah. She like, and then like, because she did the thing is she had this, this, this, this, this, it was like, um, it's just like. this thirst to just like be with her fans like she just want to party with them all the time.

Yeah, but that's, I mean, it's good and bad. You know what I mean? Yes. Like she just had this real, this energy, she just loves her fans so much. So when we was doing those earlier runs and the promo runs, she always wanted to find out where they was at. Like, let's party. Like let's hang out. Like she was chill. That's how you get the buy-in from your people. Yeah. You've got to be with your people. And she's genuine with them. It's just, you know, that was a difference, you know? What would you say, or was there ever a time that you were like, fuck it, I'm not doing this anymore, I'm done? Like, I'm over it. I want to do something else. Or you were just done. Well, that was a time, but it wasn't like in that energy. It was more so like,

okay, I've been working nonstop for a hard, well, from, damn, actually six years. I went hard for six years straight from 2004 to 2010. No days off, no breaks, just going crazy. musically, right? And then I said, you know what? Let me just take a side break, regroup, go to Africa, do some good, and come on back. Yeah. I went to go host the World Cup in South Africa 2010 because I was producing the music at the time. And from that moment, I just, time flew past me as if it was just winned.

because once I got started into my philanthropy stuff and, you know, acon lighting and all this other craziness, things just went past me so fast that I didn't even realize that years were passing me by. That's so great. Well, don't I, I saw an interview where you just felt, I know you were born in St. Louis. And then during, like, at one point you go back to Senegal. And I watched an interview where you were like, you know what? It was just home there. Yeah. Like, it was great.

It was a great experience, a great time. I know you've done a lot of. charitable things. In fact, when I saw you, I showed you that video, so crazy. I have to tell Lodge. I literally see Acon in concert, right? I go there and Acon, my husband's like, you have to get up there. He literally positions me. Acon takes my phone. You take my phone. Has his face. I have to show this. It's so crazy. I have to put it in there. Live selfies. I actually took her phone and we did a live selfie. It was incredible. It was such a, but first of all, you did a great job. But where I was going with this is you had kids on the stage. And come to find out, that was like one of the first time you took these kids.

They're from Africa. Yeah. So they're called the Hyper's kids. Yeah. So I adopted them five years ago. So they're all your children? Yeah. Don't you have a lot of children right now?

Yeah. So now you got like a whole, you got like a whole team. Like a real tribe. Like a real tribe. Oh my God. Like the chosen one over here. I adopted 50 kids in Uganda. What you saw was only seven.

There was, they looked like more kids on there. There was a lot of kids up there. Yeah. It was seven of them. That was so cute. Now you're amazing, by the way. They got over 10 million like followers on Instagram.

Like if you watch their page, they're unbelievable. They are unbelievable. Like, unbelievable. How old is the youngest one? The youngest one that you saw was five. So cute. This kid was the stinking cute kid. Killing it.

He was such a cute kid. Now, are they doing, like, is that what they're doing, like touring and dancing? Yeah, so now they're going to be on a tour with me. They are? Yeah, so, you know, they're going to be on tour with me. But interesting enough, when I grabbed them, they were like the more the dancing. Like, each one of them all have talents, right? I have kids that's like unbelievable soccer players within that 50.

Yeah. They're all making the pros. When I, as amazing as the kids got you when you saw them dancing, that's how they are when they're on the field. Wow. Like every last one I'm having a super, like super kid human like abilities. Like they're all just unbelievable. But a lot of their parents had passed away in the wars. So they had no parents.

But they just had all the talent in the world with nothing to cultivate. or even like just like molded into something that can be something just useful to the earth basically. I don't think a lot of people know that about you. I just happen to be at that concert. That's how I saw it. Wow. Really, I looked up the page when I saw them. I just kept thinking, I'm like, it is 12 o'clock at night.

This kid is on stage. Because I'm a mom. I'm like, oh my God, this little, but he was so cute. So not only are you really big in doing philanthropy, but I also read that you have pizza and wing businesses. Yeah, Goodfellas. Good fellas? Yeah. In Atlanta, right?

Yeah, so I have three locations in Atlanta right now, one in Tallahassee and one in Jacksonville. Do you like pizza and wings? Is that why? I love pizza. Like, pizza like my favorite food. What's your favorite? Like, what's your favorite? Do you like cheese, Hawaiian, Buffalo?

Well, yeah, of course, you know, you got all the good stuff in it. But me like cheese, meatball, and green pepper. Like, that's my signature. That's your big thing. Is that like the signature dish there too? It's the Acon. And you're looking to franchise that all. all over the U.S.

Oh, yes. Yeah, that's eventually I'm a franchise it everywhere. All right. So let's, I just had to ask about that. I just want to know. You know what you know? Are you doing any more food restaurants or no? Yeah, I, I am planning on doing another like really, really upscale, like African cuisine type noble.

You know what I mean? Oh. But it's going to be called Kobu. Kobu. I love it. That's the first two letters for me from Khan and the first two letters from my little brother, Boo. Oh, are you going to have like tijin? That's like a big restaurant.

Do you like tijin? Yeah, but the thing about Senegal and a lot of people don't know is that they invented a lot of the high-end dishes that you guys are spending thousands of dollars on plates for. Like if you love French cuisine, all of those are recipes from Senegal. I did not know that. I really did not know that. So when you, you will be at a taste of difference when you come to a restaurant. That's crazy. I promise you.

All right, I'm going to switch gears to your earlier years. So your earlier years, I know that, you know, quick money is usually, like when you make good money, it goes quick. It goes as quick as you make it. Yeah. And I saw a whole interview. You made a lot of money at first. Let's talk about what happened to that money. Oh, I just spent it.

Just spent it. Oh, my first check? Oh, yeah. My first check was gone. Like, from the moment, I might have spent it before I even received it, you know. So how'd you recover from it? Oh, no, I mean, I never failed. So you just kept going on.

See, I was blessed that the one thing that I didn't waste my money on was a studio. Yes. That was the one thing that I actually bought. Boom. Everything else, I couldn't tell you where I sat today. But that studio created an opportunity for me to make more money. Yeah, because if they took everything from you today, it wouldn't matter because you have your studio.

It wouldn't matter because I got that studio to generate more. Yeah. Which is smart. I mean, yeah, you live and learn. How old were you when you made your first million? I was under 20. Did anyone? Did you ever, did you have a financial advisor then?

No. Parents didn't advise you? Nope. My parents never even made that much money. So you probably, how they go, how they go to advise me? That is true. Now your dad also was, your dad also was in the music industry. Yeah, my dad was in the music industry.

Is he the one that inspired you? Well, I want to say inspired, but he's the reason why I'm doing it without a question because my pops and my moms really didn't want me doing music. No? In the beginning. You know, hip hop wasn't like a genre that you saw to be something that, would change the world. Like, you never would have thought that, right? And then at the time, my dad was doing jazz. And jazz is not a high, you know, like, income genre. Like, you don't make a lot of

money in jazz. Like, you know, you're doing, you know, pubs and, you know, stuff like that. So, they didn't really see a future in music. So were they, so they didn't encourage it? They discharged it? No, no, they definitely was like, no, you need to go to school and find a real job, do something really. And now today, what do they say? Thank God you didn't listen to us. Yeah, right? That's what they always say. My mom too. My mom was like, my mom was like pushing. She's from New York. She's like, you have to go to law school. You got to get a degree. Thank God I didn't go to law school. I would have never made anybody. No way. No, I didn't go. No, so I did not end up going to go in there. But today my mom is living her best life. See? Yeah. So, you know, I wouldn't say don't always listen to your parents. would just be selective. No, no, just follow your instinct.

Your instinct is never going to lie to you. Because you got to think our parents and us, even advising our kids, we came up under a different time. Yeah. And I think the one thing that parents forget is that your advice may not apply to today. But it will later on. That's it. So don't push it. Like, I think that's where, like, parents try to push their advice on you and assume they know what's good for you, which they do.

But the timing of what you're telling me may not fit what's happening that, you're, where your advice may not be actually effective right now. I'm going to keep the advice because I'm going to utilize it when I actually believe that it can help me. But at the time when you're telling me this, if I'm not listening, it's because I know if I use that, it's not going to work because I know what I know. Yeah, I would say be a sounding board.

I have a pretty open relationship with my kids. They tell me way too much. But I'd rather it, look, I'd rather it be like that than the times we grew up where there was things that you were off. You couldn't talk to your parents about a lot of stuff. A lot of stuff you couldn't say. And then you start experience stuff on your own. Yeah, that's when you make mistakes. Exactly.

So I try to, and you, I know you have a lot of children. So when you're, you know, the advice that I'm sure they look at you. Well, first of all, did they look at you and they're like, oh my God, dad, you're so cool. Yeah, I'm a superhero for sure. They think, yeah, my kids don't think I'm that cool. They say, I'm like, they call me cringe. That's so fucking rude. Yeah.

You'll see my daughter out there. She'll tell you, she'll be like, oh. Sometimes she'll be looking at me and be like, you're, uh-uh. And like, her friends will come in the house and she'll be like, don't even, don't say, no, they all like me. They think I, they think I, they think I'm funny. So funny. Yeah, she's like, you're bizarre. Sometimes she'll say like, no, and do not say anything weird because literally whatever

comes in my head comes flowing out of my mouth. Yeah, it's not good. But I think in the end, I do think in the end because I'm so close with them that they do try to take. And I know that. I try to take in consideration because today is a lot different than it was when you're growing up. Social media, the influence around us.

Yes. It's such a different game. I got to ask you, what do you think about this music today? Actually, it's interesting. I don't like it. It's very interesting. I don't like it. I don't like the rap.

I don't like the R&B. And I love rap and R&B. Like that is my, that is, nope. It's an acquired taste. I don't like it. I don't think it makes any sense. Well, some of it don't. I can't even understand most of it.

I don't know what they're talking about. Most of it you want. So you have to look at it like an un, you have to look at it. That's what happened to me. I have to look at it. That's really like politically correct. No. But that's how you have to say no.

But that's how you have to look at it. Okay, I'm going to try. For a time example, have you ever went to an art gallery and then you saw a painting that was just beautiful to your taste? You're like, wow, this is unbelievable. And then you walk up two, three steps and you see another painting where you knew that the artist, all he did was dip the brush in the paint and you said, yeah, yeah. And then you're like, what the fuck is that? And then you're looking and wondering, why is that painting a million dollars and the one that just took you away is like five grand.

Yeah, all right, fine, fair, fair. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, but I still don't think. think it's horrible. I don't like it. I'm not going to a new concert. I only go to concerts for old school. That's it. That's all I'm going to. Right, because that's just your taste. Now, me, I try to find something in it that I can, like, connect with. And every once in a while I find one that I can, but it's not, it's not often. Yeah, it's not like the music that we grew up with. It's such a different vibe. Totally different world. They're talking about things.

You're like, no, you didn't experience. Like, you don't know. You didn't experience that. Like, no, no, no. I love watching this stuff on TikTok. I don't know if you ever watch TikTok, where they have like the millennial moms on there. Have you ever seen this? And the millennial mom be like, y'all don't know what it's like to go clubbing. You'll have no idea what it's like, y'all go with your sneakers.

Like go to a club where they're sticky floors, high-heeled shoes, like then you had a night out. You know, these kids, they have no idea what it's like to really be out there. But you know what's so funny? Your parents used to do the same. Say the same to you. No, no, they didn't.

My mom was in school. I'm much cooler. I know mine did for sure. Man, this ain't know nothing about this. I'm going to show y'all some real music. Like they would always, and I'll be sitting there like, but now I want to say that to my kids so bad, but what stops me from saying it, I remember how I felt

with my parents told it. Yeah, but my kids listen to our music. My kids love it. They know all, like, they know all of the things that we listen to. Right, no, they do. It's better. I mean, and then the new stuff is like, I don't know, I'm not with the new stuff.

It's not even talking about this stuff. I'm not with it. I don't like it. I'm not going to concert. I'm not doing it. I'm not like they had, did you know lovers and friends? I went to lovers and friends. Right, right.

This was like, like, If they do another one, you have to go there. This was it. Genuine was there. Missy Elliott was there. I mean, this was like the OGs of music were there. Right, right. So we're like, what now for you?

I mean, I know you have an album dropping on the 24th, which is how many years since you dropped the album? Oh, man, since 2008. That was my last, yeah, yeah, commercial album. Some of these people listening weren't even born then. No, seriously. That's a long... Yeah, but what was dope was my music literally stood the test of time. And it's still as current as it was when I dropped it.

I mean, you got to seriously give it up for yourself. Just give yourself like some, you know, you definitely deserve your flowers for that. To stay relevant because it's not like you're, you're definitely very relevant. Everywhere you go. People know who you are. Your music is everywhere. It's showcased. Even in the clubs today, not that I've been to any club.

You know your eyes and shaking your ass. Yeah, I've definitely. Like, you know your ass is shaking your ass. But your music is still showcased today. No, that's what's up. Who is one artist that if you could, if you could pick any, artists that you want to work with that you haven't, who would it be? That's the thing. I've worked literally with everybody. There has to be one. Somebody new coming up. Oh, you got it like that.

Sorry. No, no, no, no, no. I just had to think, because I'm, I'm really bad with names. That's like one of my handicapped. But I could see Billy Otis. Okay, fair. I can see that. Fair. And even I know who that is. Yeah. I know what is. I can see me work with her for sure. Are you going to try to or I mean, we'll see, you know, as I get back in and swiggle around and get comfortable, we'll see. So what's this tour look like? It's dropping on the 24th year single. It's going to be a 60-date tour. We're doing 60- Where are you going? Cities. We're starting in Europe first. Okay. Then Canada, then the U.S. You don't do Afro beats, though. I didn't, you don't do, I mean Afro-A-Rone.

I do Afro beat, Afro House. No, no, no, I'm talking about the Portugal. The festival. Yeah, I was there last year. No, I haven't done Afro House. I haven't done Afro House. That was good. I was there. It's really good. Burner was there. Yeah, it's really, really good. Yes, that's when I saw you. Well, I didn't see you there. I saw you in L.A.

You saw us in L.A. when I was filming, it's a show that I'm doing called Headliners Only. Yeah. You know, me and Kevin Hart got a production company out there, and we were shooting. And it's like the OG with the new school. I like how you just casually. Oh, by the way, just casual. No, just like you know.

So that's what you call us actually filming. Oh, okay. No, that was a great show. I think a lot of people don't know your business side. Like all the things that you really have. You have a label, I didn't realize that you had such a big label. I had no idea.

You know, you've also done so much work. You have restaurants. I mean, you really have a diversified portfolio, which speaks volumes about what you're doing. So, like, what's next? What is something that you want to do that you haven't done yet? Like, go on the moon? No, yeah.

Well, actually, that's what I'm doing now. Going on the moon? No. Just literally having fun. Like, what I don't want to ever do is feel like I'm working or building. I feel like I've built and worked from my zero to 50 years. Now from my 50 to 100, I'm just enjoying.

Like, you got to think, back then when I was working on these tours, we never enjoyed none of these places. Yeah, because you're in and out. We're in and out sticking. This one? Oh, yeah. We do the show, relax for the whole day to hang out that day, go to the next, like, we're really going to enjoy every,

like, that's why it's literally three and a half months and a 60-day tour. We put together damn near a whole month of days in between those tours to literally enjoy and have fun. That's incredible. Yeah. What is something that people don't know about you? Something that you really never really talk about?

I'm actually a good chef. Oh. Yeah. What's your kind of a master chef? A master chef are you? Your master artist, master singer, master chef, like check, check, check. All right. Check, check.

What's your favorite dish? It don't matter. I can cook everything. You know, master chefs can create everything. If you can't cook everything, you can't call yourself a master chef. So whatever your favorite dish is, I can definitely present it to you. I like Mediterranean food. Oh, Mediterranean.

and that's super easy. Easy. Easy, easy. Like, you'll make me some famous Babel Ginoosh, no problem. Easy. Easy. Oh, okay. All right.

All right. Over here. All right. I mean, there is really nothing that you don't do. I can go all over from chicken masala to a simple gyro. It's whatever you want. Okay. All right.

I'll shut up now. You got me on the chicken masala. All right. You got me there. You got me. But I know you're big on healthy food, too. Well, not really. You told me you like healthy food.

I do. So you're not big on it? So this the thing, right? Oh, you're killing me. No, no, no, no, I gotta be honest with you. See, could we just show like what you, like what you, I made my girl courtesy to make sure you had what you needed. Right. She tells me Pinkberry.

Pinkberry. So I'm like, isn't Pinkberry like the like good for you yogurt? So like, yes. So you must like it. No, I do. And I'm, I'm, the thing is the word big on it is almost like, okay, I'm a healthy, foodie type. I eat whatever I want to eat. Anything.

You work out? It doesn't matter. Yeah, I definitely stay active. because that's the only way you can't eat whatever you want to eat. Yeah, for sure. The difference is whenever you do eat crazy, you know you got to balance it with something healthy. Absolutely, yes.

Long as you got that, man, you're extra good. I don't know. You probably have those superhuman genes because you haven't aged in 20 years and now you can eat whatever you want. Just obey yourself. Whatever you're craving for, eat it. Yeah.

Where you go wrong is when you're craving for something, you say, no, I can't eat that. It's unhealthy. Your body is craving for it because there's something in it or an ingredient in it that you actually actually need. Oh, okay. That's good.

That's good for them. Like, one thing you should never do is take health tips from America. America is the most unhealthy place on the planet. And the worst food. I would 100% agree with you. Your body would always tell you what you need. When you start feeling sluggish and tired, that mean you're eating healthy. I mean unhealthy.

So you got to, you need something that's going to brighten up your energy. And if it's going to be carrots or celery or whatever, you need something that's going to brighten your energy up. Speaking of international, what was your most favorite international place that you performed or have you even been? Ah, that's a lot of places. International is like the best environment to perform. Yes.

I mean. When I went to Afro Nation, it was insane. Insane. It was literally people from everywhere, from Haiti to France to Morocco. I mean, it was insane. And it was a good insane. It wasn't off the chain. It was just such a good time.

It's a balanced insane. So, I mean, I can name literally everywhere internationally. Places that I see I would remember it the most, I would probably say Brazil, India, Bahrain, Africa, no matter where, it's always crazy. And probably the craziest one, probably what I would say is Lebanon. Yeah. I would never forget Lebanon. Why?

What happened? And then when I went to Israel, oh my goodness. It was the craziest thing. This is why I never forget that because when I got there, they actually had created. They really love you. They created a religion called Acon. They love you. I know.

I've been to Israel many times. They love you there. I couldn't believe it. I think they think you're part the lost tribe. You might be. No, seriously. Like, you have a whole tribe.

Now you could be there. I had followers. Like, I had real followers. I know. I know you're very big in Israel. I've been there. I know. I was like, wow.

That's, I mean, but it is incredible to see everybody around the world. And then they can't speak the language, but they know the words. They know every single word. Every single. And clear. In clear.

It's so crazy. Like, no. I know. I know. I know. And then when I try to say, man, you're amazing. You'd be like, I don't understand. Nothing. Zero.

Zero. Like, okay. You're like, but you just sing my song better to me. I cannot. It's crazy. So what is really next for you? What's next on the agenda? Oh, man.

Just enjoying life, enjoying my kids, enjoying family, enjoying the career that I never got a chance to enjoy. So now I'm just, I'm kind of literally making moves and decisions on the wing. Like, whatever feels good, that's the direction I'm blowing. I love that. I think that's a fair direction. You've been in the street for many, many, many years. you've really been able to keep your head above water to not getting too much trouble.

I mean, I don't know. You're in New York City. This is my favorite work city. I love it here. Like whenever I have to work and they say, yo, it's all in New York, I'm like, yes. But as soon as I'm done, I'm on the first flight out. I'm out of here. You either like it or you love it.

Yeah, well, yes, yeah. New York is one of, it's like that with the people too. You either love them when you hate them. Yeah, that's exactly. And they're like that. They're cut and dry. They either rock with you or they don't. Yeah, 100%.

And I respect and like that. for sure. No problem. At least you keep it real. But yeah, me, the work city, I can live here and work all day if I got work to do. But if I don't, I'm going straight to Miami. Well, right now you're on a plane, you're going to Europe. London, yeah.

London, I'm jealous. No, me. Okay. The weather is worse than New York right now. Really? Yeah, it's horrible. Well, I'm going home after this. I'm going back to Florida.

So you have to... You're in a sunshine state. I'm in Orlando. I don't know about that. Orlando is even better because it's calmer. Okay. You know what? Then you're like literally what?

30 minutes away from Miami? the weekend, so you're good. Yes, yes. Orlando's a perfect neutral spot. All right, I got some questions that they're making me do. I'll take you to Disneyland, don't worry. No. We're not going to, we're never going to Disney.

No, no. All right, true or false? You ready? All right, the music industry today is harder to break through than when you started, even with 500 million TikTok views. It's even worse to break through because of the 500 million TikTok views. Like, we can barely sort through 20. You're telling me, 500 million.

million. It's a hard. The most greatest TikTok on the planet has never been seen because it's too convoluted. Yeah, it's saturated right now. All right. Streaming killed the album. Nobody actually listens to a body of work anymore.

They just want the single. I agree 100%, which is horrible. Yeah, it's sad. Because then, back then we had, what was it? You could, remember if you try to download it, it would like corrupt your whole? What was it? What was it? What was that thing that we were, I forget the name of it.

I forgot what it was, too. But you know, I'm talking like if you did, you got a virus. Yes. Yes, actually, I think it was called. I forget the name of that. Nabster, that's what it was. We were trying to bite up the, yes, and we couldn't do, yes, thank you. All right, the best collabs you've ever made were not the most famous ones.

It's true. Yeah, I'm sure you have a whole bunch of work that. The one with Michael Jackson, actually. Can you real quick, talk about it? It was the one I just would have love to have more attention. Michael Jackson is the king of all kings. I promise you. What a blessing that you got to sit with him.

Man, right. That's amazing. Africa will dominate global. music within the next decade and the West is not ready for it. I agree. I would agree, especially with Afro beats coming up and I'm a piano and Afro house and now Latin house. Oh my goodness. Going to prison was in a strange way the making of Acon. It was what saved my life. While most people might look at it as a punishment, to me that's what saved me. I don't think so. I think everything, I don't think there's ever a failure in life. I think it's a lesson. If you take something from it, I don't think anyone could judge you for it. It could be anybody wrong place, wrong

time. And as long as you take a lesson, you implement it. And I love your authenticity. I really just love that you're willing to talk about anything. Oh, yeah. And that speaks volumes. It's a part of you. It just speaks volumes about who you are and what you're doing. You have such a good energy, such a good soul. No, you too. I enjoyed if you did, I mean, today's episode was absolutely, I think my favorite ever. I don't think anyone's going to top you. I don't think so. I hope the viewers breaks and records. Yeah. I hope the viewers get that, you know, you can,

don't ever be embarrassed of who you are, what you're doing, because it's just the beginning. And I feel like you're just scratching the surface right now. You're just getting started again. Can you imagine it's like the rebirth of ACON? That could be your next, change the album, what, rebirth of ACON. So then you just actually, you just named the next album after ACONIC.

So after this album. Rebirth. We got, right now it's a beautiful day, right? Again, April 24th, make sure you get. get it. After that, we have Aconic. That's the name of that album. So that album is going to be full of amazing features. These are all of icons that I love myself and I'm fans of that I would have loved to do records with again or hadn't done records with. Yeah. That's going on the album. After that, I'm going to close the chapter and create the rebirth. I love, you better give me some

credit. That's what we're going to do. I'm saying it on this show to give you the credit. it. Brad, you heard it right here. You heard it right here on the bill. That's what I'm saying. So it's on record. You can rewind and say, I came up with the idea and I was like, she's right. Acon, you are incredible. You really are absolutely different than what I even could have imagined. You're just better, really. And it just goes to show that there is no stopping you. Age doesn't define you. It's just a number. And this is really your opportunity. So I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for joining me today. It was so much fun. If you weren't going on a plane, I'd make you hang out.

I'll make you. I would not lock the door. You can't hang you got to stay. That's what sad. If people want to find you, where would they find you? I mean, obviously. At Acon on every, I mean, everybody knows. They ain't going to find you.

Or just go to acon.com and you'll be able to get access to everything I'm attached to. Yeah, April 24th, you all better get the album. I'm trying to stream it. You better buy it. Y'all cheap people out there. You got to go spend money. Like, just pre-save it now so you got to worry about it. It'll download automatically when the day come out.

And I got you all be promoting it. You know what I mean? Yes. Thank you. It was amazing. If you guys love today's episode, you're probably never going to see a better episode. But go ahead, hit that like, subscribe, unsubscribe, write something. I don't know.

But Acon, you are the man, the greatest of all time. Thank you for coming on today. I appreciate you. Amazing.