Entertainment Music Top 10 Akon Songs Print John Parra/Getty Images Music Pop Music Top Picks Basics Reviews Top Artists 80s Hits 90s Hits Rock Music Alternative Music Classical Music Country Music Folk Music Rap & Hip Hop Rhythm & Blues World Music Punk Music Heavy Metal Jazz Latin Music Oldies Learn More By Bill Lamb Bill Lamb Bill Lamb is a music and arts writer with two decades of experience covering the world of entertainment and culture. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on 01/28/19 10 of 10 "I'm So Paid" featuring Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy - 2008 Akon - "I'm So Paid" featuring Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy. Konvict Muzik "I'm So Paid" is particularly notable for its James Bond style music video that cost over $1 million to produce. In addition to featuring the rap collaborators Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy, the clip also includes cameos from a number of artists signed to Akon's Konvict Muzik label. Akon included a shout out to Olympic track and field athlete Usain Bolt in the song after hearing that the runner likes Akon's music. "I'm So Paid" peaked at #31 on the Billboard Hot 100. It ultimately earned a platinum certification for selling more than a million copies. 09 of 10 "Belly Dancer (Bananza)" - 2005 Akon - "Belly Dancer (Bananza)". Courtesy Universal The mesmerizing sound of "Belly Dancer (Bananza)" became the fourth single from Akon's debut album Trouble. It reached the top 40 in the US but did even better in the UK where it was a top 5 pop hit. The song samples "The Lunatics (Have Taken Over the Asylum)" by Fun Boy Three. "Belly Dancer (Bananza)" appears on the soundtrack for the film Fired Up! 08 of 10 "Beautiful" featuring Kardinal Offishall and Colby O'Donis - 2009 Akon - "Beautiful" featuring Kardinal Offishall and Colby O'Donis. Konvict Muzik The slick Euro dance feel of "Beautiful" moved Akon further away from R&B and reggae beats. It features Colby O'Donis and Kardinal Offishall, two of Akon's musical proteges. For rapper Kardinal Offishall, this appearance followed his top 5 pop smash "Dangerous" which featured vocals from Akon. For Colby O'Donis, it followed both his appearance on Lady Gaga's first hit "Just Dance" and his own #14 charting single "What You Got" fetauring Akon. There is a Spanish language version of "Beautiful" that features Dulce Maria of RBD. "Beautiful" peaked inside the top 20 on the US pop chart and went all the way to #5 on the dance chart. 07 of 10 "Locked Up" - 2004 Akon - "Locked Up". Courtesy Universal Akon's first single "Locked Up" has a distinctly more street feel than his later hits. That was by design. His record label wanted to break Akon as an artist on the street first and then work back toward the mainstream. The plan was a major success. "Locked Up" reached the top 10, but the follow up pop hit "Lonely" was an even bigger hit. "Locked Up" also became an international pop hit. It reached #5 on the UK pop singles chart and hit the top 15 on pop charts in both France and Germany. 06 of 10 "Right Now (Na Na Na)" - 2008 Akon - "Right Now (Na Na Na)". Konvict Muzik This song was the lead single from Akon's third album Freedom. Musically, it headed in a more distinctly club-oriented direction. "Right Now (Na Na Na)" was another top 10 hit around the world for Akon, but it failed to top the charts anywhere signaling some weakening in his commercial fortunes. "Right Now (Na Na Na)" includes elements from the song "Remember" by German-Belgian dance act The Underground Project. This song peaked at #8 on the US pop chart and went to #6 in the UK. 05 of 10 "Sorry, Blame It On Me" - 2007 Akon - "Sorry, Blame It On Me". Konvict Muzik Although it had been leaked months before, Akon's release of "Sorry, Blame It On Me" as a single seemed well timed after a series of high profile legal troubles. It followed the highly publicized incident in which he did a sexual dance in a nightclub with an underage girl. "Sorry, Blame It On Me" quickly landed in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at #7. The song was included in the deluxe reissue of the album Konvicted. Veteran R&B music video director Chris Robinson put together the clip to promote "Sorry, Blame It On Me." 04 of 10 "Lonely" - 2005 Akon - "Lonely". Universal Although it wasn't released as his first single, reportedly the song "Lonely" is what caught the attention of the Universal Music label SRC Records and convinced them to sign Akon to a contract. The most notable element of the song is the use of sped up samples from Bobby Vinton's 1964 #1 hit single "Mr. Lonely." Bobby Vinton was given songwriting credit on "Lonely." It became Akon's first major worldwide hit going to #1 in at least 10 countries around the world and peaking at #4 in the US. "Lonely" sold more than two million copies in the US. 03 of 10 "Smack That" featuring Eminem - 2006 Akon - "Smack That" featuring Eminem. Konvict Muzik "Smack That" was Akon's first single from his second album Konvicted. A featured rap from Eminem helped turn the song into Akon's biggest hit yet peaking at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Eminem also served as producer and co-songwriter for the recording. He first met Akon in 2006 during the recording sessions for Obie Trice's "Snitch." The song was being recorded for Eminem's Shady Records label. "Smack That" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. "Smack That" climbed to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It reached #4 at mainstream pop radio and briefly broke into the Latin songs chart. 02 of 10 "I Wanna Love You" featuring Snoop Dogg - 2006 Akon - "I Wanna Love You" featuring Snoop Dogg. Konvict Muzik Akon's first #1 pop single in the US originally incorporated rapping from Plies. However, when Plies was arrested for illegal gun possession, Akon chose to use a rap by Snoop Dogg in order to avoid negative publicity. "I Wanna Love You" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. Later, Akon produced the single "Hypnotized" for Plies and appeared as a featured artist. It reached #14 on the Billboard Hot 100. "I Wanna Love You" crossed over to the Latin radio chart and peaked at #16. 01 of 10 "Don't Matter" - 2007 Akon- "Don't Matter". Konvict Muzik Akon's gently defiant reggae infused tale of forbidden love was his second consecutive #1 hit single. So far in his career this song marks Akon's commercial apex. "Don't Matter" hit the top 10 around the world. The song includes a sample from Bob Marley's 1979 recording "Zimbabwe." The bridge also includes a melody from R. Kelly's 2003 #2 charting pop hit "Ignition (Remix)." "Don't Matter" broke into the adult pop radio and Latin radio charts. It also reached #3 at mainstream pop radio. The song sold more than three million copies in the US alone.