Akon drops Afro Freak EP

The eight-track project follows last year’s TT Freak EP and celebrates the singer’s Afrocentric influences in Afrobeats and amapiano reimaginations on tracks like ‘Sleep’, ‘Slow Motion’, ‘Enjoy That’ and ‘More Than That’.

The new EP was preceded by ‘Enjoy That’ with South Africa’s Mr. Brown earlier this month, a collaboration Akon says enabled the two artists to create something exceptionally unique.

“With an unrivalled talent and an unwavering dedication to his craft, he has cemented his place as an industry luminary and the release of Afro Freak only reaffirms his ability to captivate audiences with his artistic vision,” Akon’s team said about the new release. “As he actively shapes the music landscape, Akon’s influence remains unparalleled, leaving an indelible imprint on the industry through his distinct sound, mesmerising live performances, and genre-bending expertise.”

Born Aliaune Akon Thiam, Akon, a five-time Grammy nominee, is globally recognised for his R&B, hip hop, EDM and pop hits. He has sold more than 35 million albums worldwide. He is behind five studio albums, the latest two being El Negreeto and Akonda, both released in 2019.

Speaking to Vibe Magazine last year about the global impact of Afrobeats, Akon said: “It feels amazing. Especially after fighting for Afrobeat[s] to get its visualness in the US for so long and trying to kind of expose the local African artists to major labels here ... I just hope that everybody respects the aspect of what that is and treats it fairly. And not only that, but the artists coming from Africa understand the appreciation that’s being held for this and not take it for granted. Like really maximise on the opportunity they’ve been given right now and really treat it like it’s meant to be treated.”