AKON - AKON PRETENDED TO BE AFRICAN PRINCE

AKON PRETENDED TO BE AFRICAN PRINCE

R+B star AKON loved being the envy of all his classmates at school, and even convinced them he was an African prince. The Smack That singer - who was born in St. Louis, Missouri to Senegalese parents - would often get picked up from school by his father in a black Mercedes-Benz, much to the annoyance of his friends. He says, Everybody here believed every stereotype (about Africa). I was like, 'These guys can't be no more stupid than they look.'" And the 1988 release of Eddie Murphy's Coming To America, in which he plays an African prince adjusting to life in the US, only enhanced Akon's profile as 'royalty'. He adds, That helped me even more. Everybody thought I was a prince!"