Just Go

He’s made more than 155 guest appearances and more than 20 Billboard Hot 100 songs. He’s been nominated for four Grammy awards.

His name is Akon, and he’s a marginally talented “singer” who wails badly on songs and somehow keeps making hits.

Like Soulja Boy, Akon is another artist I’ve been waiting to go away for a while. But he just won’t go.

Akon – similar to T-Pain – is a “singer” that other artists keep asking to join them on songs because it will increase their chances of getting a hit.

What confuses me the most is that no matter how horrible his stuff sounds, Akon pretty much always makes the charts.

The infiltration of artists like Akon, T-Pain and Soulja Boy into mainstream music is the reason I can barely listen to the radio today.

But the most disturbing aspect of Akon’s fame is his ability to garner collaborations with people a gazillion times more talented than him. Acclaimed artists who are already famous but they end up working with Akon because they (or record executives) want another hit.

The List of Shame:

(2006) India Arie: “I Am Not My Hair Remix.” I actually liked this song when it came out, but still. It’s Akon. Ms. Arie hinted in a recent interview that she regrets this collabo. I completely understand. Akon should not have been allowed within 20 feet of a recording studio with India Arie.

(2008) Michael Jackson: “Hold My Hand.” Under the YouTube video, a commenter wrote: “Legend killer = Akon” I died laughing when I read that. I can only shake my head at this song. Michael Jackson is the one artist in the world who will never need a collaboration to make a comeback. People will always be willing to buy his stuff. Why Mike? Why?

(2008) Whitney Houston: “Like I Never Left.” As soon as I heard Akon wail “Akon and Whitney!” at the beginning of this track, I knew it would be downhill from there. When Whitney asks in the first verse, “Do you ever wish you could get back something that you did in your past?” I just know she means making this song. Thank God Whitney postponed her comeback because this track was not going to cut it. Ms. Whit, even with the drugs and personal issues, you’re too good for this.

(2009) Lionel Ritchie “Just Go.” Lionel, this song will never be OK. I foresee this making one of those 100 Most Horrible Songs countdowns on VH1 in the future.

The foolishness that is the video below pretty much sums up why Akon is part of the “You’ve Made the Charts … But Are You Talented?” music series.  And why any artist with talent cannot record a song with him – no matter how much they need a hit – without making the List of Shame.