Akon‘s plan to construct a $6 billion Akon Metropolis in Senegal, supported by his personal Akoin cryptocurrency, is just not understanding. Even the best-laid plans, amirite?
The 2018 proposal imagined a virtuous cycle of financial funding within the Republic of Senegal. Graphic representations depicted curving skyscrapers, as each singer and nation cultivated comparisons to the Wakanda of Black Panther.
Now the BBC has formally confirmed what anybody following the story has lengthy suspected: It’s not going to occur. As a substitute, the singer and his residence nation will deal with a extra “real looking” challenge.
“The Akon Metropolis challenge not exists,” in accordance with Serigne Mamadou Mboup, the top of Senegal’s tourism growth physique, Sapco. “Thankfully, an settlement has been reached between Sapco and the entrepreneur [Akon] Alioune Badara Thiam. What he’s making ready with us is a practical challenge, which Sapco will absolutely assist.”
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Earlier than it was known as off, development had received so far as an incomplete reception constructing with out roads, water, or energy.
Akon broke out along with his 2004 hit “Lonely,” and subsequent blockbuster singles together with “Smack That” with Eminem, “Don’t Matter,” and “I Wanna Love You” that includes Snoop Dogg made him a world star. However you possibly can rely on two fingers the variety of musicians who’ve turned their hundreds of thousands into billions — and regardless of his accomplishments, Akon could be an opener for all of them.
The scheme at all times trusted his Akoin changing into the subsequent large cryptocurrency, which might have required higher luck — and higher monetary instincts. “It wasn’t being managed correctly,” Akon conceded in 2022. “I take full accountability for that.”
Since then, Akon has ready for a return to music, releasing a number of 2025 singles forward of a brand new album.