Akon is stepping into uncharted musical territory—remixing his entire catalog into country music, and he’s been quietly working on it for years. In a recent interview with TMZ Hip Hop in New York City, the Senegalese-American superstar revealed that he’s been developing country collaborations behind the scenes for over five years, and fans will finally start hearing the results as early as next month.
Akon Taps Country Stars for Revamped Classics
Rather than simply experimenting with country-infused tracks, Akon is going all in. He’s re-recording his biggest hits—like “Locked Up” and “Smack That”—with a country spin, enlisting top country stars like Morgan Wallen and Jelly Roll to help reimagine the sound.
“This has been an idea for years—like forever,” Akon shared. “The project has been in motion for the last five years. But starting next month, y’all gonna start seeing all the releases.”
In a surprising twist, Akon won’t be the lead vocalist on most of the tracks. Instead, he’s flipping the script.
“They’re country artists featuring me,” he explained. “They’re the ones performing them.”
A Genre-Bending Movement Gains Steam
Akon’s country venture joins a growing list of genre-blending crossovers. From Nelly and Tim McGraw’s 2004 hit “Over and Over” to BigXthaPlug’s recent success with Bailey Zimmerman, the fusion of country and hip-hop continues to evolve.
Even Snoop Dogg has joined the wave, exploring country sounds through a gospel-country hybrid project and collaborations with artists like ERNEST.
Akon, who rose to fame in the early 2000s with chart-toppers like “Lonely” and “Don’t Matter”, believes the time is right for a genre refresh.
“There’s a whole new audience out there,” he noted. “This is about bridging the gap between cultures and sounds. The energy is insane.”
With his strong track record as both a hitmaker and music mogul, Akon’s country revival may just be the next big genre revolution.
