Rating: NNN
Akon’s sophomore effort is one of those albums that begins at its peak and gradually disappoints as it slides onward. The first track, Shake Down, is a blustery call to arms that finds the singer (born Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam) in his sincere nasal register over echoing mixtape-style yells, flowing with more life than his fellow St. Louisian Nelly ever has. Momentum is maintained through the next few tracks. Alongside cameos by Styles P, Snoop and Eminem, Akon excels — his forte is being the bad guy/playa. As Konvicted gets more heartfelt, the songs get more cookie-cutter, making the singer who thrives in the club sound unexcited by his own sentimentality.
