← 7 Celebrities Who Changed Their Lives for the Better After Serving Time

Akon-620×480

By Anslem Samuel | Published October 27, 2011 | Full size is 620 × 480 pixels

AKON Before becoming a global music icon, Akon (born Aliaune Damala Badara Thiam) ran a high-end car theft ring in New Jersey, and ended up serving a three-year probationary sentence for gun possession. While in prison, the Senegalese-American singer took to writing to express his distress with incarceration. His latent talents led to a record deal and in 2004 Akon released his chart-topping single, “Locked Up,” which recounted his experiences and feelings behind bars. His musical success as an artist led the once-troubled entertainer to start his own labels, Konvict Muzik and Kon Live Distribution, which are home to stars like T-Pain and Lady Gaga, respectively.

AKON

Before becoming a global music icon, Akon (born Aliaune Damala Badara Thiam) ran a high-end…