Akon is under fire after comments he made on VladTv, where he was asked about his view on slavery in Senegal where he grew up. The rapper said he believed Senegalese no longer though of slavery because they’ve “overcome” it unlike Black Americans.
“In Senegal, we’ve kind of overcome the thought of slavery, we don’t even think about it,” Akon said in the interview with VladTV. “The only time we think about it, honestly, is when we’re doing tours at Goree Island. Outside of that, people have lived and moved way beyond the slavery concept …”
Akon went on to say Black Americans would benefit by “letting go” of slavery according to Complex.
“I think it’s the art of just letting the past go and moving towards the future,” he added. “And I think, in the U.S., they have this stigma of just not letting go of the past and blaming the past on every mishap or, you know, disappointment. I think as long as you hold onto that past, there’s a lot of weight that you carry with you everywhere you go. It’s hard to move forward and move fast when you got a weight on your back. You just gotta let it go.”
Akon also said African-Americans need to “understand their worth” and accept that America isn’t sorry for the history of slavery.
“They’re not sorry. They don’t care. It’s obvious,” he said, before encouraging Black people to move to Africa. “Do you want to stay here and continued to be treated this way? Or just go back home, where you’re not no longer the minority. You actually are the majority, and you control your destiny, your future, and your land … They just need to go … America did a good job at brainwashing. The moment you mention Africa, they start shaking. They don’t even know why.”
Akon’s comments received backlash on social.
@Akon aye bruh no funnies africans aint dwelling on being slaves because yhey are no longer the minorities of africa when in america we got 11 year old kids get shot by police for having a wii remote opening the door
— Big ?LIME (@wopblocktre) August 11, 2020
We (ADOS) are not looking to Black immigrants; to take up our cause for reparations, including you Akon! We were built for this once in a life time, sacred mission to , avenge our ancestors. Check out what Akon says about Negros (ADOS) ….https://t.co/V3mxyiLMeD
— ADOS NORTH TOWN (@ADOS_now) August 11, 2020
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