Akon continues to catch backlash following his controversial views on slavery. The 47-year-old music artist, who’s originally from Senegal, shared his thoughts on slavery during a recent interview with VLAD TV.
Akon compared the impact of slavery on Senegalese and Black Americans.
“In Senegal, we’ve kind of overcome the thought of slavery, we don’t even think about it,” Akon shared. “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 continued by saying that Black Americans should move beyond the traumatic past of slavery.
“I think it’s the art of just letting the past go and moving towards the future,” Akon continued. “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, however, failed to mention that Blacks in America also dealt with legal abuse following slavery, such as Jim Crow laws, lynching by American terrorists such as the KKK, voter suppression and mass incarceration, to name a few issues.
Akon ended his statement by saying Blacks from America should move to Africa.
“Do you want to stay here and continue to be treated this way? Or just go back home, where you’re not no longer the minority,” Akon expressed. “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 really said that Africans have moved passed slavery and that Americans need to do the same. Sir it’s easy for Africans to get past it, they are not living in American where white supremacy reigns TF. 😑
— Jah (@Makeitniceee) August 12, 2020
@Akon I would appreciate it if you chose not to speak on issues that black Americans are having to deal or have dealt with.
Telling black people to just let go of slavery is wild af especially when we are dealing with a more modern form slavery with police brutality.
— 👀 (@2DeVelle3) August 12, 2020
