MUSIC runs in Akon’s family, his brother Abou “Bu” Thiam also works in entertainment.
Bu has worked with Lady Gaga, T-Pain, Rihanna, Jay-Z, and Kanye West.
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Who is Akon’s brother?
Akon’s younger brother is Abou Thiam, who also happens to be the executive vice president of Columbia Records.
Abou’s position at the record label involves overseeing A&R and strategic initiatives.
Regarding his position with Columbia, he shared with Variety: “I didn’t see myself inside a major label again.
“Columbia is forward-thinking and believes in the future of music.
” I am excited to join a winning and dedicated team to expand the company’s vision and introduce the world to tomorrow’s stars.”
Prior to working with Columbia, Bu also served as Def Jam’s vice president of A&R.
He earned the title at 28 years old and oversaw album campaigns for Rihanna, Jay-Z, and the other aforementioned musicians.
“It was a great experience. I was able to learn from one of the greatest music minds, LA Reid,” Bu recalled about his time with Def Jam to the outlet.
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“LA threw me in the fire early on in my career by allowing me to A&R breakout albums such as Rihanna’s Loud/Talk That Talk and Jay and Ye’s Watch The Throne album.”
On a number of occasions, Akon has even admitted to using his look-alike brother to fill in for him when he can’t make appearances.
The GRAMMY Award nominee confessed to The Morning Hustle: “Bu was my double, he was my double. This was before the Internet.
“If you saw Abou in one place and you saw me, you couldn’t tell the difference.”
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When did Abou date Tracee Ellis Ross?
Bu and Tracee Ellis Ross dated between 2011 and 2013.
While chatting with The Breakfast Club, the executive explained why the romance between him and the Emmy Award nominee came to an end.
Bu revealed: “I believe that being with somebody…it’s like managing a real job.
“It’s a real responsibility and she’s in a place in her career that if I can’t give her all of me, I don’t wanna waste her time.
“I don’t wanna put her in that space, so why not give her the opportunity to find somebody else?”
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