While speaking to TMZ, Akon went on to say his comments stem from personal experiences since he has lived on both sides of the narrative.
Akon went on to say, “Sometimes when comments like that are made, like, me, I always speak according to what I’m personally going through myself. Nobody can sit there and tell me that I didn’t go through poverty.” He continued saying, “I was the young African kid barefooted playing soccer in a village with no electricity, no running water, I know what that felt like. And believe me, I know what poverty looks like. But I also know what success looks like. And from my personal experience, I’m having more problems successfully dealing with all that comes with success than I had when I was poor. I was actually happier when I was poor.”