The “Locked Up” artist explained the situation during the April 30 episode of Bootleg Kev’s eponymous podcast.

Akon addressed his previous admission about enlisting his brother Abou “Bu” Thiam as a body-double who performed his concert when he was overbooked. Akon said he and Bu carried out the ruse to ensure no money was left on the table, suggesting they both profited from the move. But it wasn’t just Bu who would front as Akon; the artist’s other brother, Omar Thiam, allegedly pulled off similar stunts early on in Akon’s career—and he did so behind Akon’s back. 

The Grammy-nominated singer spoke about Bu’s body-double plots in a 2022 interview on The Morning Hustle, revealing Bu once filled in for him at a Hot 97-hosted event. He admitted Bu couldn’t sing, so he just lip-synced through the entire gig. Akon said there came a time when he could no longer get away with the stunt, as Bu became an increasingly prominent figure within the music industry.