Akon is finally speaking out about the Smoking Gun article that called the singer/producer a fraud. "It's an article," he said in a recent interview. "Everyone's entitled to their own opinions and views. At the end of the day, the Konvict movement is keeping me out of jail. It's nothing I want to glorify or go back to. Honestly, I'm glad something like that came out, because it opens the minds of other people who're thinking positive." The singer never actually delves into the validity of the claim that he fabricated his criminal past in order to enhance his career.

"We're doing so many positive things," Akon added. "To go back and focus and put energy on negative things like that, to try to discredit an artist, it makes no sense to me. If there was a motive for it, it would be worth entertaining. I'd rather keep it the way it is and leave the article out there. It only helps me. It's not something I was trying to glorify or turn back to. It was something I was trying to forget. Actually, it worked out for me in a positive way." The singer is currently working on his third album, 'Acquitted,' which was originally slated to hit stores this month, but has since been delayed.

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