Blame it on me by Akon - The Review

Blame it on Me

Some time in 2007, Akon hosted music concert in Club Zen. The club had a policy of not admitting anyone under 21 years of age. So naturally, it is expected that everyone in the club is 21 and above.

Unknowingly, a 14-year old girl forged a ID and indicated that she was 21. She was allowed into the club. In the middle of the party inside the club, Akon was attracted to the girl. He approached her and danced sexually with her. Meanwhile, as they danced, some of the fans recorded the scene. Few days later, the video went viral. The identity of the girl was reveal and it was revealed that she was indeed 14 and not 21. More disturbing, she was the daughter of a well respected preacher. So naturally, Akon was accused of dancing sexually with an underage girl.

He was arrested, partly because he was black, and had to go through trial. Several people started talking against him, filing all kind of files against him and it was obvious he may not escape being jailed. At that time, Verizon, a phone company was sponsoring a musical tour which involved Akon and Gwen Stefani. As the matter heats up, Verizon withdrew their sponsorhip and even removed his songs from their Ringtones. Akon was left alone to fight his course.

He argued that he couldn't have known that the girl was underage as the club already had a policy against underage people. So if anything happens, the club should be held responsible. After spending almost all of his savings trying to bail himself out, he was finally acquitted. And then he started working on the track, including all of his personal challenges with his family.

In the introduction of the Song Akon says

"So I wanted to take this time out

To apologize for things that I've done

And things that haven't occurred yet"

Here, it is clear he is going out of his way to keep apologizing and “taking the blame” for a lot of things – even though they haven’t even happened. He feels that he is taking responsibility for what was not even his fault.

In the first Stanza he talks about, it was clear he was directly talking to his current wife at that time,

And also includes:

 I'm sorry I'm not always there for my sons

Akon has 6 sons on 3 different women, and he hasn’t devoted much time to any of them. His fame means he’s not always able to spend time with them due to his busy schedule. He also went to jail for grand theft auto for 6 months, meaning less time with his kids.

In the Chorus, he begins:

 "I understand there are some problems

And I'm not too blind to know

All the pain you kept inside you

Even though you might not show

If I can apologize for being wrong

Then it's just a shame on me"

Akon notices that there’s problems all around him and he isn’t turning a blind eye to it. He’s telling his girl that he’s sorry for hurting her and if he can’t apologize then it ruins him deep down.

In verse two, Akon talks to his mom and sends apologies for what he did wrong as a child and growing up.

"I'm sorry that you had to go and sell those bags

Just tryin' to stay busy 'til you heard from Dad

His mom needed an outlet and resorted to selling “bags” of drugs.

I'm sorry that I went and added to your grief

he was getting in trouble, being a bad kid

I'm sorry that your son was once a thief"

In case you didn’t already know, Akon claims he used to steal cars before his musical success.

"I'm sorry that I grew up way too fast"

Akon grew up in the hood where things were hard and he had to sell drugs young while he should’ve been playing at parks like other kids.

Finally in Verse 3, Akon talks about the main issue

"I'm sorry that it took so long to see

That they were dead wrong tryin' to put it on me"

He’s sorry that everyone spent so long blaming him for the Club Zen incident in Trinidad and Tobago, when it wasn’t his fault, it was the club’s fault.

"Just a little young girl tryin' to have fun

Her daddy should've never let her out that young

I'm sorry for Club Zen getting shut down

I hope they manage better next time around"

Akon is referring to the incident where a 14-year-old girl came on stage for ‘grinding competition’. Her prize for winning was being dry humped by Akon.

When the story came out the club was shut down for police investigation. Zen was criticized for allowing her admission without ID.

"How was I to know she was underage?

In a 21-and-older club they say

Why doesn't anybody wanna take blame?"

Akon strongly felt it still was not his fault, since the club was strictly for 21+

"Verizon backed out, disgracing my name"

Verizon, which was sponsoring Akon at the time, ended their partnership with Akon and dropped their sponsorship of The Sweet Escape tour after videos of the incident surfaced

And at the end of the song, or the outro as it is called, he says

"Even though the blame's on you

Even though the blame's on you

Even though the blame's on you"

It’s not Akon’s fault for everything in this last verse, the blame is on others. Some people with blame:

Manager(s) of Club Zen

The girl’s father

In Summary;

Akon is sorry and takes the blame for the bad things he’s done in his life—then he turns things around, singing that he’ll also “take the blame” for others’ mistakes in regard to the incident with the underage girl at the club.

Review Compiled by Younglan Czar

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