Senegalese-American rapper Aliaune Badara Thiam, popularly known as Akon, has posited that artistes are not as financially buoyant as people think.

Speaking in an interview with Hip Hop Eye, he acknowledged the lucrative and flamboyant lifestyle portrayed by artistes, labelling it all a facade and part of the showbiz.

According to Akon, the financial strength of the music industry rests on other sectors comprising of individuals who are not as famous as the artistes.

He further added that anyone who wants to gain finances would have to settle for the background job, while artistes who are the popular ones are broke.

He said:
"In the music industry, the artist is the last to get paid. He is the broke one but he is the most famous. If you want to be broke and famous, be the artist.

“But if you want to make real money go to other sectors of music business, like the producer, songwriter, manager, agent and attorney. There are so many areas in the entertainment field that you can really maximise."