Locked Up[Trouble]Akon

"Locked Up" is the debut single by American singer Akon, taken as the lead single from his debut studio album, Trouble. The single was released in 2004, reaching #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and #5 on the UK Singles Chart in the United Kingdom, becoming his first Top 10 hit in both countries.


Although it was widely regarded that "Lonely" offered the album's best option in terms of commercial breakthrough, SRC Records A&R and producer Knobody chose "Locked Up" as the first single because he wanted to break Akon in the streets first, and then work towards a cross-over. In an interview for HitQuarters, he claimed: "Locked Up" is a street record. I thought that was the place for us to start to get a fan-base, knowing that weight. We thought really carefully about the record, what touches people and will get people's attention - so we added references of his kin and kith sending him magazines, money-orders, to visit him, ask where his lawyer is, accept his phone calls and ask where're my niggaz on lockdown?. The song was designed a breakout hit for Akon, something that could shape the future of his personal life and widely successful musical career. I worked on what I call "drops" – points in the record where it feels different, to break the monotony and make it a little more interesting."[1] Knobody produced an alternate of the song, featuring Taz & Styles P, which appears as both a b-side on the single and as a bonus track on the UK version of the album. In 2004, T-Pain sampled the song in a parody recording "I'm Fudged Up". In 2005, the song was sampled in the track "Won't Let Me Out" by C-Murder. A music video was produced to promote the single. The video was directed by FlyyKai, and was edited to both the album version and the remix featuring Taz & Styles P.


Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40 64
Belgium (Ultratop 40 Wallonia) 26
France (SNEP) 12
Germany (Media Control AG) 15
Ireland (IRMA) 10
Netherlands (Mega Single Top 100) 71
Spain (PROMUSICAE) 19
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 19
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) 5
US Billboard Hot 100 8
US Pop Songs (Billboard) 29
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) 6


Lyrics:::---:::

I'm steady tryna find a motive,
Why do what I do?,
Freedom ain't gettin no closer,
No matter how far I go,
My car is stolen, no registration,
Cops patrolin, and now they done stop me,
And I get locked up,

[Chorus]
They won't let me out, they won't let me out, (I'm locked up)
They won't let me out no, they won't let me out, (I'm locked up)
They won't let me out, they won't let me out, (I'm locked up)
They won't let me out no, they won't let me out

Headin up town to re-up
Back with a couple of keys
Corner blocks on fire,
Under covers dressed as fiends,
Makin so much money,
Ride up smooth and fast,
Put away the stash,
And as I sold the last bag ****ed around and got locked up

[Chorus]

'Cause visitation no longer comes by,
Seems like they forgot about me
Commissary is gettin' empty
My cell mates gettin' food wit out me

Can't wait to get out and move forward with my life,
Got a family that loves me and wants me to do right
But instead I'm here locked up

[Chorus]

Maybe a visit (they won't let me out)
Send me some magazines (they won't let me out)
Send me some money orders (they won't let me out, no)
Maybe a visit baby (they won't let me out)
'cause I'm locked up, they won't let me out.
Where's my lawyer? (they won't let me out)
I'm locked up, they won't let me out, no.
Get me outta here (they won't let me out)
I'm locked up, they won't let me out, they won't let me out.
Baby I'm locked up they won't let me out, no
Where's my *****z?
On the lock-down.
Damn, I'm locked up, they won't let me out.
I'm locked up, they won't let me out.
Ohhh... they won't let me out.
Can you please accept my phone calls?
'Cause I'm locked up, locked up, locked up.