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Music: Akon interview; Part 1 of 5 ENGLAND: London: GIR: INT Akon (singer and entrepreneur) STUDIO INTERVIEW SOT Presenter SOT: You are a fascinating artist, because you have leveraged your huge popularity into business and merchandise and Akon city and even cryptocurrency - But first, you find yourself in the international media this weekend -" Akon (singer and entrepreneur) SOT: "Right" (laughs) Presenter SOT "Because of something that happened on Friday, when you did an interview about Kanye West (Ye) (singer and entrepreneur) - well not about Kanye West, but you were asked about it (presenter referring to what Kanye had said) - and a lot of people have been offended by that - do you understand why people are upset by what you said? Would you like to say anything to clear it up?" Akon (singer and entrepreneur) SOT: "Well actually now, I clearly understand - but what I... but I think it caught me completely off guard when she asked me the question - it was asked how did I feel about Kanye's remarks? - and Kanye makes remarks everyday, I had no idea that not even 24 hours before that the remarks were based on some Hitler comment - that I found out that even by myself by surprise that I am supposedly supporting that - anyone that knows me knows that, me and Kanye are no way near the same - we have totally different views - I would never in any circumstance, hold the same position as Kanye in that matter - you know - um - Ultimately my conversation, well my response was about, a persons opinion, and I always felt that anyone in the world is based and should have freedom to their own opinion" Presenter SOT: "But do you feel that what ever the opinion is.. do you mean that somebody can have the freedom to say anything no matter how outrageous - no matter how offensive? - you know he was praising Hitler, praising Nazi's-" Akon (singer and entrepreneur) SOT: "Right" Presenter SOT: "He was telling lies - he was saying the Holocaust...