"Locked Up" is the debut single by American singer Akon

Akon

Aliaune Damala Badara Thiam, better known as simply Akon , is a Senegalese American R&B recording artist and songwriter.According to Forbes, Akon grossed $21 million in 2010, $20 million in 2009 and $12 million in 2008. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up", the first...

, taken as the lead single from his debut studio album, Trouble

Trouble (Akon album)

-Chart positions:-Certifications:- Chart prossesion and succession :...

. The single was released in 2004, reaching #4 on the UK Singles Chart

UK Singles Chart

The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

 and #8 on the Billboard Hot 100

Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

, becoming his first Top 10 hit in both countries.

Background

Although it was widely regarded that "Lonely

Lonely (Akon song)

"Lonely" is a single by Senegalese-American singer Akon, it appears on his debut album, Trouble. The single was released in 2005 and was his first worldwide hit. It reached number one in several countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany , and Australia...

" offered the album's best option in terms of commercial breakthrough, SRC Records

SRC Records

SRC Records is an American record label created by former Loud Records CEO Steve Rifkind. It is a subsidiary of Universal Music Group and is distributed through Universal Republic Records.-Company history:...

 A&R and producer Knobody

Knobody

Jerome Foster, better known as Knobody, is an American music producer and A&R. Knobody has produced records across different genres including soul, R&B, hip hop and rock for several multi-platinum artists including Jay-Z, Ne-Yo, Akon, The Game, Big Pun, Mýa and R.E.M....

 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

HitQuarters

HitQuarters is an international music industry publication and contact database founded in 1999. It is noted for in-depth interviews with industry figures, with past subjects including Simon Cowell, Martin Kierszenbaum, Jason Flom, Diane Warren, Peter Edge, Ron Fair and RedOne, as well as its A&R...

, 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." 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

T-Pain

Faheem Rasheed Najm , better known by his stage name T-Pain, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor, currently signed to Young Money Entertainment. His debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, was released in 2005. In 2007, T-Pain released his second studio album Epiphany,...

sampled the song in a parody recording "I'm Fucked 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.

Tracklisting

UK CD Single

1. "Locked Up" - 3:56
2. "Locked Up" (Featuring Styles P) - 3:50
3. "Locked Up" (Featuring Taz & Styles P) - 3:54
4. "Locked Up" (Video) (Featuring Taz & Styles P) - 3:54

UK 12" Vinyl

1. "Locked Up" - 3:56
2. "Locked Up" (Featuring Styles P) - 3:50
3. "Locked Up" (Featuring Taz & Styles P) - 3:54
4. "Locked Up" (Instrumental) - 3:56

German CD Single

1. "Locked Up" (Featuring Azad) - 3:50
2. "Locked Up" (Without Rap) - 3:33
3. "Locked Up" (Featuring Styles P) - 3:50
4. "Gunshot" - 2:56

UK Promo Single - The Global Remixes

1. "Locked Up" - 3:56
2. "Locked Up" (Featuring Styles P) - 3:50
3. "Locked Up" (Featuring Taz & Styles P) - 3:56
4. "Locked Up" (Featuring Azad) - 3:50
5. "Locked Up" (Featuring Savage) - 3:50
6. "Locked Up" (Featuring Booba) - 3:50
7. "Locked Up" (Featuring Mayhem) - 4:22
8. "Locked Up" (Featuring Julio Voltio) - 3:50

Charts

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Chart (2004)	Peak position