Senegalese-American singer Akon has said musicians are not as wealthy as many assume.

He claimed that, contrary to the flamboyant aesthetics and luxurious lifestyles that many artists flaunt on social media and in music videos, a lot of them are not financially stable.

Speaking in an interview with Hip Hop Eye, Akon explained that music is lucrative, but it is the executives and those behind the scenes who make more money, not the artistes.

“In the music industry, the artiste 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 the music business, like being a producer, songwriter, manager, agent, or attorney. There are so many areas in the entertainment field that you can really maximise,” he said.