Akon & Ne-Yo Bring R&B Nostalgia to Toronto—WWETV Looks Back at Exclusive Archive Interviews

TORONTO — As Akon and Ne-Yo brought thousands of fans together during Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival weekend, WorldWide Entertainment TV is revisiting two exclusive archive interviews that captured both artists during a defining period of their careers.

Long before streaming nostalgia tours became the norm, WWETV UK spoke with Akon before taking the stage in London, while also going backstage with Crystal Renay Smith during Ne-Yo’s concert in England.

Together, the interviews provide a snapshot of two R&B icons whose influence continues to resonate nearly a decade later.

Akon: “An Award Doesn’t Justify Your Impact”

During WWETV’s exclusive interview, Akon reflected on his humanitarian work in Africa before discussing one of the most surprising facts of his career.

Despite producing countless hits and helping launch artists through Konvict Muzik, Akon revealed he had never won a Grammy or MTV Award.

“I don’t think an award justifies your impact.”

Instead, Akon explained that real success comes from changing lives and creating music that connects with people around the world.

The interview also explored:

• Akon Lighting Africa initiative
• Billboard chart success
• Konvict Muzik vs. Konvict Kartel
• Discovering new artists
• Global touring

The conversation remains one of WWETV UK’s strongest music interviews, accumulating more than 12,500 YouTube views while maintaining nearly 5 minutes of average watch time, showing continued audience interest years after publication.

Crystal Renay on Life During the Ne-Yo Era

WWETV also caught up backstage with Crystal Renay Smith before a Ne-Yo performance, discussing how her life had changed as she balanced television, entrepreneurship and family life.

The interview touched on:

The Platinum Life
Building a culinary brand
Life in the public eye
Rapid-fire lifestyle choices
Supporting Ne-Yo while developing her own career

Although centered on Crystal’s perspective, the interview offers fans a behind-the-scenes look at the Ne-Yo touring experience during one of R&B’s biggest periods.

Watch the interview