Akon Recalls How Eminem Produced “Smack That” and Taught Him a Life-Changing Lesson

Akon recently sat down with Andrew Schulz on the FLAGRANT podcast, delivering a fascinating, behind-the-scenes look into the creation of his 2006 mega-hit “Smack That.” During the candid conversation, the multi-platinum artist reflected on how Shady Records signee Obie Trice initially acted as the bridge to Eminem, though the road to getting the legendary Detroit rapper on a track required some careful maneuvering around Em’s longtime manager, Paul Rosenberg.

“I love working with Eminem. Obie Trice was the one who connected me with Em. I had this record I did with Obie. I was like ‘Obie, don’t worry, you don’t gotta pay me, I just need a feature from Em.’ He was like, ‘ah man, gotta talk to Rosenberg about that.’ He was like ‘he ain’t gonna let that happen, we have to get to Em directly.’ So Obie was like, ‘Just come to Detroit, I just take you to the studio.’ I was like ‘Nah, man, I don’t want to be Rosenberg’s bad side, so let me just call him first.’ So I called Rosenberg and I was like ‘yo, I got this record I want to do with Em. What do you think?’ He said, ‘send it to me.’ I didn’t have it at that time. [laughs] So I got to Detroit and now we are posted cause you don’t really know where Em’s gonna be. So we post outside the studio. Em doesn’t show up that day. So I was like, he might show up at night. Obie was like, ‘nah, he never come up late night. Em does not operate that way.’ So we came 6 a.m. in the morning so we don’t miss him. So, Em finally shows up.” said Akon.

Once inside the studio, the dynamic completely shifted. Akon arrived ready to pitch his own material, but he was completely caught off guard when Eminem revealed his own extensive catalog of beats. It was during this listening session that Akon discovered a side of Eminem’s artistry that he hadn’t fully realized existed, ultimately leading to the birth of the lead single for his sophomore album, Konvicted.

Akon continued: “I came with my little briefcase with all my tracks and everything. And Em was like ‘I got mad records for you too.’ I wanna play you few records. So, he was like ‘I produce too.’ I didn’t even know Em produced. I had no idea. Bro, when that ‘Smack That’ track came on. I was like ‘yo! This s–t is crazy! Can I get that?!’ He said ‘hell, yeah!’ So, I take the track and he gave me four more. I picked five tracks. When I finished ‘Smack That’ I let Eminem hear it and he was like ‘yo, this is crazy! This is a hit!’ That track was produced solely by Eminem. A lot of people don’t know that. They thought I produced it. That was the only track on my album that I didn’t produce. So, I told Em, ‘If you think this is the hit, you should jump on that.’ He was like ‘yeah, I’ll think about it.'”

Beyond the creative synergy, the studio session also provided Akon with a profound realization about work-life balance. Used to the chaotic, around-the-clock lifestyle typical of most musicians, Akon was stunned when Eminem abruptly packed up and left mid-afternoon, revealing a strict, disciplined routine that fundamentally altered how Akon approached his own career and family life moving forward.

“So, he goes to lunch. We come back. 5 o’clock come. I’m like, ‘where is Em?’ They were like ‘Em left.’ I said ‘where did he go?’ They said ‘he went home.’ I was like ‘oh, s–t, he went home while we were working?’ He treats it like real 9 to 5 job. After that I started to really manage my time better in life. Cause I realized I could make time with my kids and my family and not be consumed by the studio all day, every day.” said Akon.

The discipline paid off immediately. When Eminem returned the following morning, he brought with him a finished contribution that blew Akon away. The unexpected verse solidified the track as a collaborative masterpiece, turning what could have been a standard feature swap into one of the most defining anthems of the 2000s.

He then continued: “He comes back next day. He said ‘I made a little adjustments, so I want you to hear it.’ He starts playing, my verse comes on. Then his verse comes on. I said ‘WOAH, WOAH, S–T!’ BRING THAT BACK! BRING THAT BACK.’ I heard the verse and I was like ‘this s–t is so impossible!’ Then I’m like ‘whose record its gonna be though?’ He was like ‘bro, it’s on your album!'”

Two decades later, the fruits of that legendary Detroit morning are still paying off in a massive way. Later in the interview, Akon said ‘Smack That’ still generates $800,000 yearly for him from Royalties. The staggering figure is a testament to the track’s timeless appeal and enduring legacy, proving that Eminem’s legendary 9-to-5 work ethic creates music that truly lasts a lifetime. You can watch the interview below:

Akon Eminem