Once Akon's sun-dappled take on pop made him a certified ‘00s hitmaker, artists from R&B, hip-hop, and pop sought out his magic touch. On Plies' “Hypnotized,” Akon's sparse handclap-and-guitar track supplies a romantic counterpoint to the lust-filled lyrics, while the deliberate beat on “I Tried” allows Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's vocal interplay to shine.