Polygamy Past And 9 Kids Could Complicate Akon’s Divorce Battle

Akon is no stranger to headlines about his personal life. The "Smack That" rapper, born Alioune Badara Thiam, has openly embraced polygamy, fathering nine children and being linked to multiple women who have claimed to be his wives. Three years ago, he confirmed his sprawling family dynamic, and then one year later, musician Amirror went as far as to allege she was one of his four spouses. Now, Akon’s complicated family world is colliding with the legal system, as his longtime wife Tomeka Thiam has filed for divorce after nearly three decades of marriage.

According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, Thiam filed for divorce on September 11, just four days before what would have been the couple’s 29th wedding anniversary. She cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the split and listed their date of separation as “TBD.”

The paperwork also revealed that the pair share a 17-year-old daughter named Journey. Thiam requested joint legal custody but asked for physical custody of their teen, with Akon receiving visitation rights. She is also seeking spousal support and has asked the court to deny Akon any financial support from her.

So far, Akon has not commented publicly on the filing.

The divorce could become even messier given Akon’s unconventional family life. The Senegal-born artist has repeatedly defended polygamy, pointing to its acceptance in his home country, though U.S. law does not recognize the practice. With nine children and several women linked to him, dividing assets and custody could prove complicated as the proceedings play out.

The split comes as a shock to fans who have followed the couple’s decades-long relationship. Akon and Thiam married in 1996, years before his rise to international stardom. Their marriage survived rumors, scrutiny, and Akon’s public embrace of polygamy, but now, just shy of 29 years, it appears to have come to an end.

Over the years, Akon has been outspoken about his personal beliefs when it comes to relationships and family structure. In a 2022 appearance on "The Zeze Millz Show," the Grammy-nominated artist confirmed he is the father of nine children and openly embraced polygamy, a practice recognized in his home country of Senegal.

“[Polygamy is] part of our culture. Absolutely,” he explained during the interview. “For me, it looks normal, because it’s culture for us. We didn’t go outside of our African culture when we got to the Western world. See, the flaw that the Western world made is they created all these rules without putting nature into account.”

In 2023, musician Amirror claimed she was among Akon’s four wives, which reignited speculation about his family life.

Despite the rumors, the “Don’t Matter” hitmaker has maintained that his focus has always been on being a present father. “I’m there for all nine of my kids,” he said, stressing that his responsibility is to raise them “to be responsible, to be understanding” and to “protect their mother.”

He went on to clarify what his role means day to day. “My job ain't to be doing all that extra stuff and these holidays and recitals," he said. "While I’m taking care of my responsibility to make sure the family has a roof over their head and food, if I have the time to do that and show love, yes, I will do that. Communication allows me to be there every day. That’s what my FaceTime phone is for.”

While his personal life may be in turmoil, Akon’s professional empire and financial standing remain as impressive as ever. According to Celebrity Net Worth, the “Chammak Challo” hitmaker is worth an estimated $50 million, if not more, as of 2025.

Even without releasing major musical projects in recent years, Akon continues to cash in through royalties and an array of business ventures. At the height of his career, he was among the industry’s top earners, pulling in around $20 million in 2009 alone. His record labels, Konvict Muzik and KonLive Distribution, helped launch the careers of stars like Lady Gaga and Gwen Stefani, solidifying his influence in pop and R&B.

The rapper and producer has also branched out far beyond music. He’s dabbled in fashion, invested in diamond mines, and spearheaded several futuristic tech initiatives. His most ambitious undertaking is Akon City, a proposed $6 billion smart city in Senegal. Although the project has faced delays, it just goes to show how expansive his entrepreneurial ambitions are.