Akon In Brief Run-In With The Law Amid Divorce Drama

Akon has reportedly been arrested.

The "Locked Up" hitmaker got caught up with law enforcement agents over a suspended license. Although it did not result in the singer getting thrown behind bars, his official mugshot is now in the system.

Akon is no stranger to legal woes, as he is entangled in a complicated divorce situation due to his polygamous family. His career also faced several troubles from a business partner, staining his record in the industry.

The singer got arrested last Thursday in Georgia. He got booked in DeKalb County over a suspended license. His arrest stemmed from a warrant from Roswell in Georgia's Fulton County. As confirmed, this was an out-of-county warrant.

The warrant was issued on September 10, after a police officer noticed the musician's Tesla Cybertruck was stranded with a dead battery. The officer then issued a citation for Akon when he realized that he had a suspended license for failure to appear in court, far back in January 2023.

The officer noticed this while they were waiting for the tow truck to arrive. Upon his arrest, Akon was detained for a while and released six hours later. His mugshot was taken, and Photos by Page Six showed he wore a black hoodie.

Akon openly embraced polygamy as he fathered nine children from several women. Multiple women also raise claims of being his wives, including musician Amirror, who boldly alleged to be one of his four wives.

After almost three decades of marriage, his longtime wife, Homeland Thiam, filed for a divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. The dramatic move was made just four days from what should have been their 29th anniversary.

The exact separation date was not listed in the filed paperwork, but it revealed the pair shares a 17-year-old daughter, Journey. Since she is not legally an adult, Thiam requested full physical custody but joint legal custody. She also asked for spousal support and to grant Akon visitation rights to their daughter.

As reported by The Blast, due to his unconventional marital lifestyle, the divorce could get messier if his assets were to be divided, as polygamy is not legal in the U.S.

Akon, born Alioune Badara Thiam, is a Senegal-born artist. He has openly defended polygamy as it is accepted in his home country.

He claims that polygamy is a part of his culture and that it looks normal to him. He stressed that being in the Western world does not imply that he would let go of his African culture and that being monogamous was actually going against nature.

He confirmed that he is the father of nine children and a responsible one indeed. His responsibility to his family entails providing a roof over their heads and food. Every other thing, like holidays and recitals, he sees as "extra stuff" and would only do them if he had the time.

The popular singer was raised by his mother, Tomeka Thiam, and her background greatly influenced how she raised her son. Her Senegalese heritage impacted Akon with a wide range of values, traditions, and even influenced his musical taste.

Akon's musical style has roots intertwined with the rhythms and melodies of Senegalese music. He also grew up around his extended family, who played active roles in raising him, and this taught him the importance of family. 

Tomeka greatly encouraged her son's passion for music and gave him all her support to pursuehis dreams of becoming an artist. She recognised his talent and encouraged him to develop it.

According to Blackburn, her life experiences,  cultural heritage, andfamily values, among other experiences, shaped the artist into who he is today.

The singer got entangled with some personal and career legal struggles a few years back. His name in the music industry got smeared as a result of the repeated cases.

Akon and his ex-business partner, Devyne Stephens, who is the owner and creator of UpFront Records and also the one who placed Akon on the path to fame, got into a legal brawl.

Stephens originally sued Akon for roughly $4 million in 2021, arguing that the singer owed him money from a previous legal settlement. When the case went unresolved, he then asked to have all of Akon's New York assets frozen.

The Blast notes that he accused Akon further of deception, but the singer alleged that Stephens was acting solely out of spite and was in the running to ruin his name and image.