Akon, the singer known for “Smack That” and other hits, was arrested last week in Atlanta on an outstanding warrant, according to multiple local reports.
Police were alerted to Akon’s location last Friday by a surveillance camera outside a window-tinting business in DeKalb County, according to Fox5 Atlanta. He was arrested on a bench warrant in the late morning, transferred between jails, then released just six hours later, Page Six reported. His vehicle wasn’t impounded, CBS News said.
The warrant stems from a September incident that found Akon, whose legal name is Aliaune Badara Thiam, stranded in his white Tesla Cybertruck in Fulton County. His battery was dead, Page Six said. Akon was cited at that time for driving with a suspended license that was linked to his failure to appear at an unrelated court case in 2023.
The singer’s wife, Tomeka Thiam, filed for divorce in early September, seeking joint legal custody of their 17-year-old daughter Journey, with Akon allowed visitation, according to People. The documents were filed Sept. 11, right before what would have been their 29th anniversary.
Since his arrest, the “Right Now (Na Na Na) singer has been on tour in India, hitting Delhi last Sunday. He has shows coming up in Bengalaru on Friday and Mumbai this coming Sunday.
