Akon, the voice behind global anthems like “Locked Up” and “Smack That,” found himself on the wrong side of the law last week. The 52-year-old Grammy-nominated artist was taken into custody in DeKalb County, Georgia, on the morning of November 7, 2025.
Police records confirm the Chamblee Police Department made the arrest. Akon, whose legal name is Aliaune Thiam, spent roughly six hours in jail before being released the same day.
His now-viral mugshot shows a bald, serious-faced Akon staring straight ahead. He wears a black hoodie with faint white lettering across the chest, adding an unexpectedly casual touch to the otherwise grim booking photo.
The arrest wasn’t random. A bench warrant had been active for two months, issued by authorities in Roswell, Georgia. It all began on September 10, 2025, when Akon’s Tesla Cybertruck ran out of battery, leaving him stranded on the roadside.
Officers responded to assist. But a routine check revealed his driver’s license had been suspended since January 2023, due to a failure to appear in court. They issued a citation, confiscated his license, and even seized an illegal vape pen found in the vehicle’s center console.
Akon was allowed to leave that day. But ignoring the citation triggered the warrant that finally caught up with him in November.
Sources close to the situation say the singer was unaware of the outstanding warrant until the arrest. He has made no public statement, but his social media activity remained uninterrupted after release.
Just days later, Akon jetted off to India, where he’s currently performing on tour. Fans in Mumbai and Delhi have packed venues, seemingly unbothered by the Georgia drama.
This isn’t Akon’s first brush with legal trouble, though past incidents were far more serious. In 2007, he faced charges after tossing a fan offstage during a concert. Those were later dropped.
This time, the charge is minor, a misdemeanor at most. Still, the irony isn’t lost: the man who sang “I’m locked up, they won’t let me out” now has a real mugshot to match the lyrics.
As of now, court records show no upcoming hearing. Akon’s team has not responded to requests for comment.
For a man who once dreamed of building a futuristic city in Senegal, a suspended license feels like a small bump in the road. But in the age of viral news, even small stories travel fast.
And yes, Akon’s still got the internet talking.
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