Akon arrested for failing to attend court on license suspension

Hip-hop artist Akon was arrested last Friday in the Atlanta suburb of Chamblee for failing to appear in court on a citation for driving with a suspended license, according to local police records, leading to a brief jail stay before his release on bail the same day.

The incident stems from a September 10 traffic stop in Roswell, where police found the singer, whose legal name is Aliaune Thiam, in a disabled Tesla Cybertruck on a busy street.

A records check revealed his license was suspended due to a previous failure to appear in court in January 2023 and that he had no valid auto insurance.

Police impounded the vehicle and issued a citation. A warrant was later issued after he missed his court date for that citation, leading to his arrest when a traffic camera detected the impounded Cybertruck at a business on Friday.

Quick release and international tour

After his arrest by Chamblee police, Thiam was transferred to the custody of the Roswell police and booked into jail. He posted bail and was released the same day.

Despite the legal trouble, the artist, who is currently on tour, performed in Delhi, India, just two days after the arrest.

Representatives for the Grammy-nominated singer of hits like "Smack That" and "Locked Up" did not immediately respond to requests for comment.