‘Locked Up’ Grammy-nominated singer Akon, 52, arrested

SINGER Akon was arrested in Georgia on an out-of-county warrant and spent hours behind bars, law enforcement officials said.

The 52-year-old singer, real name Aliaune Thiam, was taken into custody by Chamblee Police on the morning of November 7, reportedly on a warrant issued out of Roswell, New Mexico.

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Akon was arrested in Georgia last week on an out-of-county warrantCredit: Getty

The rapper wore a black hoodie and appeared expressionless in his mugshot

Jail records show the star was booked into the DeKalb County Jail and only released some six hours later.

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to TMZ that Akon “got locked up in Georgia after being arrested on a warrant … but he’s already been let out of jail.”

TMZ also reported that the Locked Up rapper posed for a mug shot wearing a black hoodie and appearing mostly expressionless.

It remains unclear what the warrant was for.

Local outlet Channel 2 Action News said it’s still working to learn what led to the Roswell warrant.

Akon’s representatives have not yet commented on the arrest.

The five-time Grammy nominee rose to fame in the early 2000s with hits like Locked Up, Lonely, I Wanna Love You, and Smack That.

The Senegalese-American singer blends R&B with hip-hop and pop, making  him one of the most distinctive voices of the decade.

Apart from his five Grammy nominations, he landed collaborations with artists like Eminem, Snoop Dogg, and Lady Gaga.

In recent years, he’s been focused on philanthropic projects and new music releases.

His “Akon Lighting Africa” initiative has reportedly provided solar power to thousands of communities across the continent.

He’s also ventured into tech and development projects, including a planned futuristic city in Senegal dubbed “Akon City.”

Announced in 2018, the £4.7 billion project was billed as a “real-life Wakanda,” inspired by the high-tech African nation featured in Black Panther.

The site, located near the coastal town of Mbodiène, was intended to be a modern metropolis powered by Akon’s own cryptocurrency, Akoin.

Construction was slated to begin in 2021 and be completed by 2023, but progress has stalled, with the site still described as largely undeveloped and overrun by weeds and cattle.

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The rapper is best known for hits like Lonely and Locked UpCredit: Getty

Akon, real name Aliaune Thiam, was released from jail after approximately six hoursCredit: Getty