During a recent appearance on the We Need to Talk podcast, the “Lonely” singer confirmed that he has multiple wives, though he stopped short of revealing exactly how many. Instead, he said he’d “leave that to your imagination.”
One part of the conversation that quickly grabbed attention was the strict structure he says exists inside the relationship. According to Akon, he is the only man allowed in the dynamic, and his wives are not permitted to have other partners.
He also explained that there’s a clear hierarchy within the household, with his first wife holding a protected status above the others.
“That one is the reason you even got one, two or three. She’s the queen,” Akon said during the interview. “Nobody violates wife No. 1. The moment they violate, [they’re] out the door.”
The singer described his first wife as the person making the biggest sacrifice in the arrangement, especially as new personalities and relationships are added into the family over time. He claimed the setup ultimately benefits the women because he believes the responsibility falls on him to provide equally for everyone involved.
Akon also stressed that communication is what keeps the entire dynamic functioning.
“You got to be mature enough to know… this I like, this I don’t like,” he explained, adding that everyone involved has to agree on the rules and stick to them.
The comments come months after reports that Akon’s longtime wife, Tomeka Thiam, filed for divorce in 2025 after nearly three decades of marriage. According to People, the divorce filing happened just before what would have been their 29th wedding anniversary.
As expected, the interview sparked heavy debate online, especially surrounding the imbalance of rules in the relationship and Akon’s comments about women benefiting more from the arrangement. Some defended the lifestyle as consensual between adults, while others criticized the double standard almost immediately.
Follow us for more stories like this.
