Fallout over raunchy Akon show continues

[KiwiCoromandel]

Music star Akon is still suffering from fallout over a raunchy performance with an allegedly underage girl at a nighclub in Trinidad.

An investigation has been launched into the performance, a short clip of which has been posted on YouTube, after Akon "simulated aggressive sexual acts" with the 14-year-old girl on stage.

The father of the girl, a pastor, labelled the performance "atrocious", and the Chaguanas ministry called for Akon to be banned from public performances in the area.

Communications firm Verizon ended its deal with Akon as sponsor of his tour with Gwen Stefani and pulled the artist from its ringtone service, Starpulse.com reported.

The nightclub where the event took place was R18 and has been closed down, the website said.

Akon's album Konvicted is at No. 2 on the New Zealand charts, and the artist features on three songs in the top 20 singles.

He had a worldwide No. 1 hit with Smack That, a track featuring rapper Eminem.

source:Stuff.co.nz

image:Reuters:CUT IT OUT...AKON is still copping flak over a raunchy performance in Trinidad with an alleged UNDERAGE girl.

[Shawn]

What's the big deal? :rolleyes:

Anyway, here is the girl.. I don't think this should be too big of a deal because she doesn't look like a child. I, mean to say, yeah he knew he was dry humping a girl but it would be unreasonable to think she was 14 from how she looked.

[Excrement_Cranium]

What is a minister doing letting his 14 (or 15 I've read) year-old daughter go to clubs dressed like that?

He wants to condemn Akon?

I think daddy has had his finger in the honey pot!!!

[DudeAsInCool]

Doesnt look 14 to me. Many a man could go to jail if she was around...

[KiwiCoromandel]

USHER fires mum as manager...

Usher has fired his mother as his manager, it has been confirmed.

The R'n'B singer was allegedly under pressure from his fiancee Tameka Foster to let Jonetta Patton go because the pair do not get on.

Usher said: "This is great for me because it means I now get to have my mother strictly as my mother, with no added pressure."

The Confessions singer also parted ways from his publicist of almost ten years, Simone Smalls.

She said in a statement: "Change is good! He became one the biggest, modern-day global superstars and talent brands under my guidance."

It was previously reported 28-year-old Usher's fiancee Tameka could be named as his new manager.

A source said: "Tameka and his mom definitely don't get along. Tameka came to Jonetta's birthday on April 6. They hugged and posed for photos, but it was all for the cameras.

"Tameka has a hold over Usher. Nobody can figure it out. Some people think he may make Tameka his manager."

Executives at Usher's label, Jive records, are reportedly worried about Jonetta's sacking.

A second source said: "They think Jonetta's done an incredible job with his career."

The rift between Tameka, 38, and Jonetta is said to date back to when Usher's mother urged him to fire his fianc?as his stylist.

The source said: "Tameka went on the radio and took some shots at Jonetta."

source:Bang! Showbiz

image:www.chroniclejournal.com:USHER and MUM...not happy together?

[KiwiCoromandel]

AKON sorry about underage stage romp...

R&B singer Akon has apologised for an underage liaison that drove phone company Verizon Communications to drop its sponsorship of a tour featuring the chart-topping artist.

Last month, during a concert in Trinidad, Akon engaged in a sexy on-stage dance with 15-year-old fan. After video of the romp circulated online, Verizon this week pulled out of pop singer Gwen Stefani's Sweet Escape tour, on which Akon is the opening act.

"First, and most important to me, I want to sincerely apologize for the embarrassment and any pain I've caused to the young woman who joined me on-stage, her family and the Trinidad community for the events at my concert in Port of Spain on April 12th," Akon said in a statement.

"It was never my intention to embarrass or take advantage of my fans in any way, especially those under the age of 18. That is why we tried to make sure that the club did not admit anyone under 18 in the audience. Somehow, that standard was not met."

A spokesman for Live Nation, which is promoting the Stefani tour, said Akon would remain on the bill, and that no new sponsor had come aboard.

Verizon is still mentioned on Stefani's website, and the tour has several stops at amphitheaters where Verizon has the naming rights. The trek, which began on April 21 in Phoenix, reaches Atlanta on Friday.

Akon, born Aliaune Thiam in Senegal, topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart twice in the past year, first in November with I Wanna Love You and then in March with Don't Matter. His current album, Konvicted, peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.

source:Reuters

[KiwiCoromandel]

AKON...NOT HOT...