Akon Screws Things Up for Gwen

Image by Splash News

Last week Verizon Wireless pulled out as a sponsor on Gwen Stefani’s Sweet Escape tour because of the Akon incident that occurred in Trinidad last month. Akon was videotaped humping a 14-year old girl on stage which for obvious reasons raised a lot of eyebrows. In case you were wondering, Akon is the opening act for Gwen Stefani’s current tour.

Not only did they pull as one of the sponsors, Verizon Wireless has also removed all Akon ringtones and music from its stores.

Stefani’s manager Jim Guerinot said, "We're just in the beginning stages of evaluating" the impact of Verizon's move.

Regarding Verizon Wireless backing out as a sponsor, Guerinot says, "We're surprised and shocked they've backed out of it."

As for Akon, Guerinot says, "Akon has been a perfect gentleman on this tour. His show has at best been a PG show. Children of all ages have been attending. We have had no complaints--nothing but satisfied people. And I would say that we're shocked that Verizon would drop Gwen Stefani as part of this whole debate."

Akon , Gwen Stefani

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Reader Comments

3:39AM 06/12/08 88

Where are the Revs. Al and Jesse? Good thing He didn't call someone a Nappy-Headed Hoe. Oh wait....

2:17AM 12/15/07 jami

well i didn't expect that kind of think from akon couse i thort he was a good person after the ather day i heard that he raped a girl..... i thort he was better then that lol

1:14AM 09/28/07 troy

oops almost forgot to metion as well, he talks about boosting cars in the magazine RIDES...def a role model

1:12AM 09/28/07 troy

well im not shocked at all, this isn't the firt time apparently he should be ripped of his status, he's also done this with tara reid...yes perfect gentleman, i don't think akons PR saw the video cause its def not PG, disgusting

6:48PM 09/27/07 curly chest hair

i hate people who try to be cool by telling everyone that they used to be a drug dealer - that some corny shit. akon denies the existence of conflict diamonds, which is to deny the struggles of people of his own race. also, i saw him on the cover of some magazine, and i have to say the tiny sprinkling of nappy chest hair is gross - he looked like a chocolate chip cookie. either shave it or grow some more. wtf were all those little specks.

5:33AM 09/18/07 Renee

I think that little girl is obviously a whore...and for her dad being a pastor no wonder why she wants to get out and have a little fun. She got caught being a video and having it all over tv, and now she's EMBARRASED? wtf thats bullshit she probably was like i grinded and crap with Akon and as soon as poor daddy found out thats when she plays the innocent roll.. she is a whore she Has a TRAMP STAMP... and you know if her daddy is a pastor he did not let her get that my dad would let me get a tattoo and he's not a pastor. And having her belly button pierced at 14...no she has all these stuff you know her daddy didn't let her get and that shit too and she was flaunting it and she liked the attention until her dad found out. Talk to kids at school and ask if she was proud that she snuck into a 18 YEAR AND OVER CLUB and if she's proud she HUMPED WITH AKON. I can garuntee she said something to someone about being excited about it. She's a tramp and thats all there is too it and maybe what akon was doing was a little vulger but you know anyone 18 and over would be up there getting into it but because she's 14 and has to follow daddy's rules she wants to play like she's innocent. and by the looks of the pictures she doesn't have an innocent face she looks like she's having fun.

5:30AM 07/01/07 www.myspace.com/pimpstackdacay

you guys are morons akon was just trying to entertain that girl had no business being there and for one akon is the biggest hit around right now when it comes to rapping whois really losing money akon or verizon?? honestly this all could of been avoided if the club did its job

11:22AM 05/26/07 Earl Marshall

It's a shame, but not totally surprising that ignorance overshadows common logic even in the most intellectual people. I guess we are gonna' begin next by trashing Artists for the retailer who sells materials MARKED Explicit Advisory to under-aged customers....... OOPs I forgot, We already have! How about we boycott Budweiser on behalf of all the "Cool Moms". Learn to be decent people and respect the Beast that you Invite into your Homes for dinner or else you may Be Dinner. -KoZ

2:09PM 05/10/07 DB

do you think Gwen's tour is going to be canceled because of Akon's stupid mistake that made their main sponsor drop out? i am supposed to be going and i would be so upset if its canceled.

0:20PM 05/09/07 serenity1225

i agree with most of the comments on here, why on god's green earth was that tramp at that concert? I don't feel as though Akon should be held responsible, if the club was an 18 and older club then the club owners obviously dropped the ball. so that heifer wanted to see the sexy african on stage so she got it up close and personally. too bad if she was only 14, chances are she would have gone back to his room (without ever telling him how old she actually is) and he would have given her the real deal. i have no sympath for these little skanks that get themselves in trouble, heifer should have been at home watching tv or getting her hair did not out with grown folks!

0:16AM 05/09/07 jtiffany

whatever this shit is so stupid! the bitch was in an 18+ up club! with her bellybutton pierced, a tramp stamp and a skanky ass top. she looked 18 so whatever she was just crying cuz her dad found out. a lot of girls cry rape when they regret sex! but this shit isnt even rape! he was dry humping her...geez...and she looked like she liked it. its not akons fault...

10:39PM 05/08/07 Nothing but the Truth

To say Akon simulated a rape act on this girl is blowing things out of the box. We all know what takes place during Carnaval in Trinidad or Brasil and we also should remember the historic on Carnaval and how slaveowners created it tofurther dehumanized the slaves. Why to-day Carnaval goers get wasted and dance like they are having sex in public and it's applauded. I think we should look into the root of that matter and blame first the slaveowners for mass rape on black women. How could Akon tell she is 14 years old? How were she able to jump her parents' fence and be admitted in that club? The attitude that any black man is doing or about to do wrong must be eradicated. We should have guts to point to the real criminals. Not to these rappers who have inherited the ills of a degrading world that noone dares to challenge. I dont mean that rappers should not clean up their linguo because they have the courage to spit out what a good portion of people carry in their heads. May God help us to clean our souls! Jahdieuf

8:26PM 05/08/07 anonymous

No, Akon didn't "rape " her, but the act was simulated there on the stage.It was a poor choice to make on his part.I don't think it is downplaying a real rape.It's true though that the 14 year old had no business being there, but that is not the issue here.

7:28PM 05/08/07 stupid

Akon didn't rape anyone. It was part of his act one in which he did the same to Tara Reid. This girl know what smack that is all about and wanted him to do this to her. Anyone who wants to call this act "rape" is a downplaying people who were truely victimized and forcefully raped. I find it offensive for the above poster to wish rape upon those who don't see what Akon did as rape. This girl was caught doing wrong and now wants to make a mockery of every true rape victim out there who was truely brutally raped. What a same.

5:44PM 05/08/07 rape is criminal regadless of age of the victim

sorry but the point is not the age of the girl/women (her underage makes it just worse, as she is a child) BUT the ACT OF RAPE illusion - every women, would find this violent "gag" disturbing and NO it is not fault of the girl that she was on concert, es it would not be fault of any other girl or women he would actually do it (she was just the one CHOSEN) rape is most violent act agains human and having a singer "performing" it as part of a song, like it was something at all horrible dehuminizig and horrific is not funny BUT almost as bad, as the real rape - may be he just inspired few to do it in reality sometimes i wish, all who use to romanticize and play down rape and violence, would get self raped to finaly UNDERSTAND what is it all about

3:52PM 05/08/07 Concerned

the age limit for zen is 18 and the owner says u must show id to get in

3:50PM 05/08/07 Concerned

people need to look at the bigger picture....what was a 14 yr old doing in a club anyways??akon had no way of knowing she was 14,especially since zen is well known for age as the cut off point.his performance was a bit raunchy,but when u go into a club everything is raunchy and lewd,its a club!!!what is this little girl, with her navel pierced and her tattooo and her barely there top doing in a club????now akon is being penalized for everybody's mistake.how come her father didnt know she was going to a club?how come she has a tattoo and a navel ring and she's only 14?why did they let her into the club anyways???

3:18PM 05/08/07 anonymous

Verizon isn't thinking of it as penalizing Gwen. Akon can be the perfect gentleman on Gwen's tour all he wants, but the fact is he did something that offended alot of people. Simulating a sex act and a rape with with a 14 year old was not a good decision on his part.Obviously , he wasn't thinking of the impact it might have on Gwen's tour. Verizon is covering their financial bases. They do not want irate parents canceling their Verizon services. I saw the video of that "performance" and as a parent I was totally disgusted.

3:01PM 05/08/07 Figgins

Gwen Stankani is a no talent sell out hack.