Akon is sharing more details about his personal life — and his perspective is already generating discussion online.
During a recent appearance on the We Need to Talk podcast, the 53-year-old artist opened up about his polyamorous lifestyle and discussed the structure he says helps his relationships work.
While Akon declined to specify exactly how many wives he has, he joked that listeners could use their “imagination,” adding that it was all part of the “entertainment.”
He went on to explain that clear expectations play a major role in maintaining balance.
“Now, because of the rules that [are] set around us, we control that behavior to, you can say, appease our partner because of the same rules that we’re living by and that we’re, you can say, agreeing upon.”
Akon also reflected on how relationships change once commitment enters the picture.
“When you’re single, it’s not a problem. It’s only when you are attached or you’ve promised someone that this is a relationship that we’re supposed to hold in the rules that you decide to hold it in.”
The artist revealed that he has nine children altogether — seven boys and two girls — and said communication remains the foundation of everything.
“The setup all depends on the person and the understanding.”
“It’s communication. It’s literally the answer and the solution. You got to be mature enough to know that, ‘If this is the situation that I’m going to park in, I have to communicate.’”
Akon also shared details about the structure inside his household, revealing that his first wife still occupies a central role.
“Nobody violates Wife No. 1. The moment they violate, [they are] out the door.”
He described her as “the queen” of the family dynamic.
“There’s levels in the end, like, she’s the one that’s actually sacrificing in the end. With new people [joining] your family, there’s going to be new attitudes, new mindsets, new behaviors and [the first wife has] to deal with that.”
The singer ultimately argued that the arrangement benefits women more than men.
“Oftentimes when the family is united in that way, the benefit is more for the woman than it is for the man because the man actually has to take care of all of them. He has to treat them all equally and their responsibility bears on him as well.”
As expected, Akon’s comments are already prompting debate online, with discussions centering on relationship dynamics, expectations, and whether one model can realistically work for everyone.
