The Moment
Akon, the hitmaker behind “Smack That” and a long-standing music mogul, just drew a hard line in his divorce. In a response filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, he asked the judge to terminate spousal support altogether.
His estranged wife, Tomeka (a beauty entrepreneur and Akon’s partner of nearly three decades), previously requested spousal support in her September petition. At the same time, she also asked the court not to award any support to him — a standard bit of legal belt-and-suspenders that says, essentially, “I’m not paying you.”
On parenting, Akon is asking for joint physical custody of their 17-year-old child. Tomeka is seeking full physical custody with joint legal custody. Translation: both want a say, but she wants the teenager to primarily live with her.
And yes, there’s a side plot: last week, Akon was reported arrested in Georgia over a failure to appear on a suspended-license matter. It’s unrelated to the divorce, but it’s not the kind of headline you want while you’re asking a judge for favorable terms.
The Take
Celebrity divorces often turn into public math problems, and this one reads like a very pricey “you pay your tab, I’ll pay mine.” Akon’s move to shut down spousal support is a clear sign he wants a clean financial break. Tomeka’s filings show she’s protecting her side too: she wants the option to receive support, but not to pay it out. That’s not greed; that’s Divorce 101.
Custody is the stickier part. With a 17-year-old, physical custody can be more about logistics than ideology — school, routines, where the kid actually wants to be. Still, asking for full physical custody signals Tomeka’s preference for stability in one home, while Akon’s joint-physical ask suggests he wants a meaningful, regular presence.
Strip away the celebrity sheen and it’s all very normal. The money fight is the headline, sure, but the co-parenting piece will likely decide the tone of their post-split lives. Think of it like a tour rider: you can argue over the greenroom snacks, but the real goal is getting the show on stage without drama.
Receipts
Confirmed
- In a response filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Akon asks the judge to terminate spousal support and seeks joint physical custody.
- Tomeka’s earlier petition requested spousal support for herself and asked that he not receive support, and she seeks full physical and joint legal custody. (Per court filings.)
Unverified/Reported
- Akon’s reported arrest in Georgia last week tied to a failure-to-appear on a suspended license matter. No public comment from his team noted in filings.
Backstory (For Casual Readers)
Akon, a Senegalese-American singer, producer, and entrepreneur, broke big in the mid-2000s and has since built a global brand. Tomeka, his longtime partner and a business owner, has kept a lower profile, popping up on social media and in fashion/beauty ventures. After roughly 29 years together, she filed for divorce in September, setting off the current back-and-forth over money and custody.
What’s Next
Expect a judicial look at temporary orders: support (if any) and a parenting schedule. With their child turning 18 soon, the physical custody issue may have a short runway, but decision-making and any support questions can still matter in the near term. Mediation is common at this stage; a settlement could happen quietly if both sides align on money and a calendar.
We’ll be watching for: a scheduled hearing date, any financial disclosures, and whether Akon or Tomeka make on-the-record statements that clarify their positions.
Sources: Los Angeles Superior Court filing (Nov. 15, 2025); Georgia public arrest record entry (Nov. 12, 2025).
Your turn: In long relationships where both partners build a life, is “no spousal support either way” the cleanest break — or does it ignore real trade-offs made along the way?
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