AKON LOSES VERIZON SPONSORSHIP

Last updated: Tuesday, May 8, 2007

AKON LOSES VERIZON SPONSORSHIP

Communications firm Verizon have ended their deal with R&B singer AKON following his raunchy dance with a 14-year-old girl.

AKON dances with Danah Alleyne at a concert in Trinidad. April 12, 2007

Verizon had been promoting the Smack That hitmaker as a featured artist in their ringtone service, aimed predominantly at the youth market. They were also sponsors of his tour with Gwen Stefani.

Akon hit controversy when he performed a sexy sequence with Danah Alleyne at a concert in Trinidad on 12 April (07), prompting the country's Prime Minister to order a formal investigation into the incident.

In a statement to Fox News, Verizon says, "This week the partnership ended. We have music services on our cellphone service and we were promoting him as one of the artists. The other part of the sponsorship was the Gwen Stefani tour, of which he was an opening act. We are no longer sponsoring the tour."

Alleyne has issued a public apology on a local TV station. The nightclub where the event took place was meant to be for over 18s only, and has since been closed down.

Source: WENN

| Tuesday, May 8, 2007

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AKON LOSES VERIZON SPONSORSHIP

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