So much for those TV spots featuring Akon watching his own Verizon Wireless V Cast.
The communications company severed ties with the Senegalese singer Friday after video surfaced that showed him simulating sex onstage with a 15-year-old girl.
"This week the partnership ended," Verizon said in a statement to Fox News. "We have music services on our cell phone 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."
During an April 12 concert in Trinidad, Akon announced a “dance contest” that featured a grand-prize trip to Africa. Danah Alleyne, the 15-year-old daughter of a pastor, won the “contest” – but the prize was not a trip to Africa. Akon announced that he was “Africa,” and proceeded to simulate multiple sexual positions with the girl as the crowd cheered. To see the infamous video, click here: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1r5u3_akon-trinidad.
"I got carried away," Alleyne said in a public apology last month after a local TV station aired the footage. "I started to dance, as well, but I never thought it was going to be like that. I was shocked. My head was hitting the floor."
Verizon said they have removed Akon’s featured ringtones, as well as music and artwork from Akon’s platinum-selling album “Konvicted,” from Verizon Wireless stores and handsets.
