Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie and British rapper Akala were spotted together on September 28 at her store, Atelier Jolie, in NYC, prompting many to look into his identity and the nature of their relationship.
A source close to Jolie told Us Magazine on October 2 that she and Akala, born Kingslee Daley, are "just friends."
The rumors stem from when the two were spotted leaving a hotel together during the Venice International Film Festival in August 2024. However, the source clarified that:
"They are just friends. His partner has been with them at every event.”
Who is Akala, a.k.a. Kingslee Daley?
Known by his stage name Akala, he was born Kingslee James McLean Daley on December 1, 1983. He's a rapper, journalist, author, activist, and poet as well. He opted for the moniker "Akala" from Acala, which is a Buddhist term for "immovable." He dropped his first mixtape in 2004, The War Mixtape.
Since then, he has released many albums, such as It's Not a Rumour, which earned him a MOBO Award for Best Hip Hop Act, as well as Freedom Lasso and DoubleThink. In 2008, he dopped The War Mixtape Vol. 2.
Apart from music, he's also an established writer, having published Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire in May 2018. The book reflects elements of his own life, and also renders his take on race and class. He debuted a graphic novel/comic book called Visions in 2016, which hinges on themes of consciousness, reincarnation, hallucinations, and the likes of that.
Furthermore, he's an avid politician, as in June 2016, he declared his support for the Labour Party on X. The following year in May, he took to The Guardian to declare his public support for Jeremy Corbyn in the then-imminent 2017 UK general election. His statement read:
"So why will I be voting now? Jeremy Corbyn. It's not that I am naïve enough to believe that one man (who is, of course, powerless without the people that support him) can fundamentally alter the nature of British politics, or that I think that if Labour wins that the UK will suddenly reflect his personal political convictions, or even that I believe that the prime minister actually runs the country. However, for the first time in my adult life, and perhaps for the first time in British history, someone I would consider to be a fundamentally decent human being has a chance of being elected."
Another addition to his vast portfolio is the title "activist," as in 2009, the rapper founded The Hip-hop Shakespeare Company (THSC), which is a music theatre production company that focuses on navigating the social, cultural and linguistic world of contemporary hip-hop.
In his personal life, Akala has been linked to Channelle Newman, Elle reported in August 2024.
Back in August, when Akala and Jolie were first linked together, People was the first to break the news that the two were just friends. According to the rumors, the two had been dating for about a year by then, which a source debunked. According to a source for the magazine,
"They share the same passion when it comes to social and humanitarian causes. They did several collabs over the years that focus on global issues like human rights. Angie speaks very highly of him.”
According to a source from US Magazine, the actress is simply focusing on her career, and her latest film, Maria, which premiered at the New York Film Festival on Sunday, September 29. The film is a biopic that sees Jolie star as the titular character, late opera singer Maria Callas. It will roll out on the big screens on November 27.
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