Famous actress Angelina Jolie has sparked controversy in the headlines after being seen with James “Akala” McLean Daley. While attending an exclusive event in New York City, the pair has caused quite the stir on their relationship status. Angelina and Akala were seen at a party hosted by Jolie for her company Atelier Jolie.
Jolie posted about her event on Instagram with the following caption:
“Atelier Jolie welcomed Mustafa at 57 Great Jones, hosting a special listening party and panel discussion for his debut album, Dunya, out now. Join us in celebrating this stunning 12-song collection, where folk meets poetry. The album is available to stream now on all platforms.”
This event is just two days after Akala joined Jolie at the 62nd New York Film Festival premier of her film Maria at Lincoln Centre in New York City.
While there have been multiple sources claiming the two are simply friends, a new report in Touch Weekly tells a different story. According to Touch Weekly, Angelina and Akala have been dating for over a year. This may come as a shock as she has been going through a very public divorce with Brad Pitt.
Touch Magazine references the Calabash Literary Festival in Jamaica in May of 2023. Akala was seen joining Jolie and her daughters Zahara and Shiloh. Even more recently, the couple was seen leaving Jolie’s hotel in Italy during the Venice International Film Festival in August.
More into Akala
Akala, real name Kingslee James McLean DAley, grew up in a town just north of London. He grew up around the music industry through his step father, who was a stage manager of the Hackney Empire. Akala attended a pan-African Saturday school for black children. This opportunity exposed him to black cultural inputs in the music and theatre world.
The rapper first entered the British rap scene in the early 2000s through a socially conscious branch of hip hop. Akala would go on to win a Mobo award in 2006, which led to the opening of his musical theatre production company in 2009. His company, Hip-hop Shakespeare, fused two of his major passions in life.
Akala would enter the literature world with his nonfiction book, Natives. This book is a tribute to social history with a focus on class, empire and its legacy in politics, culture, and much more.