by It’s Leo season and Madonna has plenty of reasons to celebrate. Following her massive international tour which ran from October 2023 to May this year, the Like A Prayer singer continues to enjoy the limelight and 1980s success has made her way back into the charts after appearing in the new Deadpool and Wolverine movie.
Now the global pop superstar is celebrating her birthday on August 16 in Portofino, Italy at Dolce & Gabbana’s private estate – and has fueled rumors of talk by taking on a new beau.
Madonna, 66, was crowded with Akeem Morris, a 28-year-old football player (or soccer as they call him stateside) from Jamaica who was showing more and more on the singer’s Instagram.
It looks like the two have known each other for a while, but it wouldn’t be a celebrity relationship without drama, would it? Let’s jump in.
How did Madonna and Akeem Morris meet?
Akeem Morris was first linked to Madonna in August 2022 when he was part of her cover shoot for Paper Magazine.
The cover story and photo spread was about capturing a “wild night out in New York City”. Madonna appeared in a hot pink wig surrounded by booze, cigs and people with their tongues out – Brat before it was called Brat. They were the photos you woke up and tagged onto MySpace back in 2008.
The football fix was a private party hosted by Paper Magazine held at the uber-cool Sugar Hill Supper Club in Brooklyn. Madonna was joined by “some of New York City’s hottest young artists”, including singer-songwriter Miss Madeline and non-binary model Fish Fiorucci.
Akeem Morris was one of the scantily clad young artists who partied with Madonna in the shoot. He shared a photo on Instagram of himself and others with Madonna lying across them, thanking the singer and Paper Magazine for the opportunity.
Life before Madonna Akeem Morris
But back to his life before Madonna was in the picture… Akeem Morris was born in Spanish Town, Jamaica and moved to New York for university. He attended Stony Brook University between 2014 and 2018, where he played football alongside his studies. After university, he spent time playing for Oyster Bay United FC, an elite team based in New York. Although according to his statistics, he only played one game with the team.
Morris is relatively obscure on social media with just 10 posts on Instagram. His photos show that he now spends his time between Brooklyn and Jamaica, with trips to Italy on Madonna’s arm now thrown into the mix.
Old drama
One aspect of Morris’ life missing from his online presence is any mention of an ex-girlfriend, but there’s always another side to the story. Reagan Rice went viral on TikTok in July when she posted a video captioned: “Put a finger down if your 3-year-old boyfriend is dating Madonna now”.
It seems that Morris’ new relationship with the blind piece Rice, Rice has a video montage on her TikTok from 2021 of her and Morris together, as well as videos from July of this year referencing her heartbreak after the split without appointment
Rice says she dated Morris for three years, and apparently found out he is now with Madonna a month ago. The 2021 video montage shows Rice and Morris in love, with new comments from friends and fans expressing their shock and surprise at Morris’ relationship with Madonna. “Absolutely flabbergasted” says one, while another says: “I’m so mad for you. Wow”.
As for Madonna’s exes, they range from actor Sean Penn to John F. Kennedy Jr. and even rapper Vanilla Ice. She drew attention when she married dancer and choreographer Ahlamalik Williams from 2019 to 2022, Williams 36 years her junior. But his father defended the pair, telling TMZ: “Love has no age. My son is livin’ la vida loca, and I’m very happy with him.”
summer love
How exactly Morris and Madonna reunited two years after their first meeting is currently unknown, but the two appeared to send themselves off softly as a couple during a Fourth of July celebration last month. A video posted to TikTok shows the pair on The Standard rooftop terrace in New York City and Madonna posted several photos on her own Instagram of the pair getting cozy.
A month later, at the beginning of August, Madonna posted some risque photos of herself and one of her with Morris under the caption: “Hot Fun in The Summer Time………🔥”
The fun continues, it seems, as Morris joined Madonna in Italy for her 66th birthday.
The new couple are being hosted at Dolce & Gabbana’s private estate in Portofino and arrived in style on a boat with Madonna decked out in Dolce & Gabbana, of course.
