Could Academy award winner Lupita Nyong'o be off the market and dating someone with a less than spotless past?

Radar Online reports that recent Oscar winner Nyong'o, 31, is dating Somali rapper K'naan, 36, a former gang member with a history of past arrests. Born as Keinan Warsame, he was born in Somali but fled with his family in the 90s during the break of the country's civil war.

K'Naan grew up in a tough part of Toronto and became a member of a Somali gang. A devout Muslim, K'Naan does not drink or smoke and is now a successful rapper. He has recently been criticized for his comments on Somali pirates saying they're "serving a purpose."

Following an appearance of Live with Kelly and Michael a day after the Oscar telecast, The Kenyan-born star was spotted cuddling to K'Naan, who was holding Nyong'o's Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in 12 Years a Slave.

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IB Times reports that during the time of his departure from Somalia, K'Naan was only 13-years-old and has since already spoken at the United Nations to discuss the lack of aid in Somalia during the Civil War.

Radar Online reports that some of K'Naan's previous statements include his revelation: "We Somalis weren't treated well because we didn't know how to dress cool," explains the Somalian. "We didn't have Nike trainers; instead, we had stuff from Walmart and kids would be laughing. There was always conflict there ..."

He's been arrested numerous times during his teens, including at least one arrest involving a firearm. "I learned to fire guns at the age of nine or so," he's says, "but luckily [I] was not out killing people. We zigzagged the streets to escape those trying to kill us."

Citing illegal fishing and the dumping of toxic waste off the coast of Somalia, he's said, "Our pirates were the only deterrent we had from an externally imposed environmental disaster. One man's pirate is another man's coast guard."