August Alsina is an American singer and songwriter who rose to fame after being involved in an affair with one of Hollywood’s A-listers, Jada Pinkett Smith. He was born on September 3, 1992, in New Orleans, Louisiana, to a difficult family life. Alsina’s mother was a single parent while both his father figures struggled with drug addictions. In 2005, the family moved to Houston, Texas, to start a new chapter in their lives after Hurricane Katrina. Unfortunately, Alsina’s father passed away not too long after their move.
Alsina wasn’t as fortunate when it came to his personal life. Shortly after moving to Houston, the aspiring rapper was kicked out of their home after a family disagreement. Five years after his departure, Alsina’s brother, Melvin La’Branch III, was shot and killed. His brother’s death had a massive impact on him, prompting the rapper to move to Atlanta the following year and to seriously pursue his music career.
In 2012, Alsina released his first mixtape The Product, followed by his debut extended play, Downtown: Life Under the Gun. Later in the same year, Alsina dropped his first single, “I Luv This Shit” which steadily climbed the rankings of the Billboard Hot 100. The rapper’s success continued with the release of his second single, “No Love (Remix)” featuring none other than fellow rapper, Nicki Minaj. The song was a hit and received platinum certification in less than a year.
Unfortunately, tragedy struck the rapper’s life again in the form of a long medical battle. Alsina. He took an indefinite hiatus from music to pursue his other interests. The rapper is currently starring in the US reality show, The Surreal Life. There have been some recent developments in Alsina’s life which got fans thinking: is August Alsina gay? Read on below to learn the rapper’s alleged coming out.
VOTE: What is August Alsina’s Sexuality?
Alsina And The Infamous Entanglement
While Alsina is a well-established musician in his own right, it’s difficult to deny that he became an infamous pop culture figure after his affair with American actress and talk show host, Jada Pinkett Smith. Rumors of an alleged fling first emerged after an interview was posted on Alsina’s YouTube channel. The talk featured Angela Yee who questioned the rapper regarding his personal life and career.
I totally gave myself to that relationship for years of my life, and I truly and really, really deeply love and have a ton of love for her. I devoted myself to it, I gave my full self to it — so much so to the point that I can die right now and be okay with knowing that I truly gave myself to somebody.”
August Alsina via YouTube, 2020
In the 2020 interview, Alsina confirmed that he had a relationship with Jada Pinkett Smith. He later revealed that he first met the actress in 2015 through his friendship with her son, Jaden Smith. The rapper was candid when talked about his connection with Jada. He even spoke about how her husband, Will Smith, had given “his blessing” to the relationship.
I actually sat down with Will and had a conversation due to the transformation from their marriage to life partnership … he gave me his blessing.”
August Alsina via YouTube, 2020
The confession sent shockwaves across the internet, especially considering that Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith have been married for decades and are known for their strong family values. The responses became overwhelming to the point that the Smiths had to address the revelations themselves. In July 2020, Will and Jada released an episode of the latter’s talk show, Red Table Talk, where they discussed the alleged relationship.
According to the actress, she met the rapper back in 2016 and they became good friends. The friendship started with her wanting to help Alsina out with his health and mental state. At that time, she was briefly separated from her husband and clarified that Will did not give his “permission” for the relationship to happen. This was in reference to Alsina trying to make it clear that he was not a homewrecker.
From there as time went on I got into a different kind of entanglement with August… Through that particular journey, I learned so much about myself and was able to really confront a lot of emotional immaturity, emotional insecurity and I was really able to do some really deep healing.”
Jada Pinkett Smith on Red Table Talk, 2020
Pinkett Smith insisted that after she had significant realizations about her relationship with her husband, she cut off all communication with Alsina. But despite the attempt to clear the air, the Smiths’ marriage was further scrutinized. In a shocking turn of events, Pinkett Smith later revealed in 2023 that she and Will Smith have been separated since 2016. The news was released ahead of the publication of the talk show host’s memoir.
Alsina’s Alleged Coming Out
Aside from his music career, Alsina is currently appearing on the reality show, “The Surreal Life.” In a recent episode, the rapper announced that he wanted to honor the person that he loves by introducing them to the public. As he looked at the camera, Alsina stated that “love showed up but in a new way.” When he finished his sentence, a man walked into the frame, sat down next to him, and the duo hugged and said “I love you.”
I want to share that and really honour the person that I love and that loves me back, and teaching me so much about love and healing. I want to do that in front of the world.”
August Alsina on The Surreal Life, 2023
It’s important to note that the rapper didn’t put a label on his sexuality. It’s possible that he is either gay or bisexual. Nevertheless, the LGBTQ community welcomed Alsina with open arms. Numerous gay artists and musicians expressed their support for the rapper on social media.
Is August Alsina Gay?
Yes, August Alsina is gay. In 2023, the rapper indirectly confirmed his relationship with another man. However, Alsina refused to define his sexuality or label his gender identity. On the other hand, it’s likely that he is bisexual considering that he had a prior relationship with Jada Pinkett Smith.
Featured Image: “August Alsina”, by Howard Theatre, licensed under CC BY 3.0 DEED