August Alsina made headlines following the last moments of "The Surreal Life" season finale in November 2022. The singer introduced the person teaching him about love and healing to the world, leading viewers to believe he was coming out.
Although August Alsina has kept his personal life relatively private, the artist has continually made headlines regarding his love life over the last few years. In 2020, he opened up about his relationship with Jada Pinkett Smith while she was still legally married to Will Smith.
The couple, who remain married, publicly addressed the matter on "The Red Table." Two years later, August joined the main cast of "The Surreal Life" and ended the show's reboot season on a positive note with what viewers assumed was his new boyfriend.
August Alsina performs live on stage at Indigo at The O2 Arena on January 23, 2018, in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
The Moment That Started the Frenzy
During his confessional on the season finale of "The Surreal Life," August reflected on how drastically his life had changed after an entire year of filming the VH1 reality show. The artist felt he'd learned about love "in so many different forms and facets."
"And then, what do you know? Love showed up but in a new way. I want to share that and really honor 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," he declared.
As he continued, explaining that this new love defied all constructs of what love "is supposed to be or would look like," August invited someone to join him on camera. A young man appeared and sat next to the singer. The pair embraced as August told the gentleman, "I love you."
August Alsina performs onstage at Live! Red! Ready! Pre-Show at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
Fans React to August Alsina's 'Coming Out'
As the credits rolled, fans immediately took to social media to share and react to what they assumed was August coming out as gay. "Not August Alsina coming out the closet [...] truly unexpected but also unsurprising," one viewer wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
"August Alsina coming out as gay is something I didn't expect. Shocked," another said, while someone else observed, "The way that Twitter is falling out over August Alsina coming out the closet got me screaming, lol. (sic)"
August Alsina performs at the Los Angeles Soul Music Festival at Exposition Park on July 14, 2017, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
Still, the support for the singer was widespread, as one shared, "August Alsina coming out was not on my 2022 Bingo Card! But I'm proud!" Another said, "August Alsina coming out was the classiest [expletive] I've seen [...] you're doing great sweetie."
August Alsina is interviewed by DJ Chris Styles during SiriusXM Studios The Heat at SiriusXM Studio on December 14, 2015, in Washington, DC. | Source: Getty Images
August Alsina Has Yet to Clarify If He Was Coming Out
Since the speculation began, August has yet to clarify if he was indeed coming out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and if the young man he invited onscreen was his boyfriend. But, as previously mentioned, one confirmed lover in his dating history is Jada.
However, when Jada addressed the relationship, which she infamously described as an "entanglement" on "The Red Table," she clarified that the only person who had given "permission" was herself. Soon after, August released a song with Rick Ross titled "Entanglements."
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