August Alsina is a talented singer, but did anyone know he has an album coming out? That fact has been overshadowed by the scandalous headlines about his personal life. And while, yes I plan to talk about the dramatic events that have taken place lately, I’m going to first talk about his music, because at the end of the day, don’t forget, August Alsina is a recording artist.
On June 26, 2020 Alsina released the album, “The Product III: State of Emergency”. Did anyone download it? Have you heard any of the tracks? If you have heard the new releases, which are your favorite songs? ( His album link is in the references section)
Okay, now that I gave his artistry the moment it deserves, on to the drama. And at the end of the day hardly anybody is checking for Alsina’s music, all people care about is the dramatics, but I think that his music should be pushed to the forefront. He actually has talent; he is easy on the eyes, and very intelligent. He has a past and while it seems like his past will continue to overshadow his future, I think that is a shame. But if you would like to have my opinion about the latest calamity to befall Alsina, read on…
The August Alsina and Jada- Pinkett Smith “Entanglement“
So, while it seems like nobody was waiting with baited breath for the new music that it has taken Alsina years to put out, the latest episode of Jada Pinkett -Smith’s, “Red Table Talk” was highly anticipated. Did you catch it? Here it is:
(Posted by on You Tube by the Front Stoop: Hip Hop, Society, and Life)
In the episode Jada and her husband and father of her two children, Will Smith, sat down to address the relationship that she had with Alsina. This was in response to the interview that he did with Angela Yee where he described his feelings on the relationship. Shout out to Angela Yee on getting this interview, and look for a post on her soon because she is really branching out and doing her thing, I see you Ms.Yee! Did you catch the interview? Here it is:
(Posted on You Tube by Giovanni Diamond)
At one point in the program Jada goes to address the relationship as an entanglement, and Will laughingly redirects her to say what it really was, a relationship. And while people are gossiping, and making jokes, I felt bad for them. It was like pulling teeth. You could tell that they both were uncomfortable. The sadness in Will’s eyes tells a story while he keeps a painfully pleasant look on his face. Their marriage has been exposed, and any couple who is doing the work knows what it means to be exposed. Now with all the problems that come from trying to mate for life, you need constant criticism from outsiders like you need a gunshot to your head. A successful marriage is hard enough to maintain but to have it be openly attacked is stressful and their marriage has been under scrutiny from the time they both said, “I do”.
And while a lot of people think celebrities are fair game and to some point I would agree, certain things just really should be off limits. These are people who have melded their lives together for a couple of decades. They have children and careers. They eat, sleep, laugh and cry just like the rest of us. When people gossip about me, or pry into my personal business, I feel violated and attacked.
Imagine how it feels for people like Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and even an August Alsina. They are violated and attacked and nobody feels bad because this is what you sign up for right? But that is not what they sign up for, but it is a part of being famous. People are going to gossip about you and as hurtful as it feels when it happens to everyday random people, nobody will feel sorry for you.
Basically, this post is commentary on the real issue at hand. Marriage is work and celebrities are not the only ones who have their marriages attacked. The fact that they are still together after all these years is proof that they are doing something right. They have professed that no matter what they are staying committed and in a country were long term marriages are becoming as extinct as dinosaurs, I am proud of that there are people who have found ways to stay together. Finally someone understands what marriage is, a major commitment that requires work to maintain. I will come back to this later, but first I want to go back a bit. Let’s go back a few years shall we?
The “Friendship” Revisited
Four and a half years ago, we start to see family pictures of Mrs. Smith with August Alsina without Mr. Smith. When people started to notice that they were often together and Will Smith wasn’t around, the rumor mill began to spin, and many began to speculate if they were having an affair. Jada denied the rumors stating that Alsina was a family friend. Alsina wrote Jada a heartfelt message for her birthday and at one point penned a song about their relationship, but they never announced this to the public.
Here are an example one of the pictures on the Internet of Jada and August when they were in their “friendship” slash “relationship” slash “entanglement”:
Look at their eyes….
Now look at this picture….
See any differences?
The Smiths have been the topic of conversation over the years for a variety of reasons. One of the most prevalent of the rumors is that they swap partners with other couples or have some form of open marriage. The Smiths have come out and said they are in a life partnership. That announcement just propelled the rumors of infidelity forward because it’s not every day a married couple says that they do not call their relationship a marriage but a partnership for life. But isn’t that the definition of marriage, you are partners for life?
At some point the relationship ended, Jada says August broke it off. When he spoke about her in his interview with Angela Yee, I saw genuine love when August spoke about giving all of himself to her. And when Jada spoke about their relationship she says she was unhappy in her marriage and she just wanted to feel good. Here is a picture of Jada with Will. Notice any differences?
The Truth about Marriage
Remember earlier when I spoke about understanding that marriage is a major commitment that requires work to maintain, and I said I will come back to this point later?
Yeah let me get back to that point, because while it seems like some couples skate through marriage and others struggle, but the truth is marriage is a struggle. Why? Two people have to learn to adapt to a life together. Yes, some people can handle it better that others and that’s mainly because they are open to doing things that keep them connected. And when you are connected it seems effortless and it feels effortless, but it takes effort.
That kind of work is actually enjoyable although sometimes challenging. Nobody said the work was necessarily draining, and tedious. Sometimes it may be, but good marriages have people in them that embrace the challenges, work as a team and grow stronger because of it. That’s why you see couples that have been together for a long time may sometimes seem content or even happy. They do what it takes to keep the ebbs and flows tolerable. Because it’s in the ebbs and flows where you see if you can work as a team or not, you know the saying, teamwork makes the dream work. For some marriage is their dream being realized and for some, marriage is a nightmare.
Find a couple that has been married for twenty years or more and I bet you they will tell you they have been through some things. It just wasn’t put on display for the world to see. And that’s one of the reasons couples should keep others opinions out of their marriage. It’s hard enough to navigate the ebbs and flows of a committed relationship; it’s just unproductive to invite criticism into what is already difficult. So I would hate to be a couple that is always put into the spotlight and on stage front and center to be observed and talked about. What goes on in a marriage really isn’t anyone else’s business.
In America we have an idea of what marriage should be, but the truth is, what works for your marriage may not be for everybody, and we need to let that be okay. And that is the wonderful thing about keeping people out of your business. By doing that, you can avoid the unnecessary scrutiny that comes from others judging your situation and putting pressure on you to try to conform to their standards for your marriage. Why would you do that, after all it’s your marriage not anybody else’s. The person you should try to please is yourself and your partner. If marriage is work, you can’t waste time and energy on things that don’t matter, like random opinions.
So let me sum up what is the point that I am trying to come across in this post. If what you do in your relationship works for you, and helps you and your partner stay committed and together? Than good for you, because at the end of the day some people have learned to be creative and inventive to keep their marriage at a point where it is functional. So kudos to Will and Jada for staying together against the odds and I am rooting for them, are you?
I hope that August continues to be creative, and healthy physically and mentally and that he gets attention for his music, good luck August I’m rooting for you too.
Positive vibes to you all……
What are your thoughts?
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