August Alsina

August Alsina – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Explore the inspiring life, musical journey, struggles, and words of August Alsina — an American R&B artist born September 3, 1992, whose raw vulnerability and resilience in music have resonated with millions.

Introduction

August Anthony Alsina Jr. is an American singer-songwriter whose emotionally honest style and soulful voice have made him a standout figure in modern R&B and hip-hop. Born September 3, 1992, in New Orleans, he has navigated hardship, loss, illness, and public scrutiny while channeling his life into music that speaks to struggle, redemption, and identity. His story is one of artistry born from adversity, and through his albums and public life, he continues to leave a deeply personal mark on contemporary music.

Early Life and Family

August Alsina was born on September 3, 1992 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

He grew up in a turbulent household. Both his father and stepfather struggled with addiction to crack cocaine. Houston, Texas seeking a fresh start.

Tragedy struck again when his older brother, Melvin La’Branch III, was shot and killed on August 31, 2010. This event had a profound effect on Alsina’s life and creative direction.

After disagreements with his mother, Alsina was reportedly kicked out of the home.

Although no one in his family was musically trained or inclined, Alsina found his inspiration early by watching Lauryn Hill in Sister Act 2. He began uploading covers to YouTube around age 14 (e.g. a rendition of Lyfe Jennings’s “Hypothetically”).

Youth and Musical Beginnings

Alsina’s teenage years were marked by ambition and hardship. While in New Orleans, he attended middle school and began experimenting with music.

He posted his early musical efforts on YouTube, which helped him gain initial attention and hone his sound.

Later, with mounting personal challenges and the loss of his brother, he moved to Atlanta in 2011 to fully devote himself to music.

In 2011, he also released an “untitled” acoustic mixtape as an early project.

Career and Achievements

Mixtapes, EP & Breakthrough

• In 2012, he released The Product, his first full mixtape.

• Later in 2013, he followed up with The Product 2.

• In August 2013, Alsina released the EP Downtown: Life Under the Gun via Radio Killa / Def Jam.

• From that EP, the single “I Luv This Shit” (featuring Trinidad James) became a major hit, breaking into the Billboard Hot 100 and hitting double platinum status.

These successes helped him build visibility and momentum in the music industry, leading to label backing and collaborations.

Studio Albums & Evolution

• Testimony (2014)
  His debut studio album Testimony dropped April 15, 2014. It debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 with around 67,000 first-week sales. I Luv This Shit, “Ghetto,” “Numb,” “Make It Home,” “Kissin’ on My Tattoos,” and No Love.

• This Thing Called Life (2015)
  Released December 11, 2015, the album debuted around #14 on the Billboard 200, selling about 41,000 units in its first week.

• The Product III: State of Emergency (2020)
  After a period of reduced output and parting ways with Def Jam, Alsina released this third album independently in June 2020. It reflects on his life struggles, including his upbringing, health battles, and caretaking of his nieces.

• Myself (2023)
  His fourth studio album, Myself, was released March 10, 2023 via his label Shake the World and Empire distribution. Myself.

Collaborations & Features

August Alsina has collaborated with a range of artists, contributing to tracks such as:

• “Hold You Down” with DJ Khaled, Chris Brown, Jeremih, and Future

• “Do You Mind” on DJ Khaled’s multi-artist ensemble track

• Features with Nicki Minaj on “No Love (Remix)”

These collaborations extended his reach and connected him with broader audiences in hip-hop and R&B spheres.

Awards, Tours & Recognition

• At the 2014 BET Awards, Alsina won Best New Artist.

• He also earned nominations for Best Male R&B/Pop Artist and Best Collaboration in later years.

• He headlined the Testimony Live tour in 2014.

• He also joined tours with Usher (UR Experience) and Chris Brown (One Hell of a Nite) as support in 2014 and 2015 respectively.

Challenges, Health Battles & Public Controversies

Health Issues

Alsina’s career has been punctuated by health struggles:

• In 2015, he revealed he was experiencing vision loss, describing a degenerative eye condition.

• He also has disclosed suffering from a severe autoimmune disease that affects his liver and has caused neurological issues.

• In 2014, he collapsed on stage and was hospitalized in a three-day coma.

• In 2019, he was hospitalized after losing mobility and undergoing tests to assess nerve damage.

These health crises have shaped both his music and public persona, revealing his vulnerability and perseverance.

Personal & Public Life

One of the most high-profile controversies in his public life is his relationship with Jada Pinkett Smith:

• In 2020, Alsina claimed that he and Jada had an affair in 2016, which he said was permitted by Will Smith.

• On her show Red Table Talk, Jada confirmed a past romantic relationship during a period of separation with Will, though denied the permission claim.

• In response to the public conversation, Alsina released a song “Entanglements” (ft. Rick Ross) on July 19, 2020, reflecting on their relationship.

These events elevated public scrutiny of his personal narrative and further influenced his musical subject matter.

Legacy and Influence

August Alsina has carved a unique place in contemporary R&B through his willingness to be vulnerable, transparent, and raw in his music. Some aspects of his legacy include:

1. Authentic Storytelling
   His discography often reads like a personal diary—touching on addiction, loss, illness, heartbreak, and redemption. This authenticity resonates with fans seeking more than glossy pop narratives.

2. Courage in Adversity
   In navigating health struggles and the loss of loved ones while continuing to create, Alsina offers a narrative of resilience and strength through pain.

3. Pushing Genre Boundaries
   He blends R&B, soul, and hip-hop, while integrating personal vulnerability into a genre that sometimes prizes bravado.

4. Influencing Emerging Artists
   His approach—using music as a confessional tool—has inspired a generation of singers and songwriters to foreground emotional honesty in their art.

5. Art and Advocacy Intersection
   By publicly discussing chronic illness, mental health, and personal struggles, Alsina contributes to broader conversations on wellness, transparency, and the cost of fame.

Personality and Strengths

From what emerges through interviews, lyrics, and public life, we can sketch the contours of Alsina’s character:

• Vulnerability as Power: He doesn’t shy away from pain; instead, he leans into it, making it part of his art.

• Resilience & Persistence: Despite personal and health setbacks, he continues to produce and evolve.

• Emotional Honesty: His lyrics often speak to inner turmoil and reflection rather than just external swagger.

• Empathy & Connection: Fans often feel they know him—not an icon, but a human—through his music.

• Creative Risk-Taking: He’s not afraid to take breaks, shift labels, or release music independently to honor his need for control and authenticity.

Famous Quotes of August Alsina

Here are some quotes attributed to Alsina that reflect his mindset, struggles, and approach to life:

“I see people saying, ‘My next album is going to be my honest album, the whole truth, nothing but the truth, my deepest secrets, the soundtrack to my life.’”

“Pride is a big thing that gets in the way of a lot of relationships.”

“I’m always so overly transparent that sometimes I’m like, damn, am I saying too much? Should I say this? Should I not say this?”

“Sometimes, you don’t realize what you have until you wake up and go ‘Damn.’”

“Take good care of yourself. Your life can be gone in a split second.”

“I don’t always do what I should but I do what I gotta do.”

These lines mirror the ongoing tension in his work between frank exposure and self-protection.

Lessons from August Alsina

From his life and artistry, we can draw several powerful lessons:

1. Art Born from Adversity
   Hardship doesn’t have to silence creativity—it can fuel it. Alsina turned personal pain into music that speaks across divides.

2. Vulnerability Connects Us
   In a culture of curated perfection, openness about struggles offers connection and solidarity.

3. Persistence in the Face of Crisis
   Health, loss, and public scrutiny could easily derail a career—but persistence matters.

4. Reinvention & Autonomy
   Leaving a major label and releasing work independently allowed him to reclaim control over his narrative.

5. Words & Music as Healing Tools
   His confessional style reminds us that creating art can itself be a form of healing.

Conclusion

August Alsina’s journey—from a fractured childhood in New Orleans, through personal tragedies and health adversity, to carving a distinct path in modern R&B—is as complex as it is courageous. His willingness to make himself vulnerable, to tell the raw truths few dare to utter, sets him apart not just as an artist, but as a voice of resilience.

His albums—Testimony, This Thing Called Life, The Product III, Myself—map a narrative arc of pain, survival, self-reflection, and growth. Beyond music, his story continues to inspire those who face their own trials and still seek creative expression.