August Alsina’s boyfriend, Zu, has spoken out to shut down rumors suggesting the singer groomed him. He made it clear there’s nothing inappropriate about their age gap and emphasized that their bond is built on love.
Taking to X on Monday (Sept. 1), Zu said this would be the “first and only time” he addresses speculation about their relationship. For context, Alsina is 32 while Zu is reportedly 22.
“I met August when I was already of age, an adult,” Zu wrote. “Aug didn’t even know me when I was 16 or 17… not sure where that came from. Yea, there’s a slight age difference but y’all pick and choose who to judge when it comes to that.”
Speculation about Zu’s age grew after Alsina shared photos of the two at a club in Atlanta and mentioned they’d known each other for five years.
Zu clarified in his post that he and the “No Love (Remix)” singer will officially mark five years of knowing each other by the end of this year. He also firmly stated that he “wasn’t groomed” and isn’t “dating a predator.”
Alsina, in a string of tweets, pushed back against the grooming claims, revealing that Zu had initially “lied” about his age when they first met.
“Granted, he was over 18,” Alsina explained. “But the fact still remains. & I found out later, upon meeting the family. BUT this is information that would require me throwing my [n***a] under the bus, and involving mf’s in our story, who ain’t worthy… just to appease their own trauma.”
Alsina went public with his relationship back in 2022 on The Surreal Life, where he introduced Zu and shared that he was “teaching [him] so much about loving and healing.”
Zu explained that his lack of online presence and minimal activity on social media may have fueled the speculation about their age gap.
“August is my boyfriend, and we’re happy with each other, simple…” he wrote. “But I can see how being quiet, and trying to protect something of value to you, can allow some people to spin the narrative and create a bunch of different scenarios which aren’t true. Aug gives me a GREAT life, & I’m thankful.”
