August Alsina Addresses Criticism of His Song ‘Entanglements’ Referencing His Relationship With Jada Pinkett Smith

August Alsina is standing firm in his decision to speak publicly about his relationship with Jada Pinkett Smith. The R&B singer defends his actions, claiming he began receiving side-eyes behind the scenes as rumors spread that he hurt the Smith’s marriage. Alsina also explains why he does not care about criticism over his song “Entanglements” and why he’ll always cherish the relationship he has with Smith.

August Alsina references relationship with Jada Pinkett Smith in his song ‘Entanglements’

Alsina and Pinkett Smith both admit to having a romantic relationship. They both agree that they began as friends, with Alsina looking to Pinkett Smith for help for his emotional health and addiction to pain killers. 

Pinkett Smith, an admitted co-dependent personality, says her attraction to Alsina filled her need to “fix” broken people. She also says that she was in a depressed state, believing her marriage to Will Smith was over.

The two confided in one another, with Pinkett Smith labeling their eventual love affair as an “entanglement.” Alsina references Pinkett Smith’s description of their relationship in his single, which is titled “Entanglements” – a nod to Pinkett Smith’s own words.

In the song, he sings of their relationship, using some of Pinkett Smith’s own film titles, Will Smith, and other personal anecdotes known about her as metaphors.

Alsina sings:

“Shawty leanin’ on my shoulder, got her questionin’ my willpower / Jaded by her beauty, but her reputation real solid / Mornin’ down the hallway, I can tell you how I feel about it / Caught up in the Matrix, and I doubt if I can get up out it (Come on, come on, huh)…Still I gotta get around, favorite artist was 2Pac / Watch a movie, then we freak it / Tangled up, I’m gettin’ deeper (Yeah) / Entanglement is when a man’ll lick until you tremble (Huh) / Saddest part is I still love you, just to keep it simple (Biggest).”

August Alsina on “Entanglements”

August Alsina says he doesn’t care about fans not liking his song ‘Entanglements’ 

Despite the song, Alsina says he has no issues with the way in which Pinkett Smith describes their relationship.

“I don’t know why that word is such an issue,” he says in a July 2020 interview with Vulture. “I would agree [with Jada]. If you look up the definition of ‘entanglement,’ it is a complex and difficult relationship. It was exactly that…It definitely was something complicated, a complicated dynamic.”

But, some fans are not happy with Alsina’s song. Many believe he released the single out of spite. Others allege that Alsina’s motivations are for publicity and to keep him in the spotlight.

In a new interview with People Magazine, Alsina takes jabs at those who criticize the song. 

“It was cool when people were able to use it [the word entanglement] as a mockery of me, like, ‘Oh, you’re an entanglement,'” he says. “When I flipped it, it became a problem for people. Like, ‘Oh, you’re clout-chasing.’ I’m just doing business. It’s not personal.”

Alsina also insists that his relationship with the Smith family remains in good standing.