August Alsina is now a parent to his nieces at the age of 26 by default after the death of his sister last year.
American musician August Alsina has shared his thoughts on caring for his nieces after the death of his sister and their father. The 26-year-old New Orleans native recently took on the role of legal guardian to his nieces after the death of his sister, who he lost to cancer last December. Their father was killed years before.
According to Ebony, Alsina spoke with Thembi from The Shade Room about his new role, as both the father and mother to his nieces saying he understands the importance of his family having a support system, something he often went without.
“They call me Damy it’s dad and mommy mixed together and just the weight of that title alone because I don’t have kids of my own, it makes me want to be what I know I need to be for them because I grew up with my father dead and having a strained relationship with my mother. To go through life without having a person you can run to, without having a certain type of foundation, so I’m saying all of that to say I am how I am. And I am how I am until I get to more of what I’m supposed to be.” Alsina does not shy away from sharing candid images of his nieces, with whom he has grown to create a strong bond.
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Alsina added that he’s open to having his own children, but caring for his nieces is a priority.“The joy that my nieces give me, I wouldn’t mind. But I think at this point in my life, my babies, they’re still kids. And that’s my focus. And maybe once they get older, I could possibly have a kid and know that [they’re] going to look out for my kid. I’m not in disagreement with having a child, it’s just about the circumstance being what it should be in order to bring more life into this world,” he said.
The “I luv this shit” hitmaker has had a rough childhood including struggling with drug abuse. With both his father and stepfather battling crack cocaine addiction, Alsina’s mother moved him to Houston, Texas in search of a fresh start after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Then, Alsina’s father died shortly after. Alsina had disagreements with his mother at some point and was “kicked out.” After his older brother, Melvin La’Branch III, was shot and killed on August 31, 2010, he became more committed to his music and relocated to Atlanta in 2011.
In 2017, Alsina revealed that he was suffering from liver disease. XXL Magazine reported that August has had some public health scares in the past. In 2014, he collapsed during a concert and was in a coma for three days before recovering. In 2015, he had to undergo serious eye surgery to correct issues he was having that was causing him to lose sight.
