August Alsina is currently hospitalized after losing the ability to walk.
The singer, who was scheduled to perform at the 2019 Essence Festival, apologized to fans and revealed that he’d woken up and “wasn’t able to walk. Couldn’t feel my legs.”
“I’m here with the stitch and to also apologize for not being able to make the Essence Fest gig last night,” he wrote. “I take my career and your time very seriously and the fact that you guys show up for me, endlessly. Means the world! I’m man down right now and figured I should share. My autoimmune disease is raging, but I’m fighting this thing and on my mission to shake back and be able to make it up to you!
Back in 2017, Alsina opened up about his battle with liver disease to Jada Pinkett Smith, “Reality is I’m sick all the time. I’d really like to talk about it and I’m not looking for anybody’s sympathy. Don’t treat me like I’m a f–king cancer patient, because I’m not.”
He later clarified the statement by adding, “I’m sicker than ever and having a hard time accepting what I feel and what the Doctors are saying is most true. After sitting down and talking with my fathers mother and sister.. They explained to me that sickness and illness runs in my family. My father and grandfather both died of severe illness. But they were FIGHTERS and that’s all that matters. Just ride with me is all I ask.”