They are saying love is blind. Whereas that may be true, some celeb relationships simply have not fairly made sense when held beneath a magnifying glass. The reality is that publicity stunts, together with prearranged relationships, are nonetheless very a lot alive and effectively in hip-hop.
The most recent hip-hop couple to befall these allegations are Rubi Rose and comic Druski. The rapper and comedian gave the impression to be relationship in April as a results of some flirty images and loads of movies throughout social media along with vacationing collectively. They seemingly broke up in June. Nonetheless, there was no affirmation of a breakup from both social gathering. The dialog round Rubi and Druski’s alleged cut up grew louder when she introduced she was “single” in an interview that very same month. Regardless of the movies and images of them collectively, Rubi and Druski by no means confirmed they have been formally relationship.
In a number of tweets she posted on X, previously often known as Twitter, in September, Rubi set the file straight although she did not point out Druski by title. She claimed she “by no means slept with that man” and that he “paid for PR.” This led folks to consider Druski and Rubi Rose’s relationship was a publicity stunt primarily based on what she stated.
“And for the file i by no means slept with that man, ni**a paid for PR,” Rubi tweeted. “By no means p**sy…He’s humorous and good tho! I solely give it up if I am in love, ion care how a lot cash a ni**a obtained. I am wealthy asf lol.”
The tweets gave the impression to be geared toward Druski. He responded by photoshopping his face and Rubi’s face on a poster from the 2003 film Love Do not Value a Factor. The movie focuses on a teen mechanic performed by Nick Cannon, who presents to repair a fashionable woman’s automotive in alternate for 2 weeks of relationship.
XXL has reached out to Rubi Rose and Druski for remark, however haven’t heard again as of press time.
Each of their posts on social media was sufficient breadcrumbs to persuade followers this relationship was, in actual fact, a publicity stunt, but it surely nonetheless got here as a gentle shock. Coordinated relationships aren’t any secret in hip-hop. Sadly, followers have theorized that a number of rappers might have had faux relationships or have been arrange as publicity stunts over time. In 2015, Lil Durk and Dej Loaf have been relationship and so they have been hit with skeptics who did not believed it was all a sham. Extra lately, Gunna and singer Chloe Bailey have been rumored to be relationship in 2022. Followers thought that was faux as effectively. None of these relationships have been confirmed as faux, but it surely begs the query of precisely what number of public amorous affairs started as a mutual enterprise choice.
Longtime publicist Tresa Sanders, CEO of TreMedia, tells XXL there are possible solely a tiny variety of relationships between rappers which might be totally organized beforehand.
“I feel it’s extremely small, and I do not suppose that dialog is being had as a lot because it was again within the early 2000s or 2010s,” Sanders says. “I feel it occurred extra again then than it does now. I do not hear as many conversations about it, however it was extra advertising again then.”
Whereas coordinated relationships are nothing new in popular culture, Sanders stated she first started seeing the development seep into hip-hop when Ye dated Amber Rose from 2008 to 2010. Their relationship has by no means been confirmed as a publicity stunt.
“Although I do not know if this was a PR relationship or not, it felt like one,” Sanders provides. “It seems like Kanye began it with Amber Rose as a result of that was the primary hip-hop relationship that obtained a number of media buzz and publicity. Everybody was speaking about them. He got here with this bombshell of a lady who has this haircut, very edgy however very fly. So, that relationship felt just like the very first one. Though they might have been in love, I may wager there was some type of enterprise dialog forward of time.”
Sanders feels Ye’s profession obtained even “hotter” following his relationship with Rose. “When you concentrate on Kanye and Amber, she was actually attention-grabbing for him as a result of we did not see him relationship a lady so edgy,” she continues. “It made for an attention-grabbing dialog across the two of them. Generally there must be yin and yang…Kanye was so scorching again then and it appeared like Amber simply made him hotter!”
By the late 2010s, crimson carpets had turn into the go-to vacation spot for a lot of of rap’s large relationship moments. They served as a spot the place {couples} may very well be premiered, or the place rumors may very well be laid to relaxation—no matter if the {couples} have been actual or predetermined by their groups. Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta stars Lil Scrappy and Bambi showcased their love for one another with some cozy PDA on the 2013 BET Awards crimson carpet. Wiz Khalifa planted a kiss on Winnie Harlow to verify their relationship on the Victoria’s Secret Trend Present in 2018. Cardi B and Offset reconciled on the Grammy Awards crimson carpet in 2019, after dramatically splitting the 12 months prior. None of those relationships have been created to seize headlines; they have been all the true deal.
Whether or not actual or faux, there has turn into much less of a necessity for such extremely orchestrated moments with the rise of apps like Instagram. “I do not suppose you actually need it as a lot now due to social media,” Sanders shares. “Now, we reside within the period the place followers create a number of chatter, extra so than simply hitting the crimson carpet. You may simply hang around with someone and so they robotically suppose you are relationship.”
So, what historically goes into arranging these yin-and-yang relationships? Chanel Rae, a veteran publicist main her firm, The Legion Media Group, tells XXL all of it is determined by the shopper’s wants.
“Particular person has a nasty picture? They put them with a hotter individual to point out their softer facet,” she says. “An individual wants a lift in consciousness? Add them with somebody who’s exterior loads. If there is a rumor about their sexuality? Get them a companion.”
An artist’s group lets the gossip do the heavy lifting today. In July, Ice Spice and Central Cee have been rumored to be relationship after they have been noticed procuring and having a couple of laughs collectively in London. It appeared that the pair have been simply engaged on Spice’s track “Did It First,” which Cee is featured on, however neither social gathering confirmed nor denied the allegations till weeks after the one and music video dropped. Spice lastly denied the rumors on July 25. The track and visible accompaniment dropped on July 11.
“I feel the customers are simply extra hip, the identical method promoting is extra refined now, however most individuals can inform immediately it is an advert,” Rae explains. “I feel that is actually what it’s. Customers are stronger now. Generally, even when the followers make the belief that there is a relationship and it appears to work, you would not shut down the belief. You let it play out the way it does and generally it really works for the nice.”
Nonetheless, such heavy reliance on fan engagement can result in rampant hypothesis, which at instances has muddied the waters of what’s actual and what’s faux. The rumored set-ups of Lil Durk and Dej Loaf, Gunna and Chloe Bailey and now Druski and Rubi Rose are virtually all attributable to fan hypothesis.
Whereas Cardi B and Offset, who’ve a number of youngsters collectively, have needed to at instances push again towards allegations their love for one another was phony. It is clear their love is actual. Confirmed PR relationships have additionally resulted in some blowback on sure artists. Love & Hip Hop: Miami star Pleasure P expressed his remorse on the fabricated relationships he had with Shay Johnson and Pleasure Wright on the fact present.
“After the actual fact for me, I simply felt like I used to be being seen within the gentle I needs to be seen in,” the R&B singer stated in an interview in Could. “They made me a cheater and I am not a cheater.”
Love & Hip Hop has confronted allegations of coordinating faux relationships for years. Safaree and Amara LaNegra have been confirmed to be a set-up, whereas singer Keyshia Cole confronted accusations from Scrappy of indulging in faux relationships with males within the business, together with most lately Hunxho.
Regardless of these controversies, Chanel Rae says exhibits like that have solely been dabbling in what publicists have been dabbling in for years.
“That is why we have now Love & Hip Hop,” Rae says when requested to present an instance of artists getting a profession enhance from publicity-driven relationships. “Most of those actuality exhibits are all primarily based round these relationships whether or not they begin off actual and lengthen into faux storylines or they take storylines that finish as much as be actual. A few of them produce actual human beings. I do not suppose it is something new.”
There are undoubtedly perks that include these high-profile amorous affairs and rumors, as was case for Druski and Rubi. Druski was considered by followers with an added layer of intercourse enchantment and swag following rumors that he and Rubi have been collectively. Rubi Rose’s supporters considered the rapper with some newfound authenticity, as they praised her for being into the humorous man. The purpose is the link-up obtained all people speaking about them each individually and as a unit.
“I feel that it undoubtedly gave them each extra consciousness,” Rae stated of them. “I see them in a position to capitalize off one another’s following, but it surely’s like some other collab. With out talking on the precise nature of their relationship, they actually did not verify both method, and I do not know if even now, if this announcement, if that is the way it actually performed out. We might by no means know ’trigger we’re not of their inner group, however watching from the surface, I undoubtedly see how each of them gained extra consciousness.”
Additionally, there isn’t any saying {that a} predetermined relationship cannot construct right into a reliable romance. “The attention-grabbing factor is typically they find yourself being actual relationships,” Sanders concludes. “Greater than not!”
Rae provides that “there isn’t any such factor as unhealthy press,” earlier than giving a reminder that these dalliances aren’t the one factor getting a sprinkle of PR help. “We rep a number of rising artists and it is nonetheless taking place,” Rae confirms. “The faux friendships are nonetheless taking place. The faux beef. This complete premise won’t ever go away.”
This serves as a reminder that the leisure business is constructed only for that: leisure. Is it actually that a lot of a betrayal to search out out one thing is preplanned when the top outcome is so, you realize, entertaining?
Learn Extra: Hip-Hop’s Favourite {Couples} Proper Now Show Love Is within the Air
Revisit Druski and Rubi Rose’s social media exchanges beneath.
See Rubi Rose’s Tweets
Rubi Rose tweet
Rubi Rose tweet
Rubi Rose tweet
See Druski’s Instagram Story
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