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. Alsina first uploaded videos to YouTube in 2007 at age 14, starting with a cover of "Hypothetically" by Lyfe Jennings. Although no one in his family was musically inclined, he was inspired to sing by Lauryn Hill in Sister Act 2. He attended middle school in New Orleans.
In 2020, Alsina released his third album The Product III: State of Emergency-along with a 5-part documentary series detailing his life experiences, family, and health, supported by a media publicized "entanglement" with actress Jada Pinkett.
After leaving Def Jam and a long hiatus, he released the EP Forever and a Day in 2019.
The album was followed up by This Thing Called Life in 2015. Alsina then his debut studio album Testimony in 2014, after garnering success from the Platinum-selling singles " I Luv This Shit" (featuring Trinidad James) and "No Love" (featuring Nicki Minaj). He released his first mixtape The Product in 2012, followed by The Product 2 and his debut extended play (EP) Downtown: Life Under the Gun in 2013, the latter released under The-Dream's Radio Killa Records and Def Jam Recordings. (born September 3, 1992) is an American singer, rapper, and songwriter from New Orleans, Louisiana, formerly signed to Def Jam Recordings.