The 1980s just called and somehow managed to surprise us all.
Over the weekend, comedian Luenell took to Instagram and casually revealed that she is dating Al B. Sure, the smooth-voiced R&B heartthrob who helped define late-80s quiet storm radio.
And the internet immediately had questions.
This is not the pairing anyone had on their 2026 bingo card. But here we are.
Luenell is 65 years old, loud, proud, unfiltered, and famously comfortable in her own skin. Al B. Sure is 56 years old, known for silky vocals, romantic ballads, and a legacy built on emotional R&B classics like Looks Are for Fools and Night and Day. On the surface, they could not be more different. And yet, according to Luenell, they are very much together.
Opposites really do attract.
Al B. Sure rose to fame in the late 1980s as one of R&B’s most polished stars. With his model looks, falsetto-heavy sound, and clean-cut image, he was positioned as a softer alternative to the rougher edge of hip-hop that was emerging at the time. His career included hit albums, chart-topping singles, and a long-lasting reputation as a ladies’ man.
His personal life, however, has always been complicated.
Al B. Sure is perhaps just as well known for his high-profile relationships as he is for his music. He famously dated supermodel Kim Porter and is the biological father of Quincy Brown, who was later adopted and raised by Sean “Diddy” Combs. Over the years, Al B. Sure has spoken openly about health struggles, industry politics, and feeling sidelined during certain eras of his career.
Romantically, he has often kept things quiet, even when the women he was linked to were not.
Luenell, on the other hand, has never been quiet about anything.
The veteran comedian built her career by saying exactly what others were thinking but were too afraid to say out loud. She has talked openly about sex, dating, aging, and money, especially from the perspective of a woman who refuses to fade into the background. Her dating history is intentionally unconventional. She has dated younger men, entertainers, non-entertainers, and has repeatedly said she refuses to follow society’s rules about who she should want.
Which makes this relationship make a little more sense than people want to admit.
Luenell has always said she likes confident men who are secure enough to handle a woman with a big personality. Al B. Sure, for all his smoothness, has lived enough life to understand exactly who he is and what he can and cannot deal with.
Fans online are split.
Some are genuinely confused. Others are entertained. Many are applauding the fact that two people over 50 are publicly dating without trying to fit into anyone’s expectations.
And that may be the real headline here.
This is not a couple trying to be curated for Instagram. It is not a branding relationship. It is not about clout. If anything, it feels like two people who have already lived full lives deciding to enjoy each other on their own terms.
Luenell announced the relationship with confidence and humor, making it clear she is not seeking approval. Al B. Sure has not yet made a big public statement, but those close to him say he is in a good place and enjoying the attention.
Unusual? Absolutely.
Unexpected? Definitely.
But in a world where celebrity couples are often painfully predictable, Al B. Sure and Luenell are giving something different.
And sometimes, different works.