Selema Masekela Speaks Out About His Three-Year Relationship with Lupita Nyong’o

For the first time ever, Selema Masekela has opened up about his past relationship with Oscar-winning Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o. 

Speaking on a recent podcast, the American television host and sports commentator confirmed that the two were together for three years. Masekela, who had previously kept the relationship completely private, explained that there was something special about the cultural connection they shared. “There is something about the cultural layering when you were in a relationship like that, and I had already spent time in Kenya, so I was familiar with the Kenyan culture.” 

He went on to describe the unique experience of being in what he called an “African relationship” where both partners come from such highly public backgrounds in their respective countries. He admitted, “There were very interesting layers to being in sort of like an African relationship like that, but one also where you both are coming from such public sort of presence within your various countries, and then suddenly you get that type of attention from the continent.”

Masekela was honest about the challenges of dating someone with such a massive public profile. He said, “I don’t think that I ever want to be in a public one again. Being in the relationship, you learn how to navigate it. There’s just no control over what the back end of a public relationship looks like.” He compared the experience to flying too close to the sun, adding, “I don’t know if I ever want to fly that close to the sun again.”

He also spoke about the difficulty of dealing with public perception, especially when a relationship comes to an end. He explained, “You can’t control what people’s perception of you is, what your relationship is, and who you are. It is a difficult dance publicly when it comes to an end.”

However, he made it clear that he has no intention of sharing any private details about their time together. “I made a commitment to never put what was our business out into the world, or to you know speak about her in any way that would reveal anything that was once private, and so I keep it that way.“

He called Lupita one of the most talented actors we have. “She’s one of the most talented artists and actors that we have, and I wish her a wonderfully long and fruitful career.“