Jussie Smollett and Karamo Brown Linked After PDA-Filled Los Angeles Outing

Outing in Los Angeles fuels romance reports

Photographs showing Smollett and Brown spending time together in Los Angeles including a hike, lunch with Brown’s mother and public displays of affection led fans to conclude the two were more than friends.

People magazine reported that a source close to the pair confirmed Smollett and Brown are romantically involved. Neither Smollett nor Brown has publicly addressed the reports.

Brown’s podcast comments and public moments

On the Reality With The King podcast, Brown spoke about dating a fellow celebrity without naming Smollett. During the conversation he said:

“I know 100% this is my husband,” adding that he believes he has found “the one.”

Brown also explained why the relationship is being kept largely out of the public eye:

“We’re not hiding, but we’re protecting what we have,”

according to the podcast remarks reported in the source.

Earlier, Brown introduced Smollett during a performance at Harlem Pride and described him as someone he deeply loves and respects. Brown publicly defended Smollett after a social media criticism of the actor’s live performance by rapper 50 Cent.

Recent personal history and public reaction

The reports of the new romance come weeks after Smollett reportedly ended his engagement to his longtime fiancé, Jabari Redd.

Reaction online has been mixed: many fans celebrated two prominent Black LGBTQ+ public figures reportedly finding happiness together, while others questioned the speed of the reported romance following Smollett’s split.

Controversial past still part of the conversation

Discussion of Smollett’s past has resurfaced alongside the romance news. The source notes Smollett remains a polarising figure since the highly publicised 2019 hate crime hoax case. It also states that the Illinois Supreme Court overturned his conviction in 2024 on procedural grounds, and that the court did not rule on the truthfulness of the original allegations.

As of the reporting in the source, neither Smollett nor Brown has issued a public statement directly confirming the relationship.