Once Hollywood's go-to funnyman, Chris Tucker has been trending for entirely different reasons lately. Having been absent from our screens for many years, the Rush Hour star found himself at the center of a bizarre rumor that singer-songwriter India Arie is his long term girlfriend, only the pair are purported to have kept their romance a secret. The arty Arie certainly seems like an unusual partner for comedian Chris Tucker, but a lot of fans were convinced that the two were a couple.

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But why exactly would their relationship be kept a secret? And how did this rumor spread like wildfire? The internet is a weird place at the best of times and we put the blame squarely on the power of social media. Here we explain the bizarre rumor that India Arie is secretly Chris Tucker's girlfriend.

10 Who Is India Arie?

The lady at the heart of the dating rumor is India Arie, a quadruple Grammy Award-winning, multitalented singer and songwriter. Arie, 45, has collaborated and duetted with music legends such as Stevie Wonder and Adele and has sold an incredible 10 million albums worldwide.

9 What Exactly Is The Rumor?

The farfetched claim is that Arie and Tucker have been dating for over 13 years, but have chosen to keep their relationship a secret. Seeing as Tucker hasn't been officially linked to any notable romantic partners since the 2000s, we can understand why so many fans would be drawn to this rumor.

8 This Is How It Started

It all started with a simple Tweet last year. When photographer G Steven Roper took to Twitter on Jun 5th 2020, he couldn't have imagined the pandemonium that his 11 words would create.

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"Chris Tucker and India Arie have been dating for 13 years??!" he exclaimed above a photo of the "couple".

7 It Didn't Take Long For The Rumor To Escalate

Social media is a breeding ground for misinformation. Within minutes, Roper's Tweet went viral. Incredibly, it has 30k likes, 7.7k retweets, and over 300 comments. Fans were quick to express their joy for the couple, and also praised their supposed commitment to maintaining privacy.

"This is how you be in a relationship the levels of just pure goodness in this," commented one user, adding, "damn give them there [sic] flowers cause it took our nosey a**es to long to find out."

6 Is There Any Evidence That They Dated?

In 2007, Arie and Tucker were spotted together at a charitable event for Oprah's philanthropic effort, Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. This is likely where the notion that they've been together for 13 years originated. Photos of the pair at the event certainly exhibit an element of intimacy.

5 This Is How Arie Initially Responded To The Claims

Arie first jokingly responded to the rumor by Tweeting, "Me and Chris Tucker been dating for 13 years?!!! 13 YEARS?! Whew Chile! That's some STRONG BLACK (LOVE) Tea".

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Some took the tongue in cheek Tweet as an admission of truth, with one user replying, "R u serious? I admire the both of you, opposite attracts. Put a ring on it CT".

4 She Is Adamant That They Are Not A Couple, But They Did Date In The Past

Shortly after, Arie clarified the nature of her relationship with Tucker. "Soooo, NO. I Do not date @christuckerreal ∼ we went on A date or 2 ... apparently that was 13 years ago? I really don't remember Lol", she explained on Twitter.

3 This Is Why The Story Went Viral

Many fans were disappointed to discover that Arie and Tucker have not been secretly dating for 13 years. However, one Twitter user astutely pointed out why the rumor went viral in the first place: "thank you for allowing us to create our own romcom & soundtrack on the internet!!!! it almost made us forget how stupid planet earth is. 💙😂"

Essentially, the frenzy surrounding the rumor provided some much needed escapism from the realities of life, particularly in these post-Covid times.

2 Tucker Hasn't Responded To The Rumor

At the time of writing, Tucker has been reluctant to comment on the nature of his relationship with Arie. Accordingly, he has neither confirmed nor denied the rumor.

It should be noted that Tucker has recently been in the spotlight for some very problematic reasons: it has surfaced that he hung out with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein (Tucker was also on his flight logs), the financier's pal Ghislaine Maxwell, and disgraced actor Kevin Spacey, so he may just be keeping a low profile.

1 Is 2000s Nostalgia At The Heart Of This Rumor?

Every generation has its sacred period of nostalgia. In the 2020s, it's the 2000s that have left people reminiscing about the good old days, with a number of reboots of classic noughties shows being testament to this.

Perhaps the reason why the Arie/Tucker rumor blew up is that both are stars of the 2000s and, much like fans' joy at the return of Bennifer, Arie and Tucker represent a simpler, bygone era that many want back.

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