Big Sean and Ariana Grande have called time on their romance of nearly nine months.
In a joint statement to Us Weekly on Monday morning, reps stated, “They both care deeply for each other and remain close friends .We kindly ask that the media respect their wish for privacy regarding this personal matter at this time.”
The magazine added that insiders revealed the pair “very quietly and amicably ended their relationship a few weeks ago.”
A source explained, “They made the decision to part ways because their conflicting touring schedules would keep them apart over the next year.”
At press time, the gossip cycle has just finished processing the news. Rest assured, many websites immediately went into anticipatory mode, wondering what juicier reasons for Big Sean and Ariana’s breakup could be thrown into the mix. Anything to prolong the story and generate more clicks.
Enter Justin Bieber , stage left.
The rumor mill’s longstanding punchbag and default repository for all things that require — blame, dubious sourcing, and a total disconnect from reasonable reality — Justin Bieber is perfect for the task.
Even better, Bieber is genuinely connected to Grande. The two artists are managed by the same manager Scooter Braun and are friends. The petite songstress was a support act on the second American leg of Bieber’s Believe Tour in 2013, and the Canadian is a buddy of and has worked with Big Sean.
Factor in the photoshopped, “Big Sean” tweet that nearly imploded the Internet earlier this month, after Bieber’s onstage embrace of Grande, and their faux-flirting during her April 8 show in L.A. — the flood of fake source-driven stories can virtually write themselves.
While the Inquisitr awaits offerings from the usual offenders: Hollywood Life , Radar Online , MediaTakeOut , In Touch Weekly , Star Magazine and more — Celebrity Dirty Laundry led the way on Monday.
While providing not a whiff of proof for their claims, the blog writes, “This is a love triangle gone bad if you ask us,” adding, “It sounds like the Biebs played a crucial part in ending this relationship, just as we predicted at the start of the month.”
Gossip Cop reports a source connected to Bieber, Grande, and Big Sean told the site the story was “laughable,” and the trio “are all still good friends.”
Despite this, the Internet continues its descent into hysteria. Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club co-host and provocateur, Charlamagne Tha God, kicked things off soon after the Big Sean-Ariana Grande split story broke.
He tweeted the following,
Big Sean vs. Justin Bieber in a steel cage match for Ariana’s heart on @MTV2 ‘s #CelebrityDeathmatch
— Charlamagne Tha God (@cthagod) April 20, 2015
With many Grande fans and even Big Sean fans (who are generally thought to be older), blaming Bieber for the ex-couple’s breakup , the most important thing to wilfuly ignore over the coming days of accusations and rumormongering is this:
If a couple who dated for nearly nine months — and to all intents and purposes seemed in love — could be derailed by Justin Bieber hugging Ariana at one show, then Big Sean and Ariana Grande’s relationship didn’t stand a chance in the first place.
Try telling this lot that.
Look what you did @justinbieber pic.twitter.com/39dVX8xhi5
— Nathan Zed (@TheThirdPew) April 20, 2015
Big Sean and Ariana Grande have broken up I blame you @justinbieber pic.twitter.com/0wTvp7vMLC
— CHILDHOOD RUINER (@CHlLDHOODRUINER) April 20, 2015
Biebervelli, the real Mr. Steal Yo Girl. #BodegaBiebz #BugattiBieber
— Papi Postobon (@Povediitz) April 20, 2015
Naya Rivera Dumped Big Sean last time and Got Married a few Months Later… Watch Ariana Grande get Pregnant by Biebervelli in a few weeks
— DJ Akademiks (@IamAkademiks) April 20, 2015
Biebervelli has finished another couple. What a champion
— F?HI (@KingFahi) April 20, 2015
A few fans argued logic’s case. We’ll report back on how well they did at the end of the week.
If JB fake flirting with Ariana caused the breakup, what about this dancer doing the same thing to her? pic.twitter.com/omNyWzPAq1
— ivan (@cardonaivando) April 20, 2015
“ariana and Sean broke up” its Justin’s fault “Selena an zedd broke up” its Justin’s fault”Kids are hungry” its Justin’s fault
— THANK YOU JUSTIN (@biebuhhoe) April 20, 2015
Why would anyone blame Justin. He doesn’t like her like that or else we’d have the duet by now
— Yana (@AYEyanabeliebs) April 20, 2015
[Images via Getty Images]