Key Takeaways
- Chris Brown dismissed rumors of a backstage clash with Usher as “Internet 🧢,” while TMZ sources say the pair still haven’t met privately and their relationship remains “icy.”
- Opening act Tank said conversations had resolved the issues and blamed the rocky Atlanta kickoff partly on logistical problems after a three-week hiatus.
- The alleged Nov. 5 dispute centered on whether to wait for traffic-delayed fans, with the late start cutting both singers’ sets and planned duets before collaborative performances resumed the next night.
The dust may not have been completely settled after Usher and Chris Brown’s alleged confrontation.
Although the two singers may have continued performing alongside one another in Atlanta, sources tell TMZ that they have yet to meet privately to clear the air following their alleged backstage confrontation.
Roughly a week after the dustup, an insider told TMZ that the dynamic between the two performers is "still icy."
While neither headliner has formally confirmed the altercation, Brown dismissed the rumors on Instagram as "Internet [cap emoji]. Don't fall for it.”
That lingering friction presents a contrast to the perspective shared by opening act Tank, who suggested in a recent interview with the The Big Tigger Morning Show that any issues have already been smoothed over.
"In the spirit of competition, in the spirit of trying to be great, in the spirit of everybody having their own ideas of what greatness looks like, how to approach it, all of these things, there is bound to be conflict," Tank explained on the Atlanta radio show. "Once those conversations are had, night two a movie, night three a movie."
Tank also suggested that the rough kickoff was partly due to scheduling rust, noting that the production had just resumed following a three-week hiatus.
The underlying disagreement reportedly happened on Thursday (Nov. 5), at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, when extensive traffic and street closures prevented many attendees from reaching their seats in time. Usher supposedly wanted to kick off the concert as scheduled, whereas Brown allegedly wanted to delay the show until the stadium filled.
The performance, originally scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m., was delayed until approximately 10:00 p.m., leaving both artists with shorter sets due to the venue's midnight curfew and wiping out their planned joint numbers.
Adding to the speculation, Usher opened his solo set by announcing to the stadium, "Welcome to my show.”
Insiders told TMZ that clashing egos ignited the standoff, pointing out that an intense rivalry has persisted between both singers throughout the “entire” tour.
When the duo returned to the stage on Nov. 6, they performed their "Back to Sleep" collab from separate platforms positioned on opposite sides of the stage—an arrangement TMZ noted has been standard throughout the run—before performing the "It Depends" remix while seemingly keeping a physical distance.
Two days later, on Sunday, Nov. 8, Brown invited Gabrielle Cheyenne up on stage. The young woman had previously made headlines in July after appearing indifferent when pulled onstage by Usher. She later explained to TMZ that she had actually been hoping for an encounter with Brown instead. According to sources speaking to TMZ, Usher was completely unbothered by Cheyenne’s recent guest appearance.
Following two final Atlanta dates on Tuesday and Wednesday, the tour continues until Dec. 12, but two of its remaining shows have already been canceled.
