Tyrese wrote a tribute to 30 years of friendship with fellow R&B singer Brandy in a sentimental Instagram post this week.
On Wednesday (Sept. 16), the vocalist and actor posted an Instagram reel of The Front Room star singing “Happy Birthday” while Tyrese plays the piano. “I refuse to sing when she sings jeez…” the video’s text says.
In the caption, Tyrese shared that he’s known Brandy since both were 13 years old and growing up in the Los Angeles area, with the Transformers star living in Watts while Brandy was a transplant to Carson.
“From the beginning, I knew you were a STAR. You were magical. We were friends, puppy-love flirting, laughing, dreaming and making the best of every moment as kids,” Tyrese wrote.
The vocalist also recounted Brandy’s musical debut with “I Wanna Be Down” from her introductory self-titled album, which was released in 1994.
“You were literally the first person I had ever known personally—someone I was actually friends with—who was suddenly on TV and in music videos 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” he continued. “Brandy, you gave me PERMISSION TO BELIEVE.”
Tyrese said he realized upon seeing Brandy’s rise to fame that he could also “make it” and that his dreams to become an entertainer “weren’t crazy.”
“And here we are 30+ years later… STILL DOING IT!!!” he continued.
“The fact that we’re still friends after all these years is one of the most beautiful, pure and innocent friendships I’ve ever had, and something I’ve always wanted to protect,” Tyrese wrote. “I know the WORLD loves you, but I love you in a very special way because you are genuinely one of my greatest inspirations.”
Last month, the VERZUZ alum shared on The Kenny Burns Show that his 2001 single “What Am I Gonna Do” was written about Brandy.
“We've been flirting since we were 12, 13 years old,” he said of the Grammy winner. “I've always been attracted to that girl.”
