Chris Brown has offered an apology to Robert Glasper after mocking Glasper’s win at this year’s Grammy Awards over the weekend.
On Sunday (February 5), Glasper took home the Best R&B Album award for his 2022 record ‘Black Radio III’. In doing so, he beat out the deluxe edition of Brown’s 10th studio album ‘Breezy’, as well as records by Mary J. Blige, Lucky Daye and PJ Morton.
Brown reacted sourly to Glasper’s win on Instagram. “Bro who the fuck is this?” Brown wrote in an Instagram story (which was later deleted) alongside a photo of Glasper. “Yall playing,” he continued, next to a string of crying laughing emojis. “Who da fuck is this?”
After facing backlash on social media, Brown has walked back his remarks, sharing another Instagram story with a screenshot of a message he sent to Glasper himself. “Congratulations my brother,” the message begins. “I would like to apologize if you took offense to my reaction at the Grammys.. you were not the intended target and I know I came off really rude and mean.”
Brown went on to acknowledge that after “doing [his] research” he thinks Glasper is “amazing”. He accused the Recording Academy of not doing “due diligence” for Black artists, acknowledging that while both he and Glasper’s work can be broadly categorised as R&B, there’s a considerable stylistic difference between Glasper’s jazz and soul-influenced compositions and Brown’s poppier, trap-oriented output.
“You and I should never be in the same [category],” he continued. “Two totally different vibes and genres. So from one black man to another… CONGRATULATIONS. Hope you are able to feed your family for life. God bless my G.”
Chris Brown apologized to Robert Glasper‼️🙏 pic.twitter.com/Fj9P4uqUjH
— RapTV (@Rap) February 6, 2023
Glasper is yet to publicly respond to Brown’s comments.
Glasper’s win on Sunday marked the second time he has won a Grammy in that category – the first was in 2013 for his fifth album, ‘Black Radio’ – and his fifth Grammy overall (out of 12 nominations). Brown has won one Grammy to date, Best R&B Album for ‘F.A.M.E.’ in 2012. He has been nominated 21 times.
This year’s Grammy Awards saw Harry Styles take home Album of the Year for ‘Harry’s House’, while Lizzo‘s ‘About Damn Time’ won Record of the Year. Bonnie Raitt‘s ‘Just Like That’ was awarded Song of the Year, while Samara Joy was crowned Best New Artist