It’s been nearly a week since Usher‘s Super Bowl show, but the singer is still answering questions about the iconic performance. Some of those questions include confirming and denying which artists got an invite to join him onstage. Most recently, Usher told ‘The Breakfast Club’ that Chris Brown was not on his list.
“No, I did not reach out to Chris Brown,” Usher Raymond said.
However, the singer did say that he reached out to a few “heavy hitters,” though he declined to share his exclusive list. He agreed to confirm any names that were correct if Charlamagne learned who they were on his own.
“I’m not gon’ tell you everybody I reached out to. I reached out to some hitters. I was curating what would be one of the greatest Super Bowls of all time and it actually turned into that because of who I reached out to.”
And he’s not lying! His Super Bowl performance is now the most-watched halftime show EVER with an average of 129.3 million views, per Front Office Sports.
Usher brought out former collaborators and industry peers such as Alicia Keys, Lil Jon, Ludacris, will.i.am, Jermaine Dupri and H.E.R. and performed at least eleven of his greatest hits.
Usher Gives Update On Relationship With Chris Brown
The ‘Confessions’ singer also gave an update on his relationship with Chris Brown after Charlamagne asked about last year’s reported tussle. He seemed to deny it happened, starting his reply to the “rumor of a little curfuffle” with “Nah.”
“It’s all good, man,” he said. “It’s actually always gon’ be things that you’re going to hear. Ain’t no issues between me and that man, we good.”
Last May, both artists made headlines as outlets reported that Chris Brown and his team attacked Usher, giving him a bloody nose. They had allegedly gotten into a dispute after Chris allegedly insulted Teyana Taylor during his 34th birthday party. At the time, Usher’s son, Usher V hinted the reports might be true.
However, none of the artists involved have ever confirmed or denied the reported physical altercation — aside from Usher’s recent comment on TBC.
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That same weekend, though, Usher and Chris Brown both performed separately at the Lovers & Friends Festival. Raymond checked in from the event, showing no visible marks on his face. Chris later shut down additional reports that he engaged in another heated exchange at the festival.
“Y’all been geeked all weekend, y’all dragging it now. It was mad people backstage and security was trying to clear everyone off the stage. People started pushing back. I INTERVENED to let them know MY CHILD WAS BACK THERE. So y’all can keep ya narrative.”
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Usher Confirms Justin Bieber Was Supposed To Perform At Super Bowl
Elsewhere in ‘The Breakfast Club’ interview, Usher confirmed what Lil Jon spilled to TMZ on Feb. 14.
Justin Bieber was supposed to join his longtime mentor on stage at the Super Bowl. However, the ‘Baby’ singer ultimately decided to support from the stands instead with his wife, Hailey Bieber. Jon suggested that Justin might’ve pulled out because he “just wasn’t really ready.”
“That’s a lot of rehearsal, a lot of responsibility, a lot of time, and a lot of eyeballs. I don’t know if he was ready to do all of that, you know,” Lil Jon said.
Usher seemed to agree with that take partially and added his manifestation for the singer.
“It didn’t work out with Justin. I honor and recognize that my brother…I think it might’ve been the fact that he’s just wanting to tell a different story right now and I understand that. But we did have a brief conversation and we’re going to do something else in the future. And no love lost or anything like that. It’s a lot of pressure for the Super Bowl.”
Regardless, Usher said that one day, his mentee will have his shine at the Super Bowl. He said that Justin “has a career that deserves it.”
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It’s likely Justin Bieber is also still recuperating from a major health scare with Ramsay Hunt Syndrome in June 2022, which temporarily paralyzed half of his face. Bieber canceled the remainder of his world tour a few months later, in September 2022, to focus on his recovery.
In March 2023, Justin showed fans the mobility in his face had partially returned. Nearly a year later, it’s unclear how the syndrome has recently impacted Justin, if at all.