You may have heard that Chris Brown just released his 12th solo album, and the critics are not loving it.
The album, titled Brown, received a truly abysmal 1.3 out of 10 from Pitchfork, and in the accompanying review, writer Alphonse Pierre put it pretty simply: “This album is a real piece of shit.”
Chris has been in the music industry for over 20 years now, and in that time, he’s built up an extensive history of problematic behavior and abuse allegations, starting in 2009 when he pleaded guilty to physically assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna, hurting her so badly that she had to be hospitalized.
Chris’s past behavior isn’t something he’s necessarily shied away from in his music, and in the Brown Pitchfork review, Pierre writes that the “soulless, hit-chasing” new album is “bereft of any ideas that don’t have to do with its star’s own victimhood.”
“Even the tracks that appear like intimate glimpses at his relationships are really just him whining about the media,” the review continues. “For years, traditional media has been tiptoeing around the popularity of Chris Brown, and in reality, that benefits nobody but him. The lack of critical engagement with his music has allowed him to contextualize his own redemption with statistics and sob stories… Not every musical legend deserves to be a martyr.”
With Chris being the controversial figure that he is, the scathing Pitchfork review has caught people’s attention. The article currently has over 93,000 likes and 10.4 million views on X alone, and many people appear to agree with its sentiments.
Now, it seems Chris has caught wind of the Brown criticism, and he’s telling us how he feels about it.
In a rather amped-up video posted to his Instagram Story, the 37-year-old began by addressing his dedicated fanbase. “Team Breezy, I know people want me to get on here and, you know, say some sad shit, but fuck that,” he said. “We kickin’ they ass, goddammit. We ain’t lettin’ up. I’mma keep my foot on they neck and we ain’t stopping. You heard me? We doing this motherfucker. Tour, more shit to come. I’m not gon’ tell you what’s more to come, but it’s coming.”
Chris didn’t explicitly mention the viral review, although he did have some very pointed words for his haters. “I don’t give a fuck what these n***as is talkin’ about,” he said. “I know exactly who my fans is and I know exactly who’s hearing this album.”
He concluded: “If you not my fan, I don’t want you to listen to my shit. Go listen to motherfuckin’ Zara Larsson or somebody. Fuck them.”
If you’re wondering what our girl Zara has to do with this, she’s long been a vocal critic of Chris’s. Most recently, the Swedish star told Cosmopolitan she had his music “blocked” on her playlists. “There are so many artists I have blocked on Spotify, and all of them are, like, abusers,” she said during an interview in February. “You certainly wouldn’t find, like, a Chris Brown song.”
So, it’s safe to say that Chris’s Instagram Story has sparked a lot of reactions, and with people calling it a “generational crashout.”
And, as for the Zara call-out, I think it may have backfired. Fans have started comparing Chris and Zara’s respective streaming numbers and album reviews, and it’s safe to say that Zara is currently coming out on top.
“Trust me Shit Brown….we ARE listening to Zara Larsson,” wrote one user, who pointed out that Zara currently has more monthly Spotify listeners than Chris.
Right now, Chris’s album is projected for a No. 5 debut on the Billboard 200, so I guess someone is listening. But if you don’t feel like doing that, you can read the full Pitchfork review here. It might be more enjoyable.
Zara has yet to respond directly to Chris’s video. But we’ll let you know if she does.