Chris Brown Thanks Jasmine Crockett And Apologizes For Fallout Over Award

What was meant to celebrate Chris Brown and Usher’s impact on R&B has become a political headache for Rep. Jasmine Crockett. Brown is now apologizing to the Texas congresswoman after her decision to publicly honor him during the duo’s Arlington tour stop triggered days of criticism over his history of violence and legal trouble.

Crockett joined Texas state Rep. Venton Jones onstage at AT&T Stadium on Sept. 12 as Brown and Usher were recognized for their careers. She announced that their contributions would be entered into the Congressional Record, calling the sold-out show an example of “Black joy at the highest level.” Jones also presented a State of Texas resolution recognizing the artists.

Brown initially thanked Crockett for the recognition before returning to Instagram with another message after the backlash intensified. According to Hot 97, he wrote, “I apologize for any backlash you have to deal with for awarding me,” adding that although he is “not political,” he was grateful for the gesture.

The criticism has focused almost entirely on Brown rather than Usher. Crockett called Brown “a real one” during the presentation, a comment that spread quickly as people revisited the singer’s legal history. Brown pleaded guilty in 2009 to felony assault after attacking Rihanna, who was his girlfriend at the time. More recently, he pleaded guilty in July to affray stemming from a 2023 London nightclub confrontation in which prosecutors said he struck music producer Abraham Diaw with a bottle. Brown is scheduled to be sentenced in that case in October.

Some of Crockett’s critics argued that formally celebrating Brown was difficult to square with her public work around civil rights and protections for marginalized communities. Democratic strategist Ameshia Cross called the decision “tone deaf,” pointing specifically to domestic violence affecting Black women, while other commentators questioned why a member of Congress would use an official recognition for Brown given his history.

Others also noted that the presentation was not simply Crockett attending a concert as a fan. Entering Brown and Usher into the Congressional Record gave the moment an official government component, which helped explain why the appearance drew more scrutiny than a backstage photo or casual endorsement.

Meanwhile, Crockett has not publicly responded to the criticism. Her office also did not comment to several outlets that contacted her after the concert.