The music industry is a fickle one. It’s common to see someone have it all and the next second, lose everything they once had. Those moments often remind us of the volatility of working in music—whether you’re an artist, a writer, or a producer. Unfortunately, Kevin McCall became a walking case study in how quickly talent can be discarded in the cutthroat world of R&B and hip-hop.
McCall made headlines earlier this week after revealing that he’s facing serious financial struggles, to the point where he’s sleeping on his grandmother’s couch. What’s worse is that this claim came alongside an accusation that his former collaborator, Chris Brown, owes him tens of thousands of dollars. Of course, this isn’t the first time their fallout has made headlines. McCall made his issues with Chris Brown clear nearly a decade ago, and the Virginia R&B star lashed out in return. Below is a breakdown of everything you need to know about the beef between the former collaborators.
Origins
Kevin McCall began bubbling up in the late 2000s, but when he signed with Chris Brown in the early 2010s, he cemented his name as one of the hottest singer-songwriters of the time. Signing with CBE under Interscope Records, McCall and Brown emerged with hit records such as “Deuces,” "Strip" and “No Bullsh*t,” which not only helped redefine Breezy’s place in R&B but also solidified McCall’s reputation as a talent to watch.
Their chemistry was undeniable, fueling Chris Brown’s mixtape run and shaping his Fortune era. However, things began to take a turn for the worse a few years later due to business complications.
Kevin McCall and Chris Brown’s Fallout
A VladTV interview from a few years back shed light on where things went wrong between the two collaborators. “Deuces” marked a pivotal moment in their working relationship—though McCall said it was a song he originally wanted for himself. After Breezy begged for it and promised McCall could stay on the record, he agreed to give it to Brown.
McCall later admitted that frustrations began when, despite the song being released on a mixtape, it was pushed as a single—and he wasn’t seeing any money come in immediately, even though he penned the entire track. Still, McCall caught a bit of a wave and went on tour, but after “Strip” dropped, the two became distant and stopped working together as closely.
The Public Beef: Chris Brown & Kevin McCall Trade Words
The feud erupted publicly in March 2016, marking their first major social media clash. McCall posted on Instagram, demanding a “sit-down” with his former boss to “handle this business,” implying unpaid dues and creative theft.
Brown didn’t hold back. In a blistering rant, he accused McCall of being ungrateful and threatened physical harm: “You won’t be able to walk, let alone sing again,” Brown wrote, before warning McCall that escalating the situation any further would introduce “the real devil” into the equation.
Brown essentially painted McCall as a jealous opportunist. In response, McCall dropped a diss track titled “Baerucche,” referencing Brown’s ex-girlfriend Karrueche Tran. Soon after, McCall claimed his Instagram and SoundCloud pages were taken down, suggesting that Brown might have used his industry influence to damage his platforms.
By 2017, McCall seemed to backtrack, giving Chris Brown his flowers while still demanding answers after years of silence between them, though that didn’t last long.
Escalation & Threats
That brief “truce” didn’t last long. In 2018, McCall revealed he suffered a gunshot wound to the foot but denied that it was self-inflicted. As rumors swirled that someone in Chris Brown’s camp was behind the shooting, McCall pushed back but added, “Chris Brown and his seed would be in a casket if he had anything to do with me being shot.”
Later, McCall clarified that he didn’t threaten Chris Brown’s daughter but returned to the root of their dispute—royalties. “The only time I would mention [Chris Brown] and Royalty in the same sentence is the 3 million dollars in #ROYALTIES he owes me for look at me now/other songs he removed my name/credit on because I was un-educated and un-protected contractually–I don’t promote EVIL so self-reflect.”
Read More: Kevin McCall Says Patti Labelle Can’t Sing
Revisiting The Feud In 2025: Kevin McCall Rehashes Beef
It seemed like the feud was finally a thing of the past—until Kevin McCall’s recent media appearances reignited it. During an interview on the Bacc On Figg podcast, McCall revealed he was struggling financially, even showing an EBT card to the camera while questioning, “Why the f*ck I got an EBT card?”
He also pointed to Chris Brown’s recent success with the Breezy Bowl tour, which reportedly made nearly $250M. “Can I get $25K for them four songs I owe you?” he added.
It was a heartbreaking moment as McCall grew tearful while opening up about his struggles. Young Thug chimed in, offering support: “Kevin McCall hit me my n***a, I’ll give u the 25k u need, and i no CB would give it to u also bro he a real one. N***as is busy sometimes brada,” he wrote—though that offer seemed to be rescinded later.
Chris Brown responded subtly but sharply: “Remember this: you can’t walk across a burnt bridge. And you know what’s funnier than a troll? A BROKE ONE,” he wrote on Instagram.
TMZ later caught up with McCall after his comments, where he explained that he fulfilled his contractual obligations under the four-song deal with Chris Brown but was still waiting for Breezy to sign off so he could be paid. Though McCall offered an apology, he also insisted that none of this would have happened if Chris Brown hadn’t completely written him off.
