Fat Joe recently took to Instagram Live to share his thoughts on Chris Brown, drawing a bold comparison between the R&B star and the legendary Michael Jackson. According to Joe, if it weren’t for the infamous incident involving Rihanna, Chris Brown would be celebrated as the Michael Jackson of our time.
“If Chris Brown never got into the controversy with Rihanna, we would be calling him Michael Jackson right now,” Joe stated. “Not like Michael Jackson—Michael Jackson. He is the most talented singer, artist, performer, and hitmaker of our time.”
Fat Joe emphasized that Chris Brown’s talent is unparalleled and that it’s time to move past the 2009 incident. “There’s nobody even close to Chris Brown, and it’s time we move past it. It’s been 20-something years that I know of—there’s been no more incidents. We gon’ let this lifetime go by without saying the truth?” he questioned.
Joe continued, “What happens is, when the truth is an unpopular decision, everybody gets scared to say it. They get canceled—especially famous people. But you know, the streets—they know what it is. Streets always know, they tell you the truth.”
He also pointed out that despite public backlash, some artists still maintain a following. “The streets still bump R. Kelly despite him being convicted for numerous sex crimes against children,” Joe noted.
“So what I’m tryna say is that it’s a shame that we lyin’ and we not giving it up to the king of R&B,” Joe added. “We be thinking he could battle Michael Jackson, that’s all I’m tryna say. I’m not lying. If you really look at his body of work and you look at all his hits, you see what he does.”
Chris Brown has long been compared to Michael Jackson, but he has always shied away from the comparison. In a 2022 interview on Big Boy TV, Brown expressed his discomfort with the comparison. “I stay the hell up out of [that argument],” he said. “I’ma keep it 100. I kind of back off of it. My personal take on it, I wouldn’t even be breathing or even be able to sing a song if that man didn’t exist. So, I don’t know if they look at it as a [Michael] Jordan and [Kobe] Bryant thing but I don’t. I can’t even look at it. He’s light years away. There is no competing. Hell no. I got shrines and shit of this man hanging up in my house. Hell nah, I ain’t better than him.”
Despite his immense talent, Chris Brown has struggled to shake off the shadow of the Rihanna assault case. The incident occurred in 2009, just before the Grammys, and resulted in Brown pleading guilty to one count of felony assault. Although Rihanna has publicly forgiven him, Brown has stated that people still “hate” him for the act.
Fat Joe’s comments have sparked a conversation about whether Chris Brown’s contributions to music should be re-evaluated. “It’s a shame we’re not giving credit to the R&B king,” Joe lamented. “If you look at his body of work and his hits, you’ll see what he’s capable of.”
While Fat Joe made it clear that he does not condone domestic violence, he believes that Chris Brown’s past actions should not overshadow his talent. “So what I’m tryna say is that it’s a shame that we lying and we not giving it up to the king of R&B,” he reiterated.
Earlier this year, Fat Joe had already praised Chris Brown, likening him to a modern-day 2Pac. His recent comments have only intensified the debate about Brown’s place in music history.
Fat Joe’s remarks have reignited discussions about Chris Brown’s legacy and whether he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Michael Jackson. As the conversation continues, it remains to be seen how public opinion will evolve.
