RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Usher and Chris Brown are two generational titans from two overlapping eras of R&B and pop music. Seeing them share a stage for “The R&B Tour” (a play on their last names) at a sold-out Soldier Field on Friday felt like seeing the last of a dying breed: male superstars who turn their passionate vulnerability into the highest forms of divine, musical masculinity.
The singers delivered a well-orchestrated, collaborative show. They were in sync from the moment Breezy arrived on stage in a stylish Canadian tuxedo and a Cubs hat, with Usher coming right after in an all-red leather outfit to perform “Party” together. And the beauty of the tour was how seamlessly their styles blended. Usher recreated the vibes from his Vegas residency times 10 while Brown gave fans an experience like they were at the UniverSoul Circus.
Twenty-one years ago, when Brown arrived with his self-titled debut, he quickly became the golden boy of R&B and pop. The album went 4x platinum, making it one of the most successful debut albums of his generation. But after he pleaded guilty to assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna on the eve of the 2009 Grammy Awards, Brown’s lengthy history of controversy , arrests, allegations of abuse from former partners and alleged violent altercations have mounted.
Brown recently pleaded guilty to attacking a man at a London nightclub in 2023. He has to return to the UK on Oct. 25 for sentencing, but the tour has since added additional dates .
Usher performs Friday during The R&B Tour at Soldier Field.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Many of Brown’s supporters say it’s time for the media to move on from the 2009 assault. Rihanna stated publicly in an interview with Oprah Winfrey that she forgave him, and they’ve since worked together on several occasions.
Brown’s multidimensional talent as a singer, rapper, actor, dancer and visual artist has made him one of the most commercially successful artists of his generation. With over 100 Billboard Hot 100 entries, there are few singers like Brown who could be considered to stand next to Usher Raymond, the man who paved the way for him.
The scene and energy at Soldier Field on Friday, the first of two shows in Chicago, felt as warm as the beaming sun above Lake Michigan. At least three generations of Usher and Chris Brown fans, combined, were all in attendance, wearing a variety of jerseys and T-shirts commemorating “The R&B Tour.” It felt like one big family reunion for Chicagoans and out-of-towners alike.
I spotted legendary R&B and hip-hop producer Jermaine Dupri, who produced many of Usher’s hits like “Burn.” Dupri was walking outside Soldier Field among the fans with a bodyguard and a videographer in tow. He was making content, asking fans what part of the show they were looking forward to the most. I tried to interview him, but he gleefully ignored me.
Chris Brown performs Friday during The R&B Tour at Soldier Field.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
When approached by the Sun-Times to share why they support Brown, many fans declined to be interviewed.
What I gathered was that, despite his history, supporters believe he deserves a second chance. Jasmine “Jay” Marie is a Brown fan and a survivor of domestic abuse in a past relationship. She says Brown should be allowed to grow from his transgressions.
“I think that people can change. Everyone deserves a second chance, and everyone deserves to grow. Even if it’s little baby steps,” Marie said.
Niya, a Humboldt Park native who declined to give her last name, says Brown has continued to sell out stadiums and arenas because of the quality control of his shows. Indeed, at one point in the show, Brown flew across the air, leaping from side to side in an outfit resembling Spider-Man’s Black symbiote suit, performing “Ayo.”
And the tour showcases how Breezy draws influence from American superhero comics, Japanese animation and cyberpunk futurism. For all of the retro charm Usher presented with his set design resembling a high-end burlesque nightclub in Vegas, Brown’s stage visuals brought fans to the future. Songs like “Poppin’” and “Wall To Wall” were preceded by green visuals inspired by “The Matrix,” with a Michael Jackson montage as part of the introduction.
“He puts his heart and soul into his music. He talks about things people don’t dare talk about, like your emotions. And those are situations everyone can relate to. And he is an artist overall,” said Niya.
Separating the art from the artist is an ongoing debate with artists like Brown. Marie says that his knack for creating memorable moments through his performances is a reason why his fans look past his behavior. And unlike R. Kelly , who was convicted in 2021 of multiple charges, including racketeering and sex trafficking, after a federal court concluded the singer exploited his fame for over a quarter-century to sexually abuse girls and young women, Brown’s music exists separately from what he has been accused and/or convicted of.
“I think that he’s an amazing performer and I think that if you’re just looking at the technicality of it, the way that he dances, the way that he sings his music ... I think you absolutely can separate it,” said Marie.
In her essay “The Clownishness of Evil,” Leta Seletzky says that creating that separation, while convenient, is dangerous.
Usher performs Friday during The R&B Tour at Soldier Field.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
“... I suspect that the unconscious distancing between art and artist that I experienced is far more common than a deliberate sequestration of the two. It’s also easier. And while that may aid a superficial kind of enjoyment, it inhibits a deeper understanding of the work and its significance. Such is the power — and danger — of performance,” writes Seletsky.
This is why nostalgia is so powerful in music. Fans pack stadiums for these tours because they want to relive the songs from the prime of their youth. Usher stuck to the hits, and while Breezy did the sa...
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