It’s been nearly a week since the 2010 BET Awards aired, but the debate over Chris Brown’s now infamous tearful outburst during his rendition of Michael Jackson’s classic ‘Man in the Mirror’ during a tribute to the late icon continues to be a hot topic within the media, blogosphere and the music industry.
Some have said Brown’s breakdown that night was disingenuous, that the controversial singer had an ulterior motive and used his tribute to Jackson as a platform to win back the hearts of disillusioned fans following his highly-publicized physical assault on former flame Rihanna. Others, however, such as Jermaine Jackson, have come forward in his defense claiming Brown’s emotions were clearly authentic.
WATCH MSNBC COVERAGE OF CHRIS BROWN’S CRYING:
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The latest rumor that’s been swirling comes from an as yet unnamed source who says they were backstage during the BET awards. This witness claims they saw one of Brown’s bodyguards give the singer tear-inducing eye drops prior to his performance. According to US Magazine, the backstage source said Brown “rubbed it in and he started crying.”
His reps are denying these claims. In a statement to US Magazine, they insist that the rumor is erroneous, and that Brown’s tears were the result of his feeling “moved by the opportunity to pay tribute to his idol.”
Whether or not Brown’s tears were real or not may never be verified, but one person who appears to be standing up for Brown is fellow R&B singer Lloyd — who has recently came under fire for reportedly saying he encouraged Brown to cry during his Michael Jackson tribute performance — but the singer is refuting this report. In a statement posted on Bossip.com, Lloyd speaks positively about Brown and wants people, including his critics, to know that Brown’s tears were in fact real.
“I consider Chris a friend. He’s been through a lot in the past couple years. I never told him to go on stage and cry. We spoke recently, and I told him as a friend that people hadn’t really seen him be vulnerable about his situation last year [with Rihanna]. I thought he was holding back and needed to let that emotion out. Him crying at the BET Awards was real, I could feel it.” said Lloyd.