Chris Brown Dismisses Notion He’s Been ‘Blackballed’ in Front of Sold-Out Crowd

Chris Brown kicked off his tour this week in Detroit to a sold-out crowd, scoffing at the idea that he's been left behind by the industry.

"For a n***a they say is blackballed, this don't look blackballed to me!!!" He also expressed his appreciation to his fans for their support.

Brown's comments are a response to repeated claims he’s made that the music industry is against him, which initially cropped up following his 2009 assault on Rihanna. More recently, in February, Brown alleged that he was uninvited to play in the 2024 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.

“I was asked by the NBA to play in the all star game this year! Only for them to call later and say they couldn't do it because of their sponsors like Ruffles,” he wrote on his Instagram Story. “At this point I'm sick of people bothering me and I'm tired of living in the fucking past. I posted these emails so y’all could see. The NBA still was tryna get me to come and sit court side... not fucking happening."

Brown is currently on his 11:11 Tour. The Detroit show opened with a Michael Jackson voiceover, then saw Chris float over the crowd on wires.