March 05, 2009

Usher Apologizes For Chris Brown Comments

By Jem Aswad and Gil Kaufman (MTV.com)

Usher issued a statement late Tuesday (March 3) apologizing for the comments he made toward Chris Brown, which appeared in a video posted by Jermaine Dupri.

"The comments made during a recent recording session amongst friends were taken out of context and blown out of proportion," the statement reads. "I apologize on behalf of myself and my friends if anyone was offended. The intentions were not to pass judgment and we meant no harm. I respect and wish the best for all parties involved."

The comments regarded pictures of Brown that emerged over the weekend, which showed him riding a jet ski during what was called his "reconciliation" weekend in Miami with girlfriend Rihanna.

In the video, Usher said that instead of riding around on a jet ski, the 19-year-old singer should "have a little bit of remorse" for the alleged incident. The comments in the clip, part of Dupri's Living the Life series, were recorded on Monday, according to comments from Usher, who is shown huddled around a laptop discussing a series of photos with some other men in a recording studio.

"I'm a little disappointed in this photo," Usher says about the shots of Brown, as singer/songwriter Johnta Austin bounces around the room and makes some off-color jokes about boxing. "After the other photo [of Rihanna's bruised face posted by TMZ last month]? C'mon, Chris. Have a little bit of remorse, man. The man's on jet skis? Like, just relaxing in Miami?"

The comments were a rare moment of near-seriousness in the eight-minute video, which primarily features the three clowning in the studio with friends and talking about a recent photo of Christina Milian.

Brown is slated to face charges on Thursday for the alleged incident on February 8, in which he is reported to have battered Rihanna on a Los Angeles street.