Bobby Brown: Usher is Great, But Chris Brown Is the Closest Thing We Have to Michael Jackson

Published: Wednesday 16th Apr 2025 by Rashad

Bobby Brown has entered the chat in the ongoing Usher vs. Chris Brown debate.

Fans of both showmen have not only pit them against each other as this generation’s greatest male performers, but also as the next best thing to the ultimate entertainer: their idol Michael Jackson.

And while Brown showered praise on his industry friend and protege Usher during a recent interview with Shannon Sharpe on the ‘Club Shay Shay‘ podcast, the ‘Don’t Be Cruel‘ crooner gave the crown to Brown when comparing who’s the closest to the King of Pop.

See what he said inside.

 

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Bobby’s 2-hour interview with Sharpe was filled with quotable moments including his take on his career-at-large, marriage to Whitney Houston, brief love affair with Janet Jackson, and so much more.

A lauded performer himself, the New Edition star – after sharing fond memories of his time with Michael Jackson – was quizzed on who from today’s generation could stack up to the King.

“I would go with Chris Brown,” the 56-year-old said. “Chris Brown is a dancer, singer, and great entertainer. He goes out there and he does the ultimate stuff on stage and you just have to love it.”

Bobby was sure to clarify that he does have love for Usher as well.

“Usher’s also a great entertainer, but I’ve got to go with Chris on being as close to Michael as anybody could ever get,” he relayed to Sharpe.

That’s not all he said. Click here to see the full interview.

Your thoughts?

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  1. Miss Messy April 16, 2025

    Are we not tired of this question and comparison? We don’t have a “This-generation’s-MJ” and we don’t need one. We HAVE Michael. His legacy is still very much alive, his greatness is still there to aspire to, and his catalog is still there to enjoy! Michael is Michael, Usher is Usher and Chris Brown is Chris Brown. All 3 are legends with catalogs and fanbases of their own

    • yup! April 16, 2025

      Exactly. It’s like someone paid these ppl to go on a clean up chris campaign. The man can’t sing live, does not have the catalog of an Usher, or My prerogative, and has such an abusive history it will never be washed away. We said No and it’s NO.

      • Oopsie April 17, 2025

        Definitely it is Chris Nrown. He is the only one even remotely close to Michael Jackson. Chris is a truly amazing talent. He is like an MJ and a Prince and a Whitney Houston. People on this earth or previously so-with specialized gifts and we have or are witnessing history being able to enjoy their talents. Chris Brown is definitely in possession of the talent and even more than MJ.

  2. Judy April 16, 2025

    Of course a old bloated misogynistic woman abusing coke sniffing has been would say this

    • Benni April 19, 2025

      Most agree with Bobs. CB is the man in music and talent. Michael Jay said he pass the baton to him.
      But most who come for CB are the same angry demographic. A bunch of dark bk women still mad at CB after he told y’all the business for trolling and lying on him on his very page because y’all wanted to date him and he dates pretty light bk women. Seemed bitter then and bitter still. See y’all should have left him alone.

  3. DBraxton April 16, 2025

    If Chris is the closest thing we’ve got to MJ then we’re in trouble lmao

    • THE TRUTH 🧨🧨🧨🧨🧨🧨🧨 April 16, 2025

      Exactly this 🤣

  4. Flopwood April 16, 2025

    Yes Chris bit off of Michael the most

  5. Muze April 16, 2025

    Chris Brown is a good performer. But Michael Jackson is a once in a lifetime anomaly that can’t be duplicated for many reasons. His timing alone sets him light years apart from today’s artists. Michael Jackson’s brand of pop music was relatively new during the height of his solo success. Most of what he was doing was being done for the first time in history. He was innovating, leading, and setting the standard. That alone makes these comparisons sound silly.

    • THE TRUTH 🧨🧨🧨🧨🧨🧨🧨 April 16, 2025

      I can’t name one song from Chris Brown

      • Stop Lying April 20, 2025

        You can name many Chris Brown songs. That’s why you are on this page. Because you know he has tons of hits, and you want to downplay them.

        Told on ya self when you posted.

  6. Kisses April 16, 2025

    Can we move on from the MJ comparisons plz especially when the man has been dead for 16 years and still outselling and out streaming the entire music industry. Both Chris and Usher have been in the game over 20 years. Their names should be ENOUGH…..🙄

  7. Ms. Ling Ling April 16, 2025

    MJ will never beat women.. and he was genuinely calling his bodyguards not to push his fans. which Breezy will never… only one thing for sure is they both lip-sync all the time

  8. B April 16, 2025

    All of you who are saying “can’t we just move on”, you’re missing the point. You might as well just say “All Lives Matter” They’re saying who’s the closest. Like who was the closest to Jackie Wison- James Brown. Who was the closest to James Brown-Michael Jackson. There are gonna be comparisons, regardless. We all know the differences but we ALL know the answer to this is Chris Brown. Check the stats! Check the hits! Check the LIVE show! Bob said it right! Ushers great! But who’s the closest as far as innovation, polarizing entertainment? It’s Chris. Hands down!

    • Bobby Clown April 16, 2025

      Bush was still in office the last time Chris had a #1 hit. He’s never on the top Billboard lists or year end charts EVER. Only mentioned when inflated streams are involved. He doesn’t possess the catalogue to sit in the same room as MJ. He has no classics. Just forgettable microwave hits. His last album sold less than 40k first week. He isn’t on The Weekend, Bruno or even Justin Biebers level.

      • No Lies Allowed- Chris Rules April 17, 2025

        Lies. You are obviously a hater to intentionally spread false information. Chris has fans, and we will set the record straight.

        Chris Browns recent song “Residuals” is a smash hit. It also went to #1.

        Before then “Sensational ” was also a hit. The video is so good it rivals the mastery of Michael Jackson’s videos. Amazing artwork. It also went to to #1.

        He was just on Billboards end of year chart for his hit “Under The Influence “. Another #1 hit. It was in fact a global hit. As in across the world.

        As if all of those evidences were not enough to shame you, CB has broken several records one being a record previously held by Elvis Presley. He’s accomplished so much that it would be time-consuming to list them all.

        He recently broke a record that was held by Bruno Mars. And Bruno Mars seems to like his music and Chris probably likes he also. So I don’t think they are in competition. It’s only you.

      • No Lies Allowed- Chris Rules April 17, 2025

        Furthermore he’s not talking who has the best music. No Chris and MJ‘s music doesn’t compare even though Chris has good music as MJ has some of the best music ever created.That’s not the point the point is who now has the best talent next to MJ? Easy. Chris by far no one else in sight. No other entertainer can compare to Chris Brown talent wise. And don’t even mention Usher. He just got a resurgence last year. That was good for him, but his talent music or stage presence isn’t even close to Chris’. Chris basically has everything. But the personality and goodness as a person, but unfortunately, he lives during an era where that is being shown every day. I hope he sincerely changes. But I’m not incorporating that because that does not determine your talent or your gift or your good music. Chris has everything the best talent as a dancer than anyone else, he’s even very talented as a singer, a great vocal talent, and the charisma is jaw dropping, and the good looks and stage presence is mesmerizing and let’s not talk about his talent for the music videos. He knocks it out the park always and every time. He has everything. Now if his heart would only change.

  9. True Tea April 16, 2025

    There is only one Michael Jackson.

  10. Chris Is One Of The Greats April 17, 2025

    Bobby is right! Chris Brown has a special talent of dancing above anybody I have ever seen. Even MJ. And I grew up with MJ. But he could not perform or dance as Chris Brown can. Performing wise no MJ couldn’t dance nearly as well as Chris Brown can. I say that as a person who was a fan of MJ from the age of a toddler. Although Chris has some good music, Michael’s music is far better than CB’s because of Quincy Jones. But as a dancer performer, no one and let me repeat no one and let me repeat once again no one is better than Chris Brown. No matter what you like or not like about him he has a gift that surpasses everyone else in the realm of dancing and performing.

    And why do people keep getting it wrong by putting Usher into a Chris Brown and Michael Jackson conversation?? Usher who even started there they’re not even close has never had the talent or the music at Chris Brown or MJ’s level.

    Usher has NEVER been on Chris Browns level. NOT EVER. Usher is nowhere near that. So comparing Usher and Chris Brown is highly unfair to Usher. Usher‘s name gets thrown around more because he gets advertisement and some mainstream attention specifically last year. But his talent is almost nonexistent when compared to Chris Brown’s, his music isn’t as good and does not stand out as Chris Brown’s, he cannot sing as well as Chris Brown and when you start talking about dancing and performing everyone is dismissed when it comes to Chris Brown.

    • TheClassAct April 20, 2025

      You are either very young or a bad clown.

  11. 🐝 April 17, 2025

    Lol this is too funny and the comments in here have me hollering! 🤣

    Ironically enough, and I’ve always said this, the only person Chris Brown comes close to as an artist IS Bobby Brown. They have very similar upbringings, both have been in bad relationships thar ruined their careers and both aren’t really the best singers but they can perform well which deflects from the lack of the obvious. Like so many have said already, there is no MJ present in this current generation.

    • Ok? April 18, 2025

      Thank you. I also can’t help but feel like Bobby said this BECAUSE he relates to Chris the most. Someone pointed out that Bobby was ALSO in this conversation as “the next MJ” once upon a time but squandered it in the mid 90s with his declining music career and antics. Just because Usher goes about his business, releases a hit or two in a 5 year span and maintains his status, he’s seen as lesser than. It’s not anyone but Chris’ that he kept getting involved in bs that hindered his career.

  12. Chris is the closest but read that again April 17, 2025

    READING COMPREHENSION IS KEY. HE SAID CLOSEST TO MJ NOT BETTER. GET OUT YOUR FEELINGS.

    And I fully agree Chris Brown is a huge , global artist and he is the closest to MJ. He has the most #1 hits , he surpasses MJ in dance abilities, he has the vocal chops which are amazing, and like MJ his music videos are stellar and creatively superior. I became a separate fan off his music videos alone. His stage presence and music video presence is stunning.

    Chris Brown is definitely MJ’s child. No one else is in his category. That’s why he’s the closest to MJ.

  13. Chris and who? Usher? Since when can Usher compete with CB? April 19, 2025

    Who is placing an Usher with the prodigy that is Chris Brown? I grew up during Ushers start and dude was a regular. Nothing big. Chris Brown came onto the scene as a prodigy. Like nothing we had ever seen. It was as if one of those odd people from the unbelievable circus started a music career.
    Usher has done well over the years and given some bops. I like some of his music But Chris has classics. Sensational. Residuals. Forever. Back To Sleep. Dueces. No Bullsh-. Under The Influence. No Air.

    Chris remained the baddest friggin dancer ever in his video’s with talent and choreography that shocked you 😯. Where did he come from? He even leveled up performances as the one to always watch if he was appearing on the show. I’ll never forget the flying performance as my favorite of all time.

    Nothing to see here.
    No competition

  14. Ivan April 20, 2025

    lol Chris who? He is only famous in USA while Michael was a world renowned artist, a star.

    • KC April 20, 2025

      It better than. The closest to than anyone.

      Chris Brown tours in Africa, Europe, Germany, The UK, and Brazil. He has a strong overseas presence. So much so he broke a record of selling out an almost 100,000 seat arena in under 2 hours in Africa. He even had to add another concert the demand was so high. And he sold that one out to! And people were standing outside.
      Did you not hear of his Brazil concert also?

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