Chris Brown is pushing back forcefully after critics tore into his latest album, Brown.
The singer posted an angry video to his Instagram Stories on Tuesday, May 12, after Pitchfork gave the project a 1.3 rating and called it a “real piece of s***.”
Brown, 37, addressed his supporters directly as he reacted to the criticism.
“Team Breezy, I know people want me to get on here and you know, say some sad s— but f— that,” Brown said in the video.
He then made it clear he was not planning to respond with regret or restraint.
“We kicking they a– goddammit, we ain’t letting up,” the “Say Goodbye” singer continued.
“I’ma keep my foot on they neck,” Brown said.
“We ain’t stopping.”
In another account of the same Instagram Story, Brown opened by saying, “I know y’all want me to say something.”
He followed that by declaring, “We kickin’ they ass!”
Brown also said, “I’ma keep my foot on they neck and we ain’t stopping.”
The outburst came soon after Pitchfork published a sharply negative review of Brown.
The outlet described the album as “soulless” and criticized it as a “hit-chasing” project.
Pitchfork also wrote that the album “doesn’t justify his return to the public eye.”
That line helped renew online discussion about Brown’s public image and past allegations.
The review’s 1.3 score drew major attention because of how low it was.
The harsh language in the review also added fuel to the reaction surrounding the album.
Brown’s Instagram Story showed that he had no interest in staying quiet while critics attacked the project.
Instead, he framed his response around loyalty to his fan base.
The “New Flame” artist said he knows who supports him and suggested that their reaction matters more to him than outside criticism.
He said he knew “exactly who his fans were.”
Brown also said he only cared about those fans listening to the album.
“If you not my fan, I don’t want you to listen,” he said.
He then turned his attention to Zara Larsson.
“Go listen to Zara Larsson or something,” Brown said.
The comment referred to the Swedish pop singer, who recently said she has Brown’s music blocked on Spotify.
Larsson said Brown’s songs were blocked alongside music from other artists accused of abuse.
Brown’s mention of Larsson added another layer to a controversy that had already been spreading online.
His remark connected the album criticism to a broader debate about how listeners and artists respond to allegations involving musicians.
The singer also used the Instagram Story to look ahead to his next public move.
Brown promoted his upcoming “The R&B Tour” with Usher during the video.
The tour is scheduled to begin in June.
The concert rollout has already generated strong attention online.
Brown also teased that more projects are on the way.
“It’s coming at the end of the day,” he said.
“I don’t give a f— what these n—– is talking about it.”
The response quickly became a topic of debate across social media.
Some fans defended Brown and argued that critics have treated him unfairly for years.
Supporters said his music continues to connect with listeners despite negative reviews and ongoing controversy.
Others said the tone of his Instagram Story made the situation worse.
Critics of the response argued that phrases about keeping a foot on someone’s neck sounded threatening and only intensified the backlash.
The divided reaction showed how sharply Brown continues to split public opinion.
For his fans, the video was another example of the singer refusing to back down.
For his detractors, it reinforced concerns about the way he handles criticism.
The renewed debate arrives as Brown is trying to build momentum around a major comeback era.
That effort includes new music, a highly visible tour with Usher and a broader stadium tour rollout.
The Pitchfork review put fresh pressure on the album by questioning its artistic value and Brown’s place in the public spotlight.
Brown’s response then shifted the attention from the review itself to his reaction to it.
The controversy has now become part of the larger conversation around Brown’s new release.
It remains unclear whether the backlash will damage the album’s performance or drive more attention toward it.
What is clear is that Brown is leaning on his fan base and rejecting the critics who have dismissed the project.
For now, the singer has made one point unmistakable.
He is not staying silent about the criticism aimed at Brown.
