Chris Brown claims he was disinvited from playing in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game due to his past domestic violence incident with ex-girlfriend Rihanna.
The “Under the Influence” singer shared screenshots via his Instagram Stories early Saturday morning of emails he allegedly received from the basketball league, in which they talked about coordinating his “travel and “logistics” for All-Star weekend, which kicked off Friday in Indianapolis.
In one email from an alleged representative of the NBA, they shared images of what Brown’s blue uniform would look like as part of Lil Wayne’s team.
“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 in one of the posts.
“At this point I’m sick of people bothering me and I’m tired of living in the f–king past. I POSTED THE EMAILS SO YALL COULD SEE. The NBA still was tryna get me to come and sit court side… NOT F–KING HAPPENING.”
The Grammy winner, 34, concluded his message, saying, “I onLY GO WHERE IM APPRECIATED.”
Fans took to Twitter to defend Brown against the NBA and Ruffles, claiming that the companies have shown hypocrisy when choosing to ban certain people.
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“How many NBA players right now are still actively hired with DV cases, or putting hands on their SO’s and we don’t know it yet? But Chris Brown is the malcontent who can’t be allowed to tarnish the brand….a man who took responsibility for his actions and made amends. Yea ok,” tweeted one user.
“Ruffles is the same company that allowed Charles Barkley to be a sponsor. Charles Barkley is the same bozo that made an insensitive domestic violence joke in 1990. Charles Barkley is the same individual that told a woman in 2019 ‘I don’t hit women, but if I did I would hit you’. Today he is still a sponsor for Ruffles,” added another.
“the industry really is a hypocritical cesspool of serial rapist, serial abusers, serial child molesters & much more, but we’re drawing the line at chris brown? yall got coaches & team players who should be facing jail time for their behavior yet they’re making plays & were chastising chris.. the line is always MOVING!” said a third fan.
A fourth user tweeted, “CHRIS BROWN is not allowed to work with Nike or the NBA He not allowed to perform at awards shows He not allowed to perform the superbowl But people like ozzy Osborne and Dr dre can be honored and perform at the superbowl yall dont care about DV yall care that it was RIHANNA.”
Pvnew has reached out to both reps for the NBA and PepsiCo, the owner of Ruffles, for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Since Brown pleaded guilty to one count of felony assault for beating then-girlfriend Rihanna, now 35, in 2009, he has found himself in a heap of legal trouble.
In 2017, the “No Guidance” singer’s ex Karrueche Tran was granted a five-year restraining order against him for allegedly becoming aggressive towards her when she wouldn’t return money and gifts he gave during their relationship.
