Usher Appears To Mock ‘Pretty Privilege’ After Viral Concert Drama

Usher has seemingly responded to the viral controversy surrounding a fan who appeared uncomfortable during one of his sensual onstage routines. Three days after abruptly ending his interaction with concertgoer Gabrielle Cheyenne, the R&B superstar issued a blunt warning before inviting another woman to join him during a Birmingham, Alabama, tour stop. Although Usher did not mention Cheyenne by name, his comments about reluctant participants and “pretty privilege” appeared to reference the highly publicized encounter.

Before performing “Can U Handle It?” at Protective Stadium on Tuesday night, Usher paused to establish some new ground rules. “Now before we get started, don’t bring your a-s up here if you don’t want to be here,” the eight-time Grammy winner told the audience. “God don’t like ugly. But he most certainly don’t feel too good about pretty privilege either.”

Chris Brown, who is co-headlining the “R&B Tour” with Usher, was reportedly seen laughing after the Jumbotron turned toward him. Usher then selected a woman from the audience to join him. Unlike the previous interaction, the new participant enthusiastically embraced the performance and helped put on a show for the crowd.

The warning came after Cheyenne referenced “pretty privilege” while defending herself against the backlash she received following the Nashville incident.

Usher Removed Gabrielle Cheyenne From The Stage

During the tour’s Saturday stop in Nashville, Usher invited Cheyenne to participate in his steamy “Can U Handle It?” routine. The shirtless singer attempted to move closer to her while performing beside a bed prop. However, Cheyenne remained stiff and appeared to pull her body away from him.

After noticing her reaction, Usher stopped the interaction and turned toward the audience. “I don’t think she wants to be on the stage, huh?” he asked.

The “OMG” singer then walked away, waved his hands, and motioned for members of the production team to remove Cheyenne from the stage.

Video of the awkward encounter quickly circulated online, with viewers debating whether Cheyenne had deliberately rejected Usher or had simply been uncomfortable with the nature of the performance.

Gabrielle Cheyenne Defends Her ‘Pretty Privilege’

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Cheyenne later responded to her critics in a fiery Facebook message explaining how she and her mother ended up near the stage. “My mom and I had FLOOR SEATS. Their team approached us and moved us to VIP before the show even started !! PRETTY PRIVILEGES something you hoes will never know about!!” she wrote.

During a separate interview with Brown’s backup dancer Lance Savali, Cheyenne insisted that she did not hold a grudge against Usher. According to Yahoo, she said she had “no bad blood” toward the singer before adding, “I don’t feel a way toward him. It’s just, I got onstage.”

Cheyenne also explained that she did not attend the concert primarily to see Usher. Instead, she described herself as a bigger fan of his tourmate. “It’s nothing against Usher or anything like that, but I’m more of a Chris Brown fan than I am of Usher,” she told TMZ, adding that there would not have been any “stiffness” if Brown had been the performer interacting with her.

Fan Says Her Reaction Would Have Been Different With Chris Brown

Cheyenne continued clarifying her allegiance to Brown while discussing the viral moment. “Me, solely, I went to the concert for Chris Brown; it’s nothing against Usher,” she explained. “So, of course, it would have been a different reaction with Chris Brown. It wouldn’t have been the stiffness or whatever the internet is portraying.”

She also addressed the combative Facebook post, explaining that it was aimed specifically at people in her hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee. According to Cheyenne, many of the critics who went “ballistic” over her behavior were from the city. She characterized those detractors as “crabs in a bucket.”

Despite the online drama, Cheyenne maintained that she did not intend to disrespect Usher and had no personal issue with him.

Usher Defends Touring With Chris Brown And Makes The Case For R&B

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Ahead of the tour, Usher stressed that the R&B Tour represents something larger than two established stars sharing a stage. Speaking with The Associated Press, he said the controversies and legal issues surrounding Brown never made him reconsider working with the singer. “Absolutely not,” Usher said. “He’s my brother, and he’s amazing as a performer. That’s who I see. He works hard for his fans, and his fans support him.”

Brown pleaded not guilty in London last year to charges connected to an alleged 2023 nightclub assault. He was previously released on bail to continue touring. In 2009, he pleaded guilty to felony assault after attacking his then-girlfriend Rihanna.

However, Usher said the tour is ultimately intended to celebrate the genre and its audience. “It’s not about me and my brother coming together,” he explained. “We come together in support of our fans of R&B.”