Chris Brown Responds to Pitchfork’s 1.3 Rating for ‘BROWN’

Pitchfork and its distinguished senior writer, Alphonse Pierre, ignited a passionate response from Team Breezy on Tuesday, May 12, following a scathing review of the highly anticipated ‘BROWN’ album. Pierre awarded the project a mere 1.3 score, dismissively labeling it “a real piece of sh*t.” Although he has yet to publicly acknowledge the intense backlash generated by his review, Chris Brown has finally chosen to respond! Additionally, Tank, a staunch supporter of Team Breezy, also subtly criticized Pitchfork in light of the situation.

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What Did Alphonse Pierre Criticize About ‘BROWN’ in His Pitchfork Review?

The real question is…what DIDN’T he criticize?! Alphonse Pierre unleashed a torrent of critique, opting to scrutinize Chris Brown’s entire career rather than solely focusing on the album ‘BROWN.’ He referenced the infamous incident involving Rihanna in 2009 and the subsequent attempts by Chris Brown to rehabilitate his public image. His review consisted of over 2,000 words disparaging ‘BROWN’ just days after its release on May 8. The opening line of the Pitchfork article makes a bold statement, declaring, “Chris Brown’s soulless, hit-chasing new album doesn’t justify his return to the public eye.”

In his review, Pierre asserted that Brown has portrayed himself as the “victim of the media conspiring against him.” At the same time, Pierre contends that the artist leverages his fans’ “nostalgia for his youthful innocence” and his “cool…backflips” to persuade them of “his version of history.” The senior writer pointed out that Chris has manipulated the “battering of Rihanna” to add “emotional complexity” to his music that was previously absent before the incident. According to Pierre, this has been a recurring theme in all of Chris Brown’s music since 2009, including ‘BROWN.’ The experience of being a fan of Chris Brown has seemingly transformed into a quest to support “a talented Black man to triumph, regardless of the truth.”

“It was to view his physical abuse of women as a rite of passage on the journey to becoming a man,” Alphonse Pierre articulated. He continued, “All of the overstuffed albums and Billboard hits he’s accumulated since then are tainted with that context. None more than BROWN, which isn’t romantic or funny or sexy or sultry or dancey or soulful or vulnerable or honest or creative or inspired whatsoever. It’s soulless, hit-chasing music with nothing going for it if you aren’t personally invested in the Chris Brown culture wars.”

This review marks the first time in at least 6-7 years that Pitchfork has evaluated Chris Brown’s music. The publication bypassed at least three of his previous projects to conclude that “Not every musical legend deserves to be a martyr.” These points are crucial for Team Breezy, who are vocally challenging this narrative! Meanwhile, Pitchfork has remained silent regarding the backlash while continuing to promote the article on X with statements like, “This album is a real piece of shit,” and “Soulless, hit-chasing music with nothing going for it.”

Alphonse Pierre has not yet defended his critical remarks. He shared the review on X, captioning it, “Went a little long on 20 years of Chris Brown and his new album, ‘Brown.’”

How Did Chris Brown Respond to the Negative Review?

Before the day ended, Chris Brown made his feelings clear regarding Pierre’s comments. If anyone anticipated a somber response from Breezy, they were mistaken. His reaction was unapologetic: “F*ck that,” he declared.

“We kicking a*s goddammit. We ain’t letting up, imma keep my foot on their neck and we ain’t stopping,” Chris Brown stated, referencing his upcoming R&B tour with Usher and other undisclosed projects. “I don’t give a f*ck what these n*ggas talking about. I know exactly who my fans are, and I know exactly who is listening to this album. If you’re not my fan, I don’t want you to listen to my sh*t.”

He concluded his fiery response by suggesting that non-fans might prefer listening to someone like Zara Larsson, a Swedish R&B singer and songwriter.

What Was Tank’s Reaction to Pitchfork’s Review of ‘BROWN’?

In a similar vein to Chris Brown, Tank expressed his disapproval of Pitchfork and their review of ‘BROWN.’ On X, he responded to a tweet asking if he had expressed his frustration towards the publication for the 1.3 rating. Tank replied, “Pitch who?..” followed by laughing emojis.

Fans anticipated that he would unleash a more substantial critique, especially since just the prior week, he ardently defended Chris when a social media user suggested Breezy required scrutiny, stating, “CB is a musical genius if you’ve really followed the music. This style isn’t new to him; it’s only new to you..lol.”

SWIPE BELOW TO SEE REACTIONS TO THE ALBUM REVIEW.

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