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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Amy Denman

Chris Brown's AMA win met with boos after his Michael Jackson performance is 'axed'

Chris Brown's American Music Awards win was met with boos during the ceremony on Sunday.

The 33-year-old singer won the Favourite Male R&B Artist at the 2022 ceremony but wasn't present to accept the gong.

And as Kelly Rowland announced Chris as the winner, the audience began to boo as she accepted the award on his behalf.

Former Destiny's Child star Kelly, 41, said: "Chris Brown is not here tonight so I'm accepting his award on his behalf..."

As boos continued to be heard from the audience, Kelly told the crowd: "Excuse me, chill out. I want to tell Chris thank you for making great R&B music and I want to tell him thank you for being an incredible performer. I'll take this award, bring it it you, I love you, congratulations."

Chris beat fellow nominees Brent Faiyaz, Giveon, Lucky Daye and The Weeknd to win the award, which was presented at the Microsoft Theatre.

Chris Brown's AMA win was booed by audience members (Getty Images)

Fans reacted to the moment on Twitter as one said: "I don’t understand why ppl were booing Chris Brown at the AMAs & I’m glad Kelly Rowland shut it down. #AMAs2022".

"Chris brown definitely deserves that award #amas and shout out to Kelly Rowland for making sure everybody know to appreciate Chris browns impact on music and more specifically r&b music," another penned. [sic]

The Loyal singer was due to perform at the ceremony, in tribute to Michael Jackson, who died age 50 in 2009.

Kelly Rowland told the crowd to 'chill out' as she accepted the awards on Chris' behalf (Getty Images for dcp)

But, a day before he was due to perform Chris shared a video of his rehearsal for the performance on Instagram, with the caption: "U SERIOUS?"

He then added in the comments: "WOULDVE been the ama performance but they cancelled me for reasons unknown." [sic]

The clip showed a group of female backing dancers and Chris working through the choreography to a medley of Chris' tune Under the Influence mixed with a number of Michael Jackson hits including Beat It, Billie Jean, Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' and Thriller.

Chris' post left many fans asking why his performance had been scrapped in the comments as one said: "THIS LITERALLY WOULD’VE BEEN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR".

Chris claimed his AMA performance was axed (Getty Images)

"They really missed out on a performance of a lifetime! But I have faith that when one door closes God opens a bigger one! Only up from here," another added.

And a third wrote: "No other performance would have been better than this entire short film you just did".

Chris Brown previously performed a tribute to the Beat It singer a year after his death in 2010 at the BET Awards.

However, in recent years both Brown and Jackson have been hit by controversy – with Brown assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna in 2009 and Jackson being accused of child molestation.

The singer has faced controversy over his career (Getty Images)

He was arrested following the incident and sentenced to community service and domestic violence counselling.

In a 2017 documentary, Chris Brown: Welcome to my Life, Brown said he "felt like a f**king monster".

And in 2019, a documentary titled Leaving Neverland was released, where two people accused Michael Jackson of molesting them.

The film contained explosive allegations of child abuse against the King Of Pop, who died in 2009, and has sparked outrage among some of Jackson's most ardent fans.

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