Usher Denies Rumors of Altercation with Justin Bieber at Oscars Afterparty

American artist Usher has dismissed rumors suggesting he had a tense exchange with Justin Bieber at the Oscars afterparty hosted by Beyoncé and Jay-Z.

Reports last week by TMZ claimed that the singer of "Baby," 32, and his former mentor, who is 47, got involved in a heated argument at the star-studded event.

However, Usher's friend Da Brat shared on "The Rickey Smiley Show" that the R&B; star characterized the reports as exaggerated.

"I spoke to Usher, and he said, 'This is an exaggeration of the conversation,'" Da Brat stated. "He’s been nothing but supportive of plenty of issues that Justin Bieber has had throughout the years and y’all can actually check the records for all that, he has been."

According to Da Brat, Usher is supportive of Bieber's journey. "Justin is on his own journey, dealing with his own reality that he’s created," she added. "Usher wishes him nothing but the best, and they have no hostility towards each other."

The rapper emphasized that both singers have a mutual affection. "People just take stuff out of context when they see something, and they run with it, and I’m just here to say that is not the issue," she remarked. "They are definitely cool with each other, and they have love and they support each other."

Sources from TMZ mentioned that while the alleged altercation between Usher and Bieber did not escalate to physical confrontation, it was described as "intense."

A source also indicated to the outlet that Bieber has often been disrespectful towards Usher and is attempting to distance himself from his past relationships.

Usher and Justin's ex-manager, Scooter Braun, played crucial roles in fostering Bieber’s career, with Usher acting as a prominent mentor.

In February 2024, it came to light that Usher invited Bieber to perform at his Super Bowl halftime show, but Bieber declined, as he "wasn’t feeling it," according to industry insiders.

These sources relayed to us that there is no animosity between Usher and Bieber. "Justin just wasn’t up for it — he just wasn’t feeling it," they mentioned.

Both Usher and Bieber have a long history in music, with Usher significantly influencing Bieber’s early career in collaboration with Scooter Braun. The duo was last seen together in public back in 2022.