Throughout this month, it seems like the theme in the Black music scene is “everybody fighting.” “Everybody” in this case has begun to take on its literal definition, as even disgraced but somehow still insanely popular R&B star Chris Brown has joined the Black music Royal Rumble currently taking place on social media platforms and DSPs across the world wide web. His beef appears to be with Quavo, and the two have traded diss tracks and Twitter barbs for the better part of the last three days.
Read on for a timeline of Quavo and Chris Brown’s “beef.”
April 2017 – Quavo Seemingly Begins Dating Chris Brown’s Ex
Prior to the rumor surfacing that Quavo had begun dating Karrueche Tran, he and Brown had apparently been on friendly terms. Brown appeared on Migos’ 2015 track “Just For Tonight” and a year later, Quavo returned the favor on Chris’ mixtape track “Whippin’.” However, in April of 2017, TMZ reported Quavo and Tran were seen spending time together, which apparently incensed Brown, who couldn’t let go of his prior relationship with the model/influencer, despite her dumping him in 2015. She later filed a restraining order against him, alleging harassment and abusive behavior.
June 2017 – The Two Stars Confront Each Other
In June that year, Brown and his entourage confronted Quavo and his at the BET Awards, but for the past few years, the two have appeared to be on good enough terms… until now.
April 2024 – Brown Calls Out Quavo, Quavo Responds, And A Beef Is Born
On April 11, Brown released the deluxe edition of his 2023 album 11:11 with a new song, “Freak,” in which he referenced the 2017 fling, seemingly revealing he still harbors a grudge about it after all this time (of course he does). “OK, now f*ckin’ my old b*tches ain’t gone make us equal / Sippin’ that 1942 ’cause I don’t do no Quavo,” he sings — a reference to the resemblance between Quavo and “Jose Cuervo,” the popular brand of tequila.
A day later, Quavo dropped “Tender,” a song responding to Brown’s call-out, in which he raps, “You did the b*tch wrong and now the b*tch gone, she posted with a thug / Call the b*tch phone, she won’t come home, don’t beat her up,” — a pretty obvious reference to Brown’s history of abusive relationships, including the infamous 2009 incident in which he battered Rihanna so badly, she was hospitalized.
April 2024 – Chris Brown Drops “Weakest Link”
Chris came back with “Weakest Link” a week later, on April 20. In it, he not only addresses Quavo’s “Tender” taunts about Karrueche, but also suggests that turnabout is fair play and that he slept with Quavo’s ex Saweetie. “They say revenge is sweet, now think about that sh*t,” he raps. “Don’t let that line go over your head, I might just sing about that sh*t / I had her fiending ’bout that d*ck, there’s something sweet about that sh*t / I got some tea up out that b*tch, but I ain’t go speak about that sh*t.”
Quavo’s response, “Over Hoes & B*tches,” dropped last night (April 22) and continues to drag out Brown’s abusive past. We’ll see if if these two continue to taunt each other, but let’s all just hope it blows over because at this point, the returns are diminishing rapidly. I never thought I’d say this, but Kendrick really needs to respond to Drake; the quality of these rap beefs is about as good as month-old milk.