Rumors have been swirling about a reported confrontation between Justin Bieber and his former mentor Usher at an Oscars afterparty hosted by Jay-Z and Beyoncé. The incident is said to have taken place at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles on Sunday.
According to sources close to Bieber, it was Usher who approached the pop star with apparent anger and intensity. However, they assured that the disagreement did not escalate into a physical altercation.
Contrary to this account, some insiders have alleged that the encounter did indeed result in a fistfight, leaving the specifics of the disagreement shrouded in mystery.
Allegations have surfaced suggesting Bieber has maintained a disrespectful attitude toward Usher. Some claim that Bieber, known for his hit song “Baby,” is attempting to distance himself from individuals connected to his early career, as reported by TMZ.
Usher, along with Scooter Braun, played a pivotal role in Bieber’s ascent to stardom when he was just a teenager. They signed him to their label after a competitive bidding war that included Justin Timberlake.
In the early stages of their careers, both Bieber, now 32, and Usher, 47, were guided by the influential but controversial rap mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who is now 56.
Last May, Bieber firmly denied years of rumors that he was molested by Diddy as a child, with a spokesperson saying he was ‘not among Sean Combs’ victims.’
The Daily Mail has contacted Usher and Bieber’s representatives for comment and has yet to hear back.
Insiders claim Justin Bieber had a ‘heated exchange’ with his former mentor Usher at Jay-Z and Beyonce’s Oscars afterparty on Sunday; Bieber pictured last month – pictured at the event
Sources close to Bieber indicated it was Usher who approached the pop act with ‘energy and anger’; Usher is pictured at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party that evening
Usher and Scooter Braun engineered Bieber’s rise to fame, signing him to their label after winning a bidding war against Justin Timberlake; Usher and Bieber pictured 2009
Among the star-studded guest list at Beyonce and Jay-Z’s Oscars afterparty were Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce as well as Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner.
Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan were in attendance, as were Jacob Elordi, Teyana Taylor, Vin Diesel, Sofia Vergara, Austin Butler, Emma Stone, Emma Watson, Jon Batiste, Chloe Bailey and Vanessa and Natalia Bryant.
Bieber’s wife Hailey, nee Baldwin, was also among the invitees, along with her longtime close friend and fellow supermodel Kendall Jenner.
None of the famous names who dropped by Beyonce and Jay-Z’s party has publicly discussed witnessing any spat unfold between Bieber and Usher.
Bieber went viral for his singing videos on YouTube in 2007 at the age of 13, leading to his discovery by business partners Scooter Braun and Usher.
They signed him the following year and guided him along his rise to global fame, with Bieber at one point moving to Atlanta with his mother to work with Usher.
‘I definitely try to be as much of a big brother, mentor and protector as I can,’ Usher said on the French radio show Le 6/9 in 2010.
Braun meanwhile emerged as one of the top music managers in the business, with a client list including Bieber as well as Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato.
‘I definitely try to be as much of a big brother, mentor and protector as I can,’ Usher said on the French radio show Le 6/9 in 2010; he and Bieber are pictured at the 2011 Grammy Awards
Bieber went viral for his singing videos on YouTube in 2007 at the age of 13, leading to his discovery by business partners Braun and Usher; Bieber and Usher pictured in 2012
Bieber’s wife Hailey was seen arriving for the party at Chateau Marmont on Sunday night
He announced his retirement from the profession in June 2024, one day after he and Bieber ended their business relationship.
Bieber and Braun’s bond disintegrated into an explosive financial feud that ended with a settlement last year, in which the pop act allegedly agreed to pay a $26 million in costs related to the cancellation of his Justice tour in 2022, sources told TMZ.
Under the terms of the deal, Bieber was also reportedly meant to pay half of the $11 million in unpaid commission Braun claimed to be owed.
Usher and Bieber’s history with Diddy fell under renewed scrutiny when the rap mogul faced a raft of sex crime allegations he strenuously denied.
After a highly publicized trial, Diddy was acquitted last July of the most serious charges against him, sex trafficking and racketeering, though he was found guilty on two lesser charges of transportation to engage in prostitution.
As the scandal swirled around him, an old video resurfaced of him and a 15-year-old Bieber in which they discussed spending ’48 hours’ together.
‘He’s having 48 hours with Diddy, where we hanging out and what we’re doing we can’t really disclose. But it’s definitely a 15-year-old’s dream,’ said Diddy.
‘I have been given custody of him. He’s signed to Usher and I had legal guardianship of Usher when he did his first album. I don’t have legal guardianship of him but for the next 48 hours he’s with me and we’re gonna go full crazy.’
Bieber, 30, and Usher, 47, have both also been the underage proteges of disgraced rap mogul Sean ‘ Diddy’ Combs, 56, whom Usher is pictured with in 2002
Speculation reached such a fever pitch that Bieber broke his silence through a spokesperson to deny that Diddy had ever sexually abused him; Bieber and Diddy pictured in 2010
Bieber – who was standing next to Diddy in the video – offered only perfunctory contributions to the discussion like: ‘Yeah’ and: ‘Full crazy.’
Another unearthed video showed Diddy asking a then 16-year-old Bieber why he had not ‘been calling me and hanging out the way we used to hang out.’
An apparently anxious Bieber replied that Diddy had ‘tried to get in contact with me’ but ‘never got my number. I’m going to tell you my number.’
Fan concerns mounted for Bieber’s wellbeing in the wake of Diddy’s downfall, especially given the young singer’s hollow-eyed and disheveled appearance.
Speculation reached such a fever pitch that Bieber broke his silence through a spokesperson to deny that Diddy had ever sexually abused him.
‘Although Justin is not among Sean Combs’ victims, there are individuals who were genuinely harmed by him. Shifting focus away from this reality detracts from the justice these victims rightfully deserve,’ said the statement provided to TMZ.
Meanwhile, when Usher was 15, his manager LA Reid sent him to Los Angeles to spend a year living with Diddy in what has been described as ‘Puffy Flavor Camp.’
‘It was pretty wild. It was crazy. There were very curious things taking place and I didn’t necessarily understand it,’ Usher said on The Howard Stern Show in 2016.
When he was then asked whether he would ever send his own children to ‘Puffy Flavor Camp,’ Usher categorically responded: ‘Hell no!’
