That’s a 'no' from us - Daily Maverick readers vote on singer Chris Brown’s Johannesburg concerts

Twitter Poll. (Screengrab)

1 Nov 2024

Many readers and social media followers of Daily Maverick feel that Chris Brown’s upcoming SA tour should not go ahead, with comments such as ‘It is simply wrong to grant a visa to someone with his legal history,’ but some readers leant the other way, with one commenting that ‘Everyone deserves a second chance.’

Most Daily Maverick readers have given the thumbs down to controversial rhythm and blues performer Chris Brown’s upcoming concerts in Johannesburg, citing concerns over his repeated instances of violence.

A Daily Maverick survey asked whether Chris Brown should be blocked from South Africa due to his history of violence. The publication hosted four polls on different platforms over 24 hours, yielding distinct yet overlapping results.

An Instagram Story poll drew the largest audience, receiving 1,372 responses, with 67% voting yes, 22% voting no, and 11% remaining unsure.

Instagram Story Poll.
(Screengrab)

An accompanying Instagram poll garnered 922 responses, with 58% voting yes, 38% voting no, and 4% remaining undecided.

A poll on X (Twitter) gained 103 responses with 48.5% saying yes, 39.8% saying no and 11.7% being unsure.

The initial article poll received 89 responses, with 74% saying yes, 25% saying no, and 1% were unsure.

Read more: Campaign builds to block ‘undesirable’ R&B star Chris Brown’s Johannesburg gigs

Brown is set to perform at the Johannesburg FNB Stadium on 14 and 15 December 2024, following a lightning-fast sell-out of the 90,000+ seat venue. Tickets ranged from R400 to R4,300. But Brown's history of violence has since ignited a fiery debate before his shows.

Critics of the singer have cited his history of violence, notably his 2009 arrest and conviction for brutally assaulting ex-girlfriend Rihanna.

Women For Change launched a #MuteChrisBrown petition of more than 48,000 signatures urging Brown’s performance to be stopped.

In response, Brown’s fans, collectively known as “Team Breezy”, have mobilized a counter-petition, rallying close to 20,000 signatures to date.

‘Not welcome’

“We are experiencing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in a big way, in fact it has become an all-time crisis during 2024. We cannot allow music to dictate evil patterns of behaviour, period!” said a respondent.

“NOT WELCOME,” said respondent Nicole Breytenbach.

“He’s a convicted felon, which I think is reason enough to bar him from entering? It was enough to get him barred from several other countries, and the US will bar you for drug offences, so not so much virtue signalling as applying laws and norms from leading global democracies,” said D’Esprit Dan.

Some readers said: “It would be hypocritical to provide him with a visa. Please don’t.”

Instagram Poll.
(Screengrab)

Twitter Poll. (Screengrab)

Daily Maverick reader Mayibuye Magwaza stated: “As a country, we claim we’re against crime — but we let criminals in. As a country, we claim we’re against GBV – but we let a famous woman-beater in. There’s plenty of legal backing for declaring him undesirable. The minister should be well aware of that.”

Responding to Magwaza’s comment, Malcolm McManus said that crimes were often promoted within the lyrics of R&B and rap music.

“This kind of vulgar musician with a lack of respect for other people must not be supported,” said a respondent.

Another respondent said: “It is simply wrong to grant a visa to someone with his legal history.”

‘A golden opportunity’

Amplifying the responses of many, the Brown controversy has reignited calls to intensify the fight against GBV in South Africa

“We bang on about GBV, with national campaigns and massive efforts to raise awareness of the issue, and yet we don’t sanction an individual with a repeated history of GBV? Isn’t this the perfect opportunity to show how serious the country is about combating GBV? It’s a golden opportunity because of the profile of the individual,’’ a respondent said.

The respondent further emphasised the legal and ethical implications surrounding Brown’s scheduled performance.

“Many countries deny visas on the grounds of being undesirable. Chris Brown is an undesirable individual, and does not deserve to be treated any differently to the average Joe or Jane in that respect. The hypocrisy of the promoters is equally concerning. To seek out an artist that makes them money without concern for his disposable character shows where their moral values lie, too. Money talks louder than anything… sad!” the respondent stated.

‘Second Chance’

A sense of empathy emerged in the survey responses, with one Instagram respondent saying: “I think everyone deserves a second chance.”

Similar sentiments were echoed by website respondents stating: “He’s served his sentences. The last one was five years ago. People enjoying his performance are not necessarily supporting his opinions — they’re simply there for the show. It’s bizarre to worry about the opinions of entertainers,’’a respondent said.

Some respondents indicated that the amount of tickets bought alone was an indication of the support Brown had in the country.

One respondent fired back at the critics, saying: “Ticket sales say otherwise… So who has the final say? If it’s not against the law then he is coming!”

“I wonder what’s the percentage of women to men who bought tickets,” an Instagram respondent asked. DM

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South Africa

‘Not welcome’

‘A golden opportunity’

‘Second Chance’