Chris Brown is receiving 31st birthday wishes from afar, as he and his celebrity friends are still in self-isolation due to the coronavirus lockdown. While he won’t be having a blowout party, he’s getting plenty of love on Instagram from pals including Justin Bieber, 26. The Biebs called Chris his “brother” and shared two amazing throwback photos from when he was about 14-years-old, meeting his then-idol Breezy. He included a more recent 2019 pic where Chris had his arms around the “Yummy” singer” in a joking headlock. You can see the photos here.
Justin wrote in the caption,” Happy birthday bro! Since I was young you’re music has inspired me! My first video to ever get a million views on YouTube was me singing your song ‘With You!’ You will always hold a special place in my heart! So grateful to be your friend and brother!” Justin’s 2008 home video of “With You” showed the baby-faced young talent singing from the comfort of his mom’s home sofa in Ontario, Canada. Today it has over 58 million views. A year later Justin would rocket to stardom in 2009 with his debut single “Baby.” Chris was thrilled with Justin’s post, writing in the comments, “I LOVE YOU TO DEATH LIL BROTHER,” along with five red heart emojis.
Chris himself was only about 19 in the throwback photos Justin shared. But their mere five-year age difference appeared far more stark back then. Chris looked like an adult already and the Biebs was just barely a teen, breaking onto the music scene with his now iconic side-swept hairstyle. In he throwback pics, Chris is seen giving Justin a power handshake and posed together as if they were meeting for the first time. It’s a great contrast to how they’re now contemporaries as adults and even musical collaborators.
Chris and Justin have had several musical collaborations. The first came on Breezy’s 2011 fourth studio album F.A.M.E., where Justin appeared on the single “Next To You.” The two hit the studio again years later, where Chris featured Justin on the 2019 track “Don’t Check On Me” from his Indigo album.