In this sleek, high-fashion editorial photograph by Julian Buchan, R&B icons Chris Brown and Usher are captured in a moment of shared laughter. Set against a minimalist, bright white studio background, the two artists sit in modern, chrome-framed chairs, both dressed in sharp, all-black formal attire.

On the left, Chris Brown leans back with an exuberant smile, his head tilted toward Usher. He wears an unbuttoned black blazer that reveals his extensive neck and chest tattoos, paired with wide-legged trousers and polished black brogues. To the right, Usher exudes a more composed but equally joyful energy, sitting with his legs crossed and a hand adjusting his lapel. He wears a tailored black suit with a black dress shirt and tie, complemented by dark sunglasses and gleaming patent leather shoes.
Chris Brown and Usher Credit: Julian Buchan

Wet the bed, because Grammy Award-winning R&B giants Chris Brown and Usher have confirmed dates for their joint “R&B” (Raymond and Brown) stadium tour, which wraps up at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium.

Last Friday, the duo soft-launched the 33-date tour through a social media video, showing them zipping through city streets on motorcycles before arriving together at a stadium and stepping onto the field. 

Brown—who was arrested in West Palm Beach on a Hillsborough County battery warrant in 2018—spent last year on a record-breaking tour, largely in celebration of the 20th anniversary of his debut album releasing. Per a press release, that run of shows (which brought a 50-song set to RayJay last August) ended up becoming “the highest-grossing tour ever by a solo Black American male artist, earning nearly $300 million” across the U.S. and Europe.

And before this new run of shows came to fruition, Usher Raymond IV also found himself on the road for a few months last year. The 47-year-old played a handful of arenas across the pond to cap off his wildly successful “Past Present Future” tour, which followed a series of post-Super Bowl LVIII shows in the U.S. the year before. 

While Brown seems to pop into town fairly often, it’s been almost a decade since Usher’s last local gig, which was a free concert at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, part of the College Football Championship’s 2017 arrival in Tampa.

Tickets to see Usher and Chris Brown play Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium on Friday, Dec. 11 go on sale to the public on Monday, April 27, with additional presales beginning Tuesday, April 21. Prices have yet to be announced.

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Josh Bradley is Creative Loafing Tampa's resident live music freak. He started freelancing with the paper in 2020 at the age of 18, and has since covered, announced, and previewed numerous live shows in...