These three titans of modern R&B have gone head-to-head over the years, building legacies and redefining genre boundaries in real time.BET AwardsBy Khalilah Archie

May 13, 2025

7:42 AM

(Photos: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartRadio, Marc Piasecki/FilmMagic)

If there’s a modern-day R&B royal court, it’s ruled by Usher, Chris Brown, and The Weeknd. These three artists have spent the past 15 years trading hits, pushing boundaries, and battling it out at the BET Awards.

Usher has the legacy. Chris Brown has the volume. The Weeknd has the mystique. Together, they’ve shaped what 21st-century R&B sounds like—from confessional slow jams to genre-blending arena anthems.

Usher set the bar in the early 2000s. With albums like “8701” and “Confessions”, he won multiple BET Awards, including Best Male R&B/Pop Artist and Video of the Year. He was the blueprint for modern R&B superstardom—vocals, dancing, fashion, and all.

Chris Brown emerged in the mid-2000s as the heir apparent. His debut single “Run It!” made him a teen heartthrob, but he quickly proved he had staying power. Brown holds the record for most BET Awards won by a male artist, racking up wins for everything from Best Collaboration to Video of the Year.

Then came The Weeknd—a completely different energy. His 2011 mixtapes introduced a darker, more experimental sound. By the mid-2010s, he was a pop megastar with an R&B edge, winning Best Male R&B/Pop Artist and Viewer’s Choice multiple times.

Usher v. Chris Brown

Usher Responds To Possible ‘Verzuz’ Against Chris Brown

At the BET Awards, the competition between them has been fierce. Usher vs. Chris Brown was the original battle. They traded wins in the early 2010s, often nominated in the same categories. Usher’s comeback with “Climax” and “Good Kisser” showed he could still innovate. Brown, meanwhile, flooded the zone with quantity—sometimes releasing two albums in a year.

When The Weeknd entered the chat, things shifted. His win for “After Hours” proved BET was ready to embrace the moody, alt-R&B style. Yet Chris Brown remained a crowd favorite, often taking home Viewer’s Choice or Best Collaboration.

Johnny Nunez/BET/Getty Images for BET

In 2025, they’re all nominated again. Usher with “Coming Home”, Brown with “11:11 Deluxe”, and The Weeknd with “Hurry Up Tomorrow”. It’s not just nostalgia—it’s relevance. Each continues to evolve: Usher headlined the Super Bowl, Chris Brown keeps TikTok in a chokehold, and The Weeknd is starring in HBO dramas.

What makes this rivalry so legendary is their impact on every level—radio, performance, and culture. They’ve dominated red carpets, festival stages, and every award category in between.

This year’s BET Awards might be the last time we see all three legends nominated together. But no matter who wins, R&B wins when these three show up.