The Weeknd Reiterates His Usher Beef Is Fabricated

The Weeknd wants to make it clear he has no issues with Usher, just in case you didn’t hear him the first time.

The “beef” began brewing in April following a Variety cover story where the Toronto singer comments on Usher’s 2012 hit “Climax” were taken out of context. Though he clarified there were no issues at the time, Abel doubled down on his stance in a new interview with Esquire.

“It wasn’t a feud,” he said flat-out. “I hit him up to apologize and tell him that it was misconstrued. He’s one of the reasons why I make music. Definitely. … I have nothing bad to say about Usher. The sweetest, most down-to-earth guy ever.”

The “Blinding Lights” singer’s initial comments compared “Climax” to his own work, which some took as a diss to Usher.

“I heard Climax,’ that [2012] Usher song, and was like, ‘Holy f–k, that’s a Weeknd song,’” he’d said. “It was very flattering, and I knew I was doing something right, but I also got angry. But the older I got, I realized it’s a good thing.”

Singer Eric Bellinger responded that same night and took up for Usher, and “Climax” producer Diplo spoke out the next day to give background on the creative process.

“The production on Climax lends itself to House of Balloons era @theweeknd,” he’d tweeted, referencing Abel’s 2011 debut. “When I heard those early records they blew my mind – soulful in their silences, and a spacey iconic voice that felt uniquely internet. The idea of R&B having dark edges was what I wanted to bring to @usher.”

The Weekend retweeted Diplo’s post and clarified it was all love, putting an end to things before the media blew it up even bigger.

“Of course media blows things out of proportion and takes things out of context,” he replied. “Usher is a King and always an inspiration so it was flattering to hear what him and Diplo did on climax. XO.”