Photo by Chelsea Lauren/Getty Images for NYLON
Chris Brown is just a few days out from the release of his new album, Indigo, and today he unleashed the 32-track album’s latest single, “Don’t Check On Me.” Produced by Sheldon Ferguson and Atia “INK” Boggs, the song features Justin Bieber as well as Ink. It’s a mellow, downbeat song soundtracked by acoustic guitar that offers an odd contrast to Brown’s own behavior.
On the track, Brown sings about cutting exes off emotionally once they break up:
Oh, don’t go reaching out
‘Cause you can’t have everything
Your head and your heart won’t feel the same
Even if it feels like it every time
Don’t check on me if we’re not together
Ironically, Brown has recently been in the news for harasssing his former girlfriend Karrueche Tran and her new boyfriend (former Giants Wide Receiver Victor Cruz) on Instagram. Tran obtained a restraining order against the singer in 2017 after accusing him of assaulting and threatening to kill her during their relationship.
He later sings about an ex’s jealousy after seeing him move on:
I know it hurts you so bad just to see me happy
That I finally moved on, and you thought it wouldn’t happen
At times I used to cry, wouldn’t know when I laughing
But I acted like I didn’t notice
“Don’t Check On Me” is the latest in a long line of collaborations between Brown and Bieber spanning nearly a decade. They’ve previously worked together on tracks like “Up (Remix),” “Next To You,” and “Ladies Love Me.”
Bieber defended Chris Brown earlier this year, comparing the singer to Michael Jackson and 2Pac and dismissing his 2009 assault of Rihanna as a mistake.
“Everyone wants to wait til people die to give them the credit they deserve,” he wrote. “I’m calling it now when CB passes away after a long full life, you will miss what you had in front of you the whole time. Trust me watch you will see. The people who have over looked this mans talent because of a mistake he made. You need to reevaluate! Love you [Chris Brown].”
Listen to the song above and read all the lyrics to Chris Brown’s “Don’t Check On Me” featuring Justin Bieber on Genius now.
