Usher Defends Bieber, Because They're Bros

Bros before...racist comments? Apparently so! Usher has come to the defense of Justin Bieber by insisting that the Biebs is not racist. It's okay, Bieber — we get it. You screwed up a long time ago, and your longtime pal, Usher, will come to your defense. You have friends in high places (and low places, too, but we'll leave at that for now).

ICYMI, Bieber is under media fire since two racist videos surfaced of him on the Internet. The most recent one featured him at age fourteen singing a really racist version of "One Less Lonely Girl." Apparently, almost immediately after he made the videos back in the day, he recieved counseling from his mentor friends (like Usher), because it was a pretty stupid thing to do. No shit. Racism is never cool.

Now, Bieber probably isn't legitimately racist. He did something stupid when he was young. We all do stupid things. But the problem for Bieber is that he has left a trail of stupid footprints behind him; every dumb accidental move he makes puts him in a worse light, and he thereby loses more of his remaining beliebers.

And he knows that, too. Bieber has been praying for forgiveness since this whole thing went down, and he's been apologizing repeatedly, too. Usher's plea for Bieber should help Bieber achieve forgiveness at a faster right, but Usher's jump to support Bieber may come from another motive.

Usher discovered Bieber back when he was a twee, adorable Canadian with better bangs than I'll ever have. With Bieber's less-than-positive trajectory as of late, Usher may — and I stress, may — feel that his promotional was in vain. If Usher believes that Bieber is a good guy, maybe Bieber will get back on track and do what Usher originally set him out to do — make music, and sell that music. (Hey, he has a new track out with Migos!) Usher also may just consider BIeber a friend, or more viably, a talented puppy who lost his way, if I am to quote that book in Billy Madison (and you bet I am!).

But for now, you can at least read Usher's Instagram message for the world to reprieve The Fifth Most Hated Man in The Universe:

At my core, I am a person that supports growth and understands without judgement, that growth often comes as a result of pain and continues effort. As I have watched Justin Bieber navigate difficult waters as a young man, I can tell you that he hasn't always chosen the path of his greatest potential, but he is unequivocally not a racist. What he was 5 years ago was a naive child who did not understand the negative power and degradation that comes from playing with racial slurs. What he is now is a young man faced with an opportunity to become his best self, an example to the millions of kids that follow him to not make the same mistakes.

Image: Instagram