Texas State Rep. Venton Jones is addressing the controversy surrounding the official recognition recently presented to Chris Brown and Usher — and he’s apologizing to those who felt hurt by his involvement.

Jones issued a public statement on Tuesday, September 15, after he and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett appeared at Chris Brown and Usher’s September 12 concert at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The artists were recognized for their contributions to music and entertainment, with Crockett announcing their recognition in the Congressional Record and Jones participating in the presentation.

While Usher’s inclusion drew relatively little controversy, Brown’s recognition quickly became the center of online criticism because of his history of legal issues involving violence, including his 2009 guilty plea for assaulting Rihanna.

Following several days of criticism, Jones said he had been listening to the concerns surrounding the presentation.

In his statement, the Texas lawmaker specifically addressed women and Black women who felt hurt by his decision, writing that an apology should be delivered as publicly as the original action.

“I apologize,” Jones wrote, before acknowledging concerns that women’s safety and lived experiences are too often pushed aside. He added that his decision had contributed to that problem.

Jones also revealed that the issue carries personal significance for him, identifying himself as a survivor of sexual violence and domestic abuse. He said that his own experiences and previous work with survivors did not exempt him from accountability.

He additionally apologized directly to residents of Texas House District 100 and survivors of domestic and sexual violence, acknowledging the “hurt, frustration and pain” his decision caused.

Jones also discussed the controversy during an appearance on Don Lemon’s show, where he said it was never his intention to bring up traumatic memories for survivors of domestic violence.

Jones also offered more context about why he and Crockett were at the Arlington concert.

According to Jones, recognizing Brown and Usher for their careers in music was one part of the appearance. He said another objective was voter outreach ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections, with the concert providing an opportunity to speak to thousands of people about political participation.

However, Jones acknowledged that this broader intention was not effectively communicated and that the impact of the appearance extended beyond what he intended.

“The work of mobilizing our people for the 2026 Midterm General Election, Tuesday, November 3, continues,” he wrote.

He ended his statement by saying he would continue listening to his constituents and working on behalf of House District 100.

Jones’ apology came shortly after Brown publicly expressed gratitude for the recognition.

Brown shared an image of the framed honor on social media and thanked Crockett and Jones, writing that the moment meant a great deal to him. He also thanked Crockett separately amid the criticism directed at her and apologized for any backlash she received because of the presentation.

Crockett had described the concert appearance as a celebration of the artists’ impact on music, telling the crowd she wanted their contributions documented in the Congressional Record.

The decision nevertheless sparked criticism because of Brown’s documented legal history. Brown pleaded guilty in 2009 to felony assault involving his then-girlfriend Rihanna.

The situation took another turn after Jones apologized.

Brown responded critically to the Texas representative’s remarks and said he no longer wanted the recognition. According to TheGrio, Brown accused Jones of “tap dancing” after appearing on Don Lemon’s show and argued that he had never asked politicians to honor him in the first place.

Brown said his Dallas-area shows were already sold out and suggested he had anticipated that receiving a political recognition could generate controversy.

The singer ultimately asked to be left out of the political fallout and said he wanted to focus on the fans supporting his music and tour.