Why Are Chris Brown and Quavo Beefing? Diss Track Explained

By Sam Hargrave Posted:
Chris Brown and Quavo

Chris Brown and Migos rapper Quavo have been at odds for several years and recently saw some fresh developments in the music scene.

The beef between rap sensations Chris Brown and Quavo (a member of the Migos) has become a hot topic once again after the former dropped his "Weakest Link" diss track on April 20, 2024, filled with some dicy shots.

Where Did Chris Brown and Quavo's Beef Start?

Chris Brown dated American socialite/ actress Karrueche Tran from November 2010 to March 2015, including a break in the middle. During that time, the singer rekindled his relationship with pop sensation Rihanna.

Quavo and Tran have since been pictured together many times over the years, with rumors the two were dating going as far back as 2017. TMZ stated in April 2017 that the pair had been on multiple dates after starting out as just friends.

According to a later article from TMZ, Brown felt betrayed that Quavo had started seeing his ex-girlfriend as the pair had both a business and personal relationship.

The pair worked together on a number of songs including "Whippin," "Just for Tonight," "Leaning," and more, with Brown having seemingly helped promote the Migos' 2017 album Culture while Quavo was secretly dating his ex-girlfriend.

In a March 2017 interview with Billboard, just before the beef began, Brown praised all the Migos as "real friends and brothers" before vowing to "never hate on [them]" (although the latter comment certainly didn't age well):

"I just want to shout out y'all. Y'all my real friends and brothers. I bought your album three times. I spent my own money and s--t. I'm proud of you n***as. I will never hate on you n***as."

Karrueche Tran took out a restraining order against Brown in February 2017 (via TMZ) around the same time her relationship with Quavo allegedly began. She claimed the artist had been violent toward her in the past and made death threats.

Many have speculated the fresh relationship between Tran and Quavo may have spawned the restraining order to allow them to date without issue.

Since then, Brown and Quavo have seemingly never been on good terms, with the beef reigniting lately when the two fired shots at each other on recent tracks.

On Brown's song "Freak," released on April 10 as part of his 11:11 deluxe album, he mentioned Quavo "f***in' [his] old b***hes." And just one day later on the song "Tender," the Migos rapper appeared to fire back with disses on his break-up with Tran and Brown's history of domestic violence.

"You the weakest link out of your clique, let's keep it a hundo, n***a (One hundred)"

The song name "Weakest Link" is addressed early as Brown dubs Quavo as the "weakest link out of [his] clique." The clique in question is the familial rap trio of the Migos, comprised of cousins Quavo and Offset and their nephew Takeoff, of which Brown disses Quavo as the worst of the bunch.

The Migos were active as a trio from 2008 to 2023, during which time they delivered four albums together. Tragically, the group came to an end with the death of Takeoff after he was shot at a party in Texas in November 2022.

A History of Exes

"You f***ed my ex-ho, that's cool, I don't give no f***, lil' n***a (Still a b***h)
'Cause I f***ed your ex when you were still with her, bitch, I'm up, lil' n***a (I'm up)"

Chris Brown has never exactly taken kindly to Quavo dating his ex, Karrueche Tran. On his recent song "Freak" with Joyner Lucas, Lil Wayne, and Tee Grizzley, Brown rapped on how "f***in' [his] old b***hes ain't gon' make us equal" before namedropping Quavo's rap group the Migos:

"Okay, now fuckin' my old b***hes ain't gon' make us equal
Sippin' that 1942 'cause I don't do no Cuervo
Freak b***h, she like Casamigos, not the Migos"

On "Weakest Link," Chris Brown mentions how Quavo "f***ed [his] ex-ho" but he doesn't care - clearly referring to Tran. But this came before Brown delivered the revelation he had relations with Quavo's own ex-girlfriend during their relationship.

Involving Saweetie

"They say revenge is sweet (Revenge is sweet), now think about that shit
Don't let that line go over your head, I might just sing about that shit (Crack, crack, crack)

I had her fiendin' 'bout that d***, there's somethin' sweet about that s***

(Yeah, yeah, yeah, uh)

I got some tea up out that b***h, but I ain't gon' speak about that s*** (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)"

Quavo dated the "Tap In" rapper Saweetie for three years until they separated in March 2021. Chris Brown appears to imply Saweetie was the ex of Quavo's who he slept with during their relationship in saying, "Revenge is sweet" and "Don't let that line go over your head."

Brown goes on to claim he has some "tea up out that b***h" which he won't reveal, leading many to question what secrets Saweetie may be hiding.

Abuse Allegations

"Stop talkin' 'bout beatin' girls, you was beatin' bitches on the elevator
We seen the tapes, that's devastatin' (Brr, baow, baow)"

Chris Brown has a long and public history of violence toward women, with the most famous case coming with his 2009 arrest for assaulting ex-girlfriend Rihanna for which he later pled guilty and avoided jail time.

On his recent track "Tender," Quavo seemingly called out Brown for his violence toward women with the line "Don't beat her up:"

You did the b***h wrong and now the b***h gone, she posted with a thug (Yeah, with a thug)
Call the b***h phone, she won't come home, don't beat her up (Don’t beat her up)
It must be the drugs (It must be the drugs), need to cross out your plug, yeah-yeah

Brown fired his own domestic violence-related shot back at Quavo on "Weakest Link" in saying, "You was beatin' b***ches on the elevator." This comes in reference to a 2020 video of Quavo and Saweetie in an elevator during their relationship in which a physical scuffle broke out - via HipHollywood.

What Happened at Fashion Week?

"Fashion week, they sat me next to your lame ass, I was truly mad (What?)
All I kept thinkin' 'bout was breakin' your face, but I gave you a pass (What?)
You lucky I ain't wanna f*** the money up, boy, I would've broke you in half (Brrah, baow)"

After having had public beef, Chris Brown and Quavo were pictured together and seated side-by-side at RHUDE's Paris Fashion Week in January 2024. Naturally, this led many to speculate the issues between them had been squashed.

However, Brown quickly shut down those theories by replying to a video of them seated together on Instagram (via Complex), stating "can't pick who u sit by:"

"Can't pick who u sit by. F*** all that growth s***. N***a not finna fumble my bag for little n***as."

With his diss on "Weakest Link," Brown revealed the desire he had to attack Quavo at the Fashion Week event but noted how he held back.

Takeoff's Death

"R.I.P. Takeoff, he the only real one that got true respect
Crazy how when he died, everybody really wished it was you instead (Oh shit, brrah)"

Chris Brown went as far as to involve the death of Takeoff - the nephew and Migos fellow of Quavo - who passed away on November 1, 2022. The rapper was killed in a shooting in Houston, Texas outside a private party at a bowling alley.

In the diss, Brown dubbed Takeoff as "the only real one" for which he has "true respect" before going on to say "everybody really wished" Quavo had been the one to die instead in perhaps the track's most devastating bar.


Chris Brown's Quavo diss track "Weakest Link" is available now on YouTube.

- In This Article: Beef
Release Date
April 26, 2023
Platform
Theaters
Actors
Ali Wong
Genres
- About The Author: Sam Hargrave
Sam Hargrave is the Associate Editor at The Direct. He joined the team as a gaming writer in 2020 before later expanding into writing for all areas of The Direct and taking on further responsibilities such as editorial tasks and image creation.