Usher Expresses Regret over Slapping Nicki Minaj's Butt at 2014 MTV VMAs: 'I Shouldn't Have Smacked Her'

The R&B star addressed the performance during an interview on 'The Breakfast Club' on Monday

Usher has some regrets when it comes to the 2014 MTV VMAs.

In an interview with Charlamagne Tha God and Jess Hilarious that aired during The Breakfast Club on Monday, the "U Got It Bad" artist, 45, addressed getting handsy with Nicki Minaj during their performance at the awards show 10 years prior.

“Have you seen some of your old moments, like when you were on stage with Nicki Minaj and you were headbuttin’ her ass? Why was you so unhinged?” Charlamagne, 45, asked Usher, referring to the performance in which he also slapped the "Anaconda" musician's derriere.

Related: Usher Announces Career-Spanning North American Tour Launching in August

The R&B star initially attempted to laugh off the moment and provide his rationale.

“Absolutely! That was Jamaican culture! So you gotta go to Jamaica. That was just a moment that was fun,” Usher said, referring to the island's dance culture. “By the way, it was me playing my bass, so I probably would’ve bumped my shoulder or my hand, but I had my bass in my hand and I was playing, so I kind of bopped off her body a little bit. If you go back and look at the video, you’ll understand because I did it there for the first time.”

The 2014 performance features the eight-time Grammy winner bouncing his shoulder and head against Minaj's behind as he plays bass during their 2014 collab “She Came to Give It to You," before he stands up and spanks the rapper, 41.

“Oh no it was on beat and everything!” Charlamagne recalled. “It was on beat, and I was like, ‘Damn!'"

“I think I was reaching a bit when I smacked her, though,” Usher admitted. “I shouldn’t have smacked her. I shouldn’t have did that.”

Jess, 42, then interjected and brought the conversation back to how he had been discussing the importance of supporting fellow Black artists, “See, you gotta lift her up!”

“I was lifting!” the "Burn" musician said of the controversial moment.

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Related: Usher's 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show Special Guests: See Alicia Keys, Ludacris and More

Earlier this month, Usher headlined the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show and enlisted a show-stopping lineup of performers for his set including Alicia Keys, H.E.R., Lil Jon, Ludacris, Will.i.am and Jermaine Dupri.

His career-spanning concert featured songs including "Caught Up," "U Got It Bad," "My Boo," "Yeah!" and more.

Usher's Super Bowl performance was just two days after he released his ninth studio album, Coming Home. While he wrapped his Las Vegas residency in December 2023, he'll hit the road for his USHER: Past Present Future tour on Aug. 20 at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.

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