Justin Bieber took to social media Sunday to defend his longtime manager Scooter Braun after Taylor Swift released a statement criticizing him for “manipulative bullying.” Her statement was in response to Braun’s recent acquisition of Big Machine Records, which holds the rights to Swift’s first six albums, all of which are multiplatinum.
After starting off by apologizing for an earlier Instagram post that Swift felt was an example of Braun’s “bullying,” Bieber wrote on Instagram, “Scooter has had your back since the days you graciously let me open up for you.! As the years have passed we haven’t crossed paths and gotten to communicate our differences, hurts or frustrations. So for you to take it to social media and get people to hate on scooter isn’t fair. What were you trying to accomplish by posting that blog? seems to me like it was to get sympathy u also knew that in posting that your fans would go and bully scooter.
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Bieber also attempted to open direct lines of communication, while also criticizing Swift for “defacing” Braun’s character.
“Anyway, One thing i know is both scooter and i love you. I feel like the only way to resolve conflict is through communication. So banter back and fourth online i dont believe solves anything,” he continued. “I’m sure Scooter and i would love to talk to you and resolve any conflict, pain or or any feelings that need to be addressed. Neither scooter or i have anything negative to say about you we truly want the best for you. I usually don’t rebuttal things like this but when you try and deface someone i loves character thats crossing a line..”
Braun’s wife, Yael Cohen Braun, also came to his defense on Instagram, writing “I have never been one for the public airing of laundry, but when you attack my husband… here we go.”
Yael Braun criticized Taylor’s depiction of the conflict, emphasizing that Swift was given fair notice of the deal between her husband’s Ithaca Holdings and Big Machine Records as well as the opportunity to purchase her own masters.
“Interesting that the man you’re so ‘grossed out’ by believed in you more than you believe in yourself,” she wrote. “And girl, who are you to talk about bullying? The world has watched you collect and drop friends like wilted flowers. MY husband is anything but a bully.”