Bobby Brown says he disliked Britney Spears’ version of ‘My Prerogative’, feels it was poorly done

Singer Bobby Brown recently shared his thoughts about artists covering or sampling his music, and he made it clear that he is not impressed with most of them.
According to a report by Billboard, Brown discussed the topic during a guest appearance on Club Shay Shay, a podcast hosted by Shannon Sharpe.
When asked whether he prefers to hear a version of his song before it is officially sampled or covered, the R&B artist replied with a definite yes. Brown explained that it’s important for him to know what artists are doing with his music because modern lyrics can sometimes carry meanings or messages that he doesn’t want connected to his original songs.
Sharpe followed up by asking if there were any examples of covers or samples that he actually liked. Brown responded honestly, saying he couldn’t think of any. He added that, in his opinion, none of the songs that have used his originals over the years have really done them justice.
One specific cover that Brown criticized was Britney Spears’ version of his 1988 hit My Prerogative. The pop star released her cover in 2004 as part of her Greatest Hits: My Prerogative album. Brown said during the interview that he strongly disliked it and felt that it didn’t reflect the energy or spirit of his original track.
He used the word “butchered” to describe how he felt about Spears’ rendition. Brown explained that he only gave permission for the cover because Britney Spears was involved, and he believed at the time that Teddy Riley—the original producer of the track—would be producing her version too. However, that wasn’t the case. Instead, the Swedish production duo Bloodshy & Avant were behind Spears’ remake. Brown mentioned that if he had known this, he might have reconsidered.
The original song My Prerogative was a major success for Bobby Brown and came from his critically acclaimed album Don’t Be Cruel. The song was known for its bold message about living life on one’s own terms and became a defining anthem of the late '80s R&B scene.
Though Brown remains a respected figure in the music world, his recent comments make it clear that he takes his legacy seriously and expects any new version of his music to stay true to its roots.