Tyrese Addresses Criticism of His Marvin Gaye-Inspired National Anthem

Tyrese has found himself on the receiving end of some criticism following a recent performance, but the crooner is taking it like a champ.

He performed the National Anthem Sunday (Aug. 11) at a preseason game between the Los Angeles Rams and Dallas Cowboys and chose to recreate Marvin Gaye’s 1974 performance when he sang for the Cowboys and the Oakland Raiders.

As fans clowned Tyrese for channeling Gaye in both wardrobe and styling, Tyrese responded to comments saying he “failed miserably” at emulating the late music legend.

“Thank you…… You’re always welcome here….. respectfully I don’t really know if I agree,” said the “Lately” crooner. “Few bad notes? Mheeeee that’s an open mic for you…..”

Tyrese continued, “God is the greatest we live in the best [county] in the world and I really really tried […] Teddy-Marvin-Donnie-Wonder-Gibson is my name.. Smile…. it’s a viiiiiiibbbbeeeee!!!!!!!”

Someone on Twitter commented under the performance with “Throw in the tile!!!,” referring to Tyrese’s infamous comments from the first Babyface/Teddy Riley VERZUZ matchup.

Others compared Tyrese’s “new look” to Iman Shumpert, Jonathan Majors, Bobby Proud from The Proud Family, and Tobe Nwigwe. They also teased Tyrese saying he got his accessories from Tyler Perry’s collection. Elsewhere, one chimed in with a sting of secondhand embarrassment. “It’s a shame that a man that was once one of the biggest R&B heartthrobs in the early 00s turned out to be so corny and gimmicky 20-some-odd years later,” they tweeted.

Per Tyrese, the influx in reactions to his performance caused his website to crash from pre-orders for his new album, Beautiful Pain.

He noted, “My website crashed. I’m sorry, please go to Tyrese.Tv and try one more time to get onto the site. I’m so sorry. I’ve never had this many people on my side at one time Tyrese.Tv. Less than 30 days of the release of #BeautifulPain. Sorry.”

His long-awaited LP, which he says will measure up to Stevie Wonder‘s Songs In The Key Of Life and Marvin Gaye‘s Here, My Dear, is slated for release on Aug. 30.