Chris Brown was once considered an heir to Michael Jackson’s pop music throne, but sent his career off the rails when he beat up his superstar girlfriend Rihanna last year. But Brown put on his dancing shoes and tried to redeem himself at last night’s BET Awards.

Brown’s performed a tribute to Michael Jackson that was, for the most part, impressive – there’s no denying Brown’s a skilled dancer.

He closed the tribute by attempting to sing “Man In the Mirror,” but broke dramatically down sobbing early in the song, and essentially left the performance to the audience. Maybe I’m a little too cynical, but it seemed like Brown was ultimately more interested in trying to get some sympathy than honoring the King of Pop. It all seemed way too staged to be honest. Check out the video below:

Tell us: Do you think Chris Brown’s tears were real, or was the whole thing just a desperate cry for attention? (PopEater)