UNbelievable: Chris Brown's Tears During MJ Tribute at 2010 BET Awards

Embattled singer Chris Brown may have finally scored a chance at redemption with an intense and emotional tribute performance for his idol, the late Michael Jackson.

Brown started the performance with a snippet "The Way You Make Me Feel", before recreating dance routines from "Remember The Time" and "Billie Jean". To the surprise of no one, Brown moved excellently, even if his moonwalk looked a bit off (only MJ could really do it justice).

What most people will be talking about tomorrow was Brown's emotional breakdown during what was supposed to be his singing of "Man in the Mirror". Apparently so overcome with emotion, Brown began to cry as he struggled to sing and move around the stage. The backup singers had to pick up the vocals when it appeared that Brown was simply unable to. He would later be comforted by Michael's brother Jermaine as he walked off the stage. He would appear on stage again to accept the "Fandemonium" award. In his speech, he said that he would not let his fans down again.

While the impact of MJ's loss may have been the most obvious cause of his tears, it may have also been the result of the fact that this was as much his comeback performance as it was a tribute. When the BET Awards did the disastrous MJ tribute last year, the biggest complaint was that Brown wasn't invited to partake in the activities. He was still coming off of the Rihanna domestic abuse scandal at the time, and BET probably felt than wasn't the right time (it wasn't). Now, however, was his chance to prove his worth as a performer. The daunting fact must have been truly overwhelming. It made for a surprisingly raw and real moment during the typical mess that BET puts on every year. While there are certainly valid arguments to support the theory that Chris may have been putting on a bit for a new sympathy bid, I belong to the school of thought that this was a real moment. It was actually his most real and genuine moment since the Rihanna incident.

It was certainly one of the night's highlights, and it might just serve as the beginning of the repairing of Chris Brown's tarnished image. While I still believe he is an immature brat who still hasn't conceived of the damage he has done to Rihanna, his young fans excusing his behavior, and himself, I can respect his genuine emotion and his great performance.

Check out the performance below: