Singer Tyrese Gibson debuted a new look at the Los Angeles Rams vs. Dallas Cowboys preseason game that has fans turning heads.
On Aug. 11, the R&B crooner took to the 50-yard-line to sing the national anthem. In an attempt to channel his inner Marvin Gaye, Tyrese gave his best shot at recreating the legend’s iconic rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner.” But instead of receiving applause, fans were left scratching their heads and wondering, once again, what was going on with the troubled star.
The “Sweet Lady” singer went all out for his appearance, dressing as if he’d stepped straight out of the ’70s. He sported a black and white patterned shirt, a fringe vest, bell-bottom pants, and a wool cap, all in homage to Gaye’s signature look. To top it off, he added a toupee and a beard, fully committing to the transformation.
As clips of his performance started to circulate on social media, fans didn’t hold back in their reactions.
The Shade Room’s followers were quick to comment, with one asking, “How he grow hair and a beard in two days?” referencing Tyrese’s recent appearance at the Rams football camp, where he had no beard or hair.
Others focused on his outfit, sidestepping the sudden hair growth entirely. Comedian Lil Duval quipped, “Did he wear a wig to sing at a preseason game?”
One fan couldn’t help but be reminded of Eddie from “The Five Heartbeats,” posting, “Nights like this… I wish… raindrops would fallll ahhh-ahh-ahhh-allllll.”
Bruh, why do Tyrese got the whole “Tyler Perry Accessories” while singing at a the Cowboys vs Rams preseason game??? 🤣🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/MCogueMVI9
— Van (@vanman_1000) August 12, 2024
Another summed it up with, “One of our most unhinged celebrities,” while someone else pointed out, “You is not Marvin. Not even Temu Marvin.”
“Marvin Gaye on his way down here from the upper room to tap on Tyrese’s shoulder… ’cause ain’t no way,” one follower joked, and another added, “Alexa, play ‘What’s Going On?’ by Marvin Gaye.”
However, one fan speculated that Tyrese’s look might be tied to his upcoming role as Teddy Pendergrass in a biopic.
“I think it’s for his upcoming role as Teddy Pendergrass,” one fan suggested, trying to make sense of it all.
Amid the jokes, some fans expressed concern.
“Tyrese has not been well for about 15 years and I think it’s time we start talking about this Black man’s mental health & not laugh at it,” said one fan on the X platform.
“Tyrese seems physically unwell in addition to mentally unwell which we already knew,” tweeted another fan. “He has the same look in his eyes as Kanye, Antonio Brown, Britney Spears and Kenya Moore. And now he’s bloated and looks like a senior citizen too.”
On multiple occasions, Tyrese has confessed that psych medications have caused him to act erratically. According to Tyrese, he was medically-prescribed Rexulti to deal with his depression, and it affected his behavior in more ways than one.
ntric fake deep bag wearing weirdo clothes and lighting incense? lol that doesn’t come natural for you… You are just COPYING… Copy cats are never leaders, innovators, game changers they are just BLAH.”
There may be an explanation for Tyrese’s sudden change in appearance. In his IG stories, Tyrese posted videos of his performance, also tagging the new film he’s starring in, “1992.”
In “1992,” which premieres on Aug. 30, Tyrese’s character has a full beard, very similar to the one he wore at the Rams game.
He doesn’t appear to have a head full of hair in the film, or wear bell-bottom jeans, however.
Whether his performance was a nod to Marvin Gaye, a method acting moment for his Pendergrass role, or a bit of calculated trolling to boost album sales, one thing is certain — it got people talking, something Tyrese is a master at doing.
