Why Chris Brown Won't Tour With Usher

After July's well-received joint appearance onstage in Jamaica, and an enthusiastic remark that producer Bryan-Michael Cox made in an interview with Jermaine Dupri ("Usher and the boy Chris Brown are going on tour, y'all know that, right?"), fans expected a major concert collaboration to be announced.

On Tuesday's broadcast of BET's '106th and Park,' however, Chris Brown dismissed the rumor while plugging his film 'Takers,' saying he wanted to focus on solo efforts. Many questioned the explanation, and speculated that Usher -- whose reps have issued a statement denying a tour partnership -- wants to distance himself Brown, still struggling to repair his image after his notorious 2009 arrest for assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna.

But now, a source is telling the New York Post that there's a much simpler reason: money.

An industry insider points to Brown's current Live Nation contract as the roadblock, because it's a deal Brown reportedly can't be freed from in order to be loaned out for a tour with Usher. In other words, he'd potentially be subject to legal action if he broke the agreement.

Meanwhile, another source tells the Post all is copacetic between the singers: "Usher has no issue with Chris....He and his camp were absolutely positive to the notion of touring. There were discussions, but it did not pan out."

Brown is famously banned from performing in the United Kingdom, thanks to the case that made him as well-known among many celeb-watchers for his domestic violence crime as for his music career. Although a judge recently praised the 21-year-old singer's progress in a probation hearing, he reportedly continues having trouble securing a travel visa for overseas performances, and getting radio programmers to play his singles.