Too Late to Say Sorry: Inside Justin Bieber and Scooter Braun's Relationship — From Their Early Years to the End of Their Partnership Amid Unfollow Drama

According to Scooter Braun's official website, the talent manager launched SB Projects, "a diversified entertainment and media company with ventures at the junction of music, film, television, technology, brands, culture and social good" in 2007.

Braun first bumped into a video of then-12-year-old Justin Bieber while watching YouTube videos of a musician Akon asked him to check out. Although convincing Bieber's mother, Pattie Mallette, to let him manage the young performer was challenging, the entrepreneur soon received the matriarch's approval and began taking the Baby hitmaker to meetings and demo recording sessions.

By July 2008, Bieber signed to Usher and Braun's company, Raymond Braun Media Group, marking the start of his music career.

Outside the music industry, Bieber and Braun's bond deepened over the years that they often defended each other amid their respective issues.

For instance, the Beauty and the Beat hitmaker released a statement in March 2010 defending Braun, who turned himself in to Nassau County police months after the infamous November 2009 mall incident that left five Bieber fans injured.

"He is someone of high moral character and principle. The decisions he made that day were to protect the safety of myself and my fans and I am very thankful to have someone in my life who watches over me the way Scooter does," the singer, who wore a "Free Scooter" shirt after the development, said in a statement.

When Bieber turned 18 in March 2012, the talent manager gifted him a $100,000 electric car and told him: "You work really, really hard and I always yell at you, 'Don't get anything flashy, we're not about that, be humble, be humble.' I kind of broke my own rule."

Between 2013 and 2014, the That Should Be Me hitmaker found himself in hot water due to numerous controversies, including legal issues and public outbursts. He raised eyebrows due to his Anne Frank comments and refused to be questioned after speeding through a 25-miles-per-hour zone in his neighborhood in May 2013.

At the time, a source told RadarOnline.com that Braun wanted Bieber to get help as he was "hanging out with the wrong people."

"It's been one incident after another with him and Braun has always been very supportive and still is. But now Scooter wants him to go to rehab to get his act together. Justin needs to get away from the bad influences in his life," the insider continued.

Bieber's scandals and run-ins with the law extended in the months thereafter, including his pee in a bucket fallout in July 2013, DUI and assault arrests in January 2014, and a controversial racist joke in June 2014.

Speaking in a December 2015 interview with The New York Times, Braun opened up about Bieber's comeback and expressed his past worries about how the entertainer "could have died" if he had not intervened after the 2013 Journals mixtape.

He said: "It wasn't until something happened that it clicked for him. He made the conscious decision as a young man: 'I need to make a change in my own life.'"

In January 2023, the Hipgnosis Songs Capital – a partnership between Hipgnosis Song Management and funds managed by Blackstone – officially acquired Bieber's publishing rights and master royalties for $200million.

In August 2023, Puck released a report claiming Bieber and Braun had not spoken in months, noting the pop star was looking for new management before the expiration of his contract. However, sources dismissed the claims and told Entertainment Tonight the twosome were still working together.

Several artists, including Demi Lovato and Idina Menzel, began leaving Braun in the same month.

Bieber cut ties with his business manager, Lou Taylor, and hired Johnny Depp's financial manager, a source told People in June 2024.

The insider, however, clarified Braun was still managing Bieber at the time.

"(Bieber's) still in a contract and won't be out of it for a long time," the source added.

After 23 years in service, Braun released a lengthy statement to announce his retirement as a manager to focus on being HYBE America's CEO.

He said: "So yes, it's been 23 years. And yes, this chapter has come to an end. But the great Berry Gordy once told me 'young man, it never ends the way you wanted, but it doesn't mean it didn't happen.'

"That wisdom has proven to be correct. I never saw how this chapter would end, hell, I never even saw it happening. But it did. And I will cherish every moment of it. I made my plan… but it turns out I like God's plan better. Cheers!"

Months after Braun's retirement, eagle-eyed fans noticed the Love Me singer unfollowed Braun on Instagram as of January 4.