"Don't Judge Me" is a midtempo ballad, with lyrics in which Brown asks his lover to forgive him for his past indiscretions and move on with the future.

In the video, Brown goes on a "suicide mission" into outer space to save the world from an alien ship invading Earth.

[5] The artwork for the song debuted online on July 28, 2012; it features Brown, wearing a "white dress shirt and skinny black tie", striking a pose in front of a blue backdrop.

[6][7] On November 2, 2012, the song was released as an extended play in Australia,[8] Canada,[9] France,[10] and New Zealand,[11] featuring the album version and three remixes.

The single version of "Don't Judge Me" was released on iTunes Stores in Belgium,[12] Denmark,[13] Ireland,[14] Netherlands,[15] and Sweden[16] on November 23, 2012.

[5] Amy Sciarretto of PopCrush noted that "Don't Judge Me" features "a slow, sensuous romp", which she found reminiscent of Michael Jackson.

[24] Rolling Stone's Maura Johnston described "Don't Judge Me" as "a tender love song,"[25] while Andrew Hampp of Billboard magazine referred to it as a "take me as I am" type of ballad.

[26] Hazel Robinson of California Literary Review noted that "Don't Judge Me" is similar to Brown's 2009 song, "Changed Man.

[28] It begins with Brown walking through the desert, while intercut scenes of himself sitting in front of a couch (with his girlfriend, played by Runa Lucienne, sleeping behind him) are shown.

He eventually arrives at an army base to prepare for a "suicide mission", which involves him riding a spacecraft into outer space to save the world from an alien ship invading Earth.

"[33] Colin Greten of MTV's Rapfix agreed, writing that it "has a futuristic look and feel," and that fans would also cry as Brown "makes the ultimate sacrifice" to save the world.

[35] A writer for Heat magazine stated that the video is "a mini disaster movie, complete with over-acting and melodramatic slow-motion shots.

"[37] Jasmine Grant of Juicy magazine viewed the song as a "heartfelt ballad,"[33] and Maura Johnston of Rolling Stone wrote that it sounds like "a Twitter rant against haters.

"[25] Melissa Ruggieri of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution described "Don't Judge Me" as a "lilting ballad" and noted that Brown is "semi-serious" in the song.

"[41] In his review of Fortune, Nick Levine of BBC Music wrote that the song was one of the reasons why the album felt "cripplingly pointless.

"[43] In the United States, "Don't Judge Me" debuted at number 85 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart dated September 1, 2012.