Bieber Booed At 2013 Billboard Awards: 'This Is Not A Gimmick' Star Says [VIDEO]

Justin Bieber was given the Milestone award at Sunday's 2013 Billboard Awards but as he accepted the award, cheers turned to jeers and he was booed by the audience.

Clearly taken aback by the unexpected attack, Bieber stuck up for his music as being a sincere personal expression.

"I'm 19 years old," Bieber said.

"I think I'm doing a pretty good job [in my career, making music] basically from my heart. I really just want to say it really should be about the music. It should be about the craft that I'm making. This is not a gimmick and I'm an artist and I should be taken seriously."

2013 Billboard Awards host and Saturday Night Live alumni Tracy Morgan came to Bieber's defense.

"Don't be booing nobody," Morgan told the crowd at Las Vegas's MGM Grand Garden Arena . "This ain't Showtime at the Apollo."

Fans took to the social networking website Twitter during the 2013 Billboard Awards to let Justin know that had his back.

"I felt bad for Justin Bieber when everybody booed him when he got an award," Emily Rose wrote. "You have all of my respect."

Yet not everyone in the Twittersphere was on Justin's side.

"I laughed more than I was supposed to," Charis Rivera wrote.

See Justin Bieber get booed at the 2013 Billboard Awards RIGHT HERE