(1989-)

Who Is Chris Brown?

Chris Brown became a teen heartthrob with R&B and pop hits that included “Run It!,” “Kiss Kiss” and “Forever.” In 2009, he physically assaulted his then-girlfriend, pop/dance star Rihanna, and found his songs dropped from the radio. Afterward, Brown rediscovered success on the music charts, earning a Grammy for his 2011 album, F.A.M.E., but also continued to receive attention for brushes with the law.

Early Life

Singer Christopher Maurice Brown was born on May 5, 1989, in Tappahannock, Virginia. Brown became known for his smooth voice, amazing dance moves, boy-next-door charm and controversy surrounding his physical assault of former girlfriend Rihanna. Growing up in a small town of roughly 2,000 people, Brown enjoyed singing in his church choir and was inspired by such musical artists as Sam Cooke, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. He also showed off his dance prowess by imitating the moves of another one of his idols, Usher.

Brown was discovered by Tina Davis, who was working for Def Jam Recordings at the time. “The first thing that hit me was his unique voice,” Davis told Billboard magazine. “I thought ‘This kid is a star.’” Davis eventually became his manager and helped him land a deal with Jive Records, which had developed other young acts such as Britney Spears and ‘N Sync and was home to other hip-hop and R & B stars such as R. Kelly, Usher and Kanye West. At the time of the deal, Brown was only 15 years old.

Commercial Success with Debut Album

Brown’s self-titled album was released in November 2005 and quickly found its way into the charts. Working with established producers and songwriters, he had a No. 1 hit with “Run It!,” which was co-written by Scott Storch and Sean Garrett. The track also featured a guest appearance by rapper Juelz Santana. More hits followed, including “Yo (Excuse Me Miss)” and “Gimme That,” which was written by Garrett and Storch.

The album brought Brown two Grammy Award nominations, for Best New Artist and Best R&B Contemporary Album. While he did not win, he showed the audience at the Grammy Awards just how talented he was by holding his own while performing with R&B legends Lionel Richie and Smokey Robinson. Brown went on to receive a number of other awards, including an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding New Artist. With a large following of young fans, it was no surprise when he won a Teen Choice Award for Choice Music Breakout Artist Male.

In 2006, Brown went out on the road for his Up Close & Personal tour. He played more than 30 concerts in cities across the country. While he enjoyed playing live, it was not without its hazards. “Once during a show, I reached out to touch these girls’ hands, and they pulled me off the stage,” Brown told CosmoGirl magazine.

Acting Roles and ‘Exclusive’

Expanding his career as an entertainer, Brown branched out into acting. He had a small role in the box office hit Stomp in the Yard (2007), which centered around a step dance competition. The film also featured another popular R&B performer, Ne-Yo. On the small screen, Brown played against type as a high school band geek on The O.C. for several episodes.

The final months of 2007 brought a wave of new projects for Brown. He released his second album, Exclusive, in November. On this project, Brown became more hands-on behind the scenes. He helped write several tracks, including the hit single “Kiss Kiss” with T-Pain. In addition to T-Pain, Brown worked with Sean Garrett on “Wall to Wall” and will.i.am and Tank on “Picture Perfect,” among others. He also came up with the concepts for his music videos and served as co-director on them.

Around the same time, Brown returned to the big screen with a more substantial role in the holiday-themed dramatic comedy, This Christmas (2007). As Michael “Baby” Whitfield, he played a young man wanting to pursue a musical career despite opposition from his family. The film also featured Delroy Lindo, Loretta Devine, Regina King and Mekhi Phifer.

Assault of Rihanna

In February 2009, the young performer made headlines after being arrested for allegedly assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna during an argument. “Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired,” Brown said in a statement shortly after the incident. He was charged with two felony counts related to the incident.

In June, Brown pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to 180 days of community labor and five years of probation. He was also ordered to stay away from Rihanna. The following month, Brown fully acknowledged and apologized for his actions, saying in a video statement that “I have told Rihanna countless times, and I am telling you today, that I’m truly, truly sorry that I wasn’t able to handle the situation both differently and better.”

Grammy for ‘F.A.M.E.’ and More Troubles

Despite the backlash from the domestic abuse scandal, Brown continued to enjoy popularity as a performer. He released the albums F.A.M.E. (2011) — which won a Grammy for Best R&B Album — Fortune (2012) and X (2014).

Not long before the debut of X (2014), Brown found himself back in trouble with the law. He was arrested on assault charges in October 2013, after allegedly fighting with an unidentified man outside a Washington, D.C. hotel.

After finishing a 90-day court-ordered stint at a Malibu rehabilitation center in February 2014, Brown was ordered to stay in rehab until his next hearing. However, the artist was removed from the center and taken into custody in March for violating his probation.

In May 2014, Brown returned to court in California and admitted to violating his probation for the 2009 assault on Rihanna. The judge gave Brown a year in jail, but he earned his release in early June, receiving credit for his time in rehab and for days previously spent in prison. The singer was delighted to receive his freedom, tweeting “thank you GOD” and “Humbled and Blessed.”

Around that time, Brown became a father with the birth of daughter Royalty, although the girl wasn’t confirmed to be his offspring until several months later.

Brown’s legal woes looked like they would impact his career in 2015. He was told by Australian officials in September that he might be denied entrance into that country because of his conviction on domestic violence charges. Brown ultimately had to cancel his planned tour of Australia and New Zealand, scheduled for December.

‘Heartbreak on a Full Moon’ and ‘Indigo’

On Halloween 2017, Brown unveiled an ambitious new project by making his latest album, Heartbreak on a Full Moon, available for streaming on Spotify. The 45-track album, clocking in at some 2 hours and 40 minutes from start to finish, featured collaborations with such artists and Future, Usher and R. Kelly.

In January 2019, Brown released “Undecided.” It became the first single from his studio album Indigo, which debuted at No. 1 in late June. Indigo also featured the Top 10 single “No Guidance,” a collaboration with former rival Drake.

Meanwhile, the singer’s troubles with the law continued. In May 2018, a woman filed a lawsuit against Brown and two others, claiming that she was sexually assaulted in the singer’s home. He was arrested again on July 5, 2018, in Florida, on an outstanding out-of-county warrant from the previous year. According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Brown was booked and released about an hour after his arrest.

In January 2019, around the time Brown released “Undecided,” a 24-year-old model accused the singer and two other men of raping her in a Paris hotel room. Brown vehemently denied that account and indicated he would sue his accuser for defamation.

Later that year, it was announced that Brown’s ex-girlfriend Ammika Harris had given birth to the singer’s second child, son Aeko Catori Brown.

The artist’s first new music of 2020 arrived on May 5 by way of a mixtape with Young Thug, titled Slime & B.

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QUICK FACTS

• Name: Chris Brown
• Birth Year: 1989
• Birth date: May 5, 1989
• Birth State: Virginia
• Birth City: Tappahannock
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Chris Brown is a Grammy Award-winning R&B; and dance music entertainer who made headlines for assaulting former girlfriend Rihanna.
• Industries
• Pop
• Astrological Sign: Taurus

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QUOTES

• I treat [women] differently because I know I never want to go through the same thing or put a woman through the same thing that the person put my mom through.
• I’ve been humbled by my past experiences and I want my music to speak for itself and to speak for me.
• In the beginning, I used to be hot. I’m normal. I’m human, so if anybody says something that’s a lie, I’m numb to it. I’ve smartened up.
• Love is something I am still learning. It’s just an obstacle that I haven’t yet mastered. I think that’s my biggest hurdle in life.
• I use music or painting as my outlet to get through the confusion. I try to promote positivity and love.
• I feel remorse every day. I’m very ashamed. But it doesn’t define me. I try to think about influencing people not to take the road I did.
• Everybody that’s haters, they just been haters. All my real fans, I love you all. I ain’t a monster.
• Be yourself—and see as many girls as possible!
• I just want to be a legend. I think my [goal] now is just to make my mark in the game as just an established artist and just a real artist and a culture ambassador.