In
life, a person’s name carries a lot of weight. The weight of the world at
times, if you’re an entertainer.
With
Chris Brown, a name can translate into many descriptions. Until this year, his
name was synonymous with the words “teen heartthrob” and
“role model” while being positioned next to other names like
Michael Jackson and Usher.
Who
would’ve thought the one thing shared most between Jackson and Brown is one word:
Controversy.
And
Brown has yet to drop a third album. Rewind to 2005 when the 20 year-old crooner
hits the scene in a big way with his first single, “Run It.” The
song, whose remix featured Dipset affiliate Juelz Santana, provided the perfect
introduction to Brown’s powerful vocals, as well as those synchronized
dance routines that have become his trademark.
Reaction
to the new sensation was instant as Brown became a fixture on BET’s 106
and Park, not to mention the cause of Jonas Brother level screams among female
fans. “Run It’s” stint on the charts was a no-brainer, to say
the least. The tune debuted at number on on the Billboard 100 and remained
there for five straight weeks, giving Brown his very first charttopper. Run It – Chris Brown ft. Juelz Santana
And,
as expected, the good fortune created the perfect anticipation for more to come
with Brown’s self-titled debut album. The project, which hit stores in
November 2005, cemented the crooner’s grip on the market as “Yo
(Excuse Me Miss)” and “Gimme That” featuring Lil
Wayne,” “Say Goodbye” and “Poppin” powered the
release to double platinum status.
Talent
wasn’t the only factor in Brown’s popularity. The entertainer with
the boyish face and nice guy demeanor came across as the boy next door. Someone
who genuinely enjoyed what he did and loved nothing more than to bring
different elements of dance to his live performances.
From
the MTV VMAs to the BET and Grammy Awards, no music show wrap up was complete
without some mention of how Chris dazzled the crowd with his creative and entertaining
dance routines. In short, a Chris Brown performance resulted in more album
sales and tour anticipation for him and more free publicity for any event
associated with him.
Brown’s
ability to cut a rug even struck a nerve with Justin Timberlake, who expressed
what many in the audience thought after seeing his competition perform at the
2007 VMA’s.
“Nobody likes to be reminded that
they’re getting older,” the former boy member expressed. “And
whatever Chris Brown just did reminded me of how I’m getting older
– ’cause damn. It’s just exciting to see.”
The
performance was indeed one for conversation as Brown’s set included
choreography set to two singles from his sophomore album, Exclusive, “Wall to Wall” and
“Kiss Kiss,” as well as an homage to Jackson’s “Billie Jean.”
The event was also noted for the appearance of the woman who would later
become Brown’s girlfriend, Rihanna.
The
pop diva joined Brown to sing her megahit “Umbrella,” thereby
giving fans something more to talk about. Talk soon gave way to actual evidence
with rumors of Rihanna and Brown being more than friends starting to ring true.
Whether they were photographed at a beach or swimming pool or just enjoying
each other’s company, it became clear that Chris had someone around to
spend his spare time with and share in his success.
Released
in November of 2007, Exclusive
sold roughly 294,498 copies to debut at number four on the Billboard 200.
Capitalizing off the album’s popularity, the album was re-released on
June 3, 2008. The Forever Edition,
as it was called, included four new tracks as well as a bonus DVD of unreleased
concert and behind the scenes footage. “Kiss Kiss” as well as
“Take You Down” and “With You” were certifiable hits
from the original version, but the Polow da Don-produced title track from the
new edition propelled the project towards worldwide sales of more than a million copies. Add to that the income generated from Wrigley using
“Forever” in its Doublemint gum ads and Breezy was definitely
coming into his own has a businessman.
Professionally,
life couldn’t be better. Television roles on UPN’s One on One and Fox’s The OC only prepared Chris for life on the
big screen with his film debut in Stomp the
Yard and co-starring with Lauren London in the family drama This Christmas. It was the icing to a cake
that couldn’t get any sweeter. All leading to a fond farewell of the
years leading into and including 2008.
2009?
Well that’s another story.
Things
seemed to start out strong with Chris riding his good forturne while becoming music’s
newest go-to guy. Collaborations with Bow Wow (2006’s “Shorty Like
Mine”) as well as T-Pain and Lil Mama, David Banner and Jordin Sparks
(2008’s “Shawty Get Loose,”“Get Like Me” and
“No Air” respectively) only heightened Brown’s exposure
outside of his normal fan base.No Air – Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown
So
much so, that the latter hit was nominated for a 2009 Grammy Award for Best Pop
collaboration with vocals. Meanwhile, speculation on Brown’s relationship
with Rihanna was relegated to talk of whether or not the entertainers would
officially come out as a couple as well as the occasional unfaithful rumors.
Then
the levees break.
February
8, 2009. Surprising reports surface of an altercation between Chris and an
unidentified woman the night before the Grammys.
The
crooner, who was expected to perform on music’s biggest night, turns
himself in as California
authorities look into accusations made by the woman of Brown assaulting her
after a heated argument heated inside a vehicle. No charges were filed, but the
entertainer is booked on suspicion
of making a criminal threat.
Although
he is later released on $50,000 bail, Brown’s world was already coming
undone. Grammy officials scramble to fill the holes left from him and Rihanna,
who was rumored to be the victim at the time, being no-shows to the event.
Artists
and fans alike expressed shock at the turn of events. Media outlets swarmed
upon the news as they struggled to cover every aspect of the case. Little by
little, details leading up to the alleged beating came out. A week after the
incident, Chris finally spoke out on what happened via a statement.
“Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am
over what transpired,” said Brown , who also dispelled false
reports of what happened as well as reveal that he is “seeking the
counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed,
with God’s help, to emerging a better person,”
Brown’s
statement came as prosecutors constructed a case against the vocalist, who has
become unpopular among those who used to love his music. The issue especially
hit home with TMZ.com’s posting of a photo of a battered and bruised
Rihanna that was taken shortly after police responded to the assault.
Some
time later, Brown and Rihanna reportedly put aside the incident and reportedly
reunited. Debate further ensues with the message this sends to young fans of
both singers as well as abuse victims. As it stands now, it looks as though
Rihanna has had her fill of Brown and dumped him. This coming after seemingly
every celebrity has weighed in on the situation and both stars gradually return
to the studio to record new music.
Overall,
the issue has divided fans, some of whom blame Rihanna for what happened. Others charge it to Brown’s history of domestic violence in his family, as mentioned in a past interview with AllHipHop Alternatives. In
addition, parents are stuck having to explain why one of their child’s
favorite singers is looking at jail time for allegedly beating up a woman.
Whether
or not Brown is able to rebound remains to be seen. His relationship with
Wrigley has soured in light of the company suspending his Doublemint ads. In
addition, the marketing campaign for his upcoming movie with rapper T.I. has
all but excluded him from the promotion of the film.
Nevertheless,
history has proven that artists are able to win back fans once they deliver a
solid hit to make all the negativity a memory. No matter what, the name of
Chris Brown will be something for people to love, hate or just talk about.**To get the latest AllHipHop Alternatives Features, follow us on Twitter @ www.twitter.com/AHHalternatives**