Chris Brown

Chris Brown is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, dancer and actor from Tappahannock, United States. He works in contemporary R&B, dance, electro house, electropop, hip hop and pop, and his music also incorporates elements of R&B, pop and hip hop.

Career

Brown signs with Jive Records in 2004 and releases his self-titled debut studio album in 2005. The album goes triple platinum and includes the Billboard Hot 100 number one single “Run It!”, which makes him the first male artist since 1995 to debut at number one on that chart. His second album, Exclusive (2007), becomes an international commercial success and features the chart-topping “Kiss Kiss”.

In 2009, Brown is arrested and later pleads guilty to felony assault of singer Rihanna, then his girlfriend. He receives five years of probation and six months of community service. That same year he releases Graffiti, which receives mixed reviews and sells less strongly than his earlier albums.

His fourth album, F.A.M.E. (2011), becomes his first to reach number one on the Billboard 200. It includes “Yeah 3x”, “Look at Me Now” and “Beautiful People”, and it wins the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album. Fortune (2012) also debuts at number one, while X (2014) and Royalty (2015) both reach the top three of the Billboard 200.

Heartbreak on a Full Moon (2017) is a double album with 45 tracks. It reaches gold certification within a week of release and later goes double platinum. Indigo (2019) debuts at number one on the Billboard 200 and includes “No Guidance”, which sets a record for the longest-running number one on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. The following year, “Go Crazy” breaks that record. “Under the Influence”, from Indigo, becomes a global sleeper hit after being re-released as a single in 2022.

Brown’s later studio albums include Breezy (2022) and 11:11 (2023).

Recognition and records

Brown sells more than 140 million records worldwide and is among the best-selling music artists globally. He holds multiple chart and certification records, including the most top 40 hits by an R&B singer and the most RIAA gold and multi-platinum certified singles by a male artist. Billboard ranks him as the third most successful R&B/hip-hop artist of the 2010s, behind Drake and Rihanna. Across his career, he receives more than 200 awards from over 500 nominations.

Acting

Alongside music, Brown appears in film and television. He makes his film debut in Stomp the Yard (2007) and also appears in This Christmas (2007), Takers (2010), Think Like a Man (2012) and Battle of the Year (2013). He also makes guest appearances on television series including The O.C.

Labels

His listed labels include Chris Brown Entertainment, LLC and Culture Beyond Ur Experience Publishing.