The Story Of Chris Brown: His Wins, Losses & Controversies In Music So Far
Breezy's career has been a rollercoaster of tremendous highs and highly-publicised lows. Let's take a closer look at his story so far...
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1. 2004: Chris signed to Jive Records.
After being discovered at his father's gas station the year before, Brown signed to the same record company that mastered the early careers of Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake.
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2. November 2005: His self-titled debut album was released.
Spawning hits like 'Run It!', 'Excuse Me Miss' and 'Gimme Dat', Brown's first offering achieved double platinum status, sold over 3 million copies worldwide and earned him his first two Grammy nominations.
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3. November 2005: Breezy achieved his first number one single with 'Run It!'
Produced by frequent collaborator Scott Storch, 'Run It' became Chris's first ever number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. The Juelz Santana-assisted R&B banger was paired with an iconic music video that would not only prove his vocal chops, but also place his MJ-inspired dance moves firmly on the map.
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4. January 2007: Chris made a guest appearance on Fox teen drama series 'The O.C.'
Keen to prove himself a triple threat, Brown landed a small role as a band geek in the fourth season of the US TV series 'The O.C', appearing in three episodes. That same month, he made his made his feature film debut in 'Stomp the Yard'.
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5. September 2007: Chris performed a show-stopping medley at the MTV VMA's.
In a performance that will forever be remembered as one of the best in VMA history, Breezy cemented himself as his generation's Michael Jackson and became the undisputed King of the commercial R&B scene with this explosive show. With a cameo from Rihanna slotted in the middle, Brown set the bar extremely high for budding stars following him.
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6. February 2009: Chris physically assaulted his then-girlfriend, Rihanna.
Brown was charged with felony assault after the couple became embroiled in a physical alternation in a car following the annual Clive Davis Pre-Grammy party. Rihanna was left, in Brown's own words, "spitting blood" and was hospitalised for her injuries. A restraining order followed.
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7. June 2010: Chris broke down during his Michael Jackson tribute at the BET Awards.
Two days after the first anniversary of the death of Jackson, Brown performed a medley of the icon's hits as a tribute to his idol. He wore a fedora and spangled glove as he moonwalked across the stage to 'Billie Jean', but during his rendition of 'Man In The Mirror', his voice cracked as he broke down in tears on stage.
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8. March 2011: Chris had a violent outburst on the set of 'Good Morning America'.
During a promotional GMA interview for ‘F.A.M.E.’, co-anchor Robin Roberts began asking Brown about Rihanna’s restraining order against him. Despite Breezy’s brushing off the comments, Roberts persisted. Following the interview, it was reported that Chris smashed a window with a chair in a fit of rage. He emerged form the room shirtless and left the building before his scheduled performance.
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9. March 2011: His fourth album 'F.A.M.E.' debuted at number one in the US.
Boasting hit singles including 'Yeah 3x', 'Beautiful People' and 'Look At Me Now', Breezy's fourth studio effort earned him his first number one album. It sold over 270,000 units within its first week and remains one of Brown's most commercially successful albums.
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10. February 2012: Chris won his first Grammy Award with 'F.A.M.E.'
After being nominated eight times with no wins at his previous Grammy Awards, Breezy picked up his first prestigious gramophone in the category 'Best R&B Album'. It remains his only Grammy to date, but he has since picked up a further seven nods.
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11. June 2012: Chris and Drake were involved in a bottle fight in a New York club.
The duo allegedly brawled over Breezy's ex-lover, Rihanna - who Drake was reported to be romancing at the time. After Drake reportedly taunted Chris over the situation, a fight broke out between the two entourages, leaving eight people injured after bottles were thrown across the club. Breezy later took to Instagram to showcase a cut on his chin. Neither party faced charges.
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12. January 2013: Chris had a fight in a parking lot with Frank Ocean.
Ocean said that Chris punched him in the face after the 'With You' singer took Ocean's designated parking spot at an LA recording studio. Members of Brown's crew allegedly pushed Ocean into the corner and trying to kick him. Ocean alleged that Brown had threatened to shoot him, but he said he would not press charges.
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13. October 2013: Chris was arrested for felony assault before entering rehab.
Following a physical fight in Washington D.C., Brown was charged with a misdemeanor, and three days later, Brown voluntarily entered rehab for a 90-day stint. The deal was if Brown left rehab, he would go directly to jail. In mid-November, he was kicked out of the program and later sentenced to 90 days in an anger management facility, from which was expelled due to complaints from patients and violations of rules.
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14. March 2014: Brown served time in jail.
Brown was ordered to serve 131 days in jail for his probation violation of his 2009 assault of Rihanna for his 2009 assault on Rihanna. He was sentenced to 365 days in jail, and served 108 before being released.
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15. March 2014: His collaboration with Tyga, 'Loyal', went to number one while Brown was incarcerated.
"They were playing it over the speakers when I was locked up," Breezy explained after his release. "You know how they'd call you like, 'Brown you've got a visitor' - they would play the music and I thought...this is funny."
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16. May 2014: Brown's first child, a daughter named Royalty, was born.
The child of Breezy and ex-lover Nia Guzman, Royalty served as the inspiration for Brown's seventh studio album 'Royalty', which was released the following year. She frequently appears on his social media and in his music videos, and even accompanies him on red carpets. Brown credits her for turning his life around.
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17. August 2016: He was arrested for allegedly threatening a woman at gunpoint.
Former beauty queen Baylee Curran accused the singer of threatening her with a gun, which resulted in a nine hour standoff involving the police and a SWAT team outside his LA mansion. Brown was initially released on bail for $250,000. Police discovered no guns or drugs upon searching his house, and, according to Brown's lawyer, nothing was found to corroborate Curran's statement.
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18. January 2017: Brown agreed to fight Soulja Boy in a boxing match to settle their beef.
Their highly-publicised feud was ignited after Soulja Boy made moves at Brown's ex, Karreuche Tran. After a constant back-and-forth trading of Instagram threats and challenges between the pair, they agreed to fight in a boxing match. The event was greatly hyped up and documented across social media, but was later called off by Brown who called the whole situation "immature".
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19. June 2017: Breezy released his reveal-all documentary 'Welcome To My Life'
Featuring rare interviews, concert footage and behind-the-scenes access, the documentary gives Brown's fans a detailed and personal look into his past. The film garnered a great deal of press, particularly around the topic of his assault on Rihanna, which was discussed in a honest and detailed interview with Brown.
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20. October 2017: Chris dropped his 45-track album, 'Heartbreak On A Full Moon'.
Breezy's eighth studio album, released on Halloween, boasts a staggering 45 tracks and received mixed reviews from critics. The album debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200, and was his seventh solo album to debut at number one on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
