Chris Brown Has F.A.M.E. and Fortune, but what about forgiveness?
This combination of 2012 and 2011 file photos shows hip hop stars Chris Brown, left, and Drake. A New York City nightclub that was the site of a bottle-hurling brawl after a dispute between the entourages of singers Drake and Chris Brown has had its liquor license suspended. The State Liquor Authority suspended the license of W.i.P. and its adjacent Greenhouse during an emergency meeting Tuesday, June 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, Chris Pizzello)
After seven years in the national spotlight, Chris Brown has been defined by chart-topping highs and ugly personal lows. The latest episode: a Manhattan nightclub brawl that allegedly involved Brown, a few airborne bottles of champagne and the entourage of Drake, the Canadian rapper who has a romantic history with Browns ex, Rihanna. As fans speculated about a warped love triangle, Browns career continued on its erratic course through turbulent skies.
Three years ago, that career nearly came to a complete halt after Brown brutally assaulted Rihanna on the eve of the 2009 Grammy Awards. But today, Brown dominates radio playlists. He works with sought-after producers. He duets with huge names. The 23-year-old R&B singers new album, "Fortune," lands on Tuesday and is expected to debut at the top of the charts. He even released a pair of duets with Rihanna in February.
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Brown didnt get there by climbing the steep and winding road toward forgiveness. He did it by racing down the five-lane superhighway toward forgetness.
"Thats part of our culture, forgive and forget," says Angie Ange, a DJ at WKYS in Washington who interacts with scores of young Brown fans on a daily basis. "And a big part of our culture is to just forget."
But Brown hasnt always made forgetting easy. Hes given numerous apologies for attacking his then-girlfriend but has just as frequently squandered the worlds good will on Twitter. In the realm of social media, Brown doesnt seem haunted by his past so much as annoyed by it. And hes rallied his fans who proudly identify themselves as members of "Team Breezy" into an us-against-them mentality.
"And when its us against them and its a young, controversial artist against traditional media, the young artist is going to win," says Howard Bragman, a public-relations guru specializing in celebrity damage control and the vice chairman of Reputation.com. "Ive read a lot about young people and their morality theyre not very judgmental. You can get away with a lot. Their biggest issue is respect. If they feel that somebody was dissed or disrespected, they will rally to his side."
That dynamic was on full display in February after Browns 2011 album "F.A.M.E." won a Grammy for best R&B album. With the music industry gathered under one roof, Brown simply thanked God and Team Breezy. Then he signed onto Twitter.
"Then right before the worlds eyes a man shows how he can make a Big mistake and learn from it, but still has to deal with day to day hatred! You guys love to hate!!! But guess what???" Brown wrote. "HATE ALL U WANT BECUZ I GOT A GRAMMY Now! Thats the ultimate [expletive] OFF!"
His tweets were quickly deleted, but he had made his point.
Youd never have se! en this coming back in 2005 when Brown first scaled the charts. A fresh-faced, fresh-voiced 16-year-old from Tappahannock, Va., he pop-locked his way toward stardom, quickly becoming a national heartthrob and a radio staple. In 2008, after months of canoodling too close to the paparazzi, Brown announced that he was dating another young pop sensation, Rihanna.
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But the Feb. 8, 2009, assault instantly shattered the couples innocent image and threw Browns future into question. Corporate sponsors nixed endorsement deals and his songs slipped off the airwaves. Oprah Winfrey dedicated an episode to "the Rihannas of the world." Ellen DeGeneres said on her show, "I was a huge fans of Chris [but] I dont want any girl out there thinking its OK to go back to a guy who hit her."
Yet, just a few weeks after the incident, Brown was photographed goofing around on a jet ski as if the assault had never occurred.
"Cmon, Chris. Have a little bit of remorse, man. The mans on jet skis? Like, just relaxing in Miami?" That was R&B star Usher in a candid YouTube video that appeared shortly after the photos surfaced. And while his words were far from cutting, Usher apologized for them almost immediately. Many saw the music industry reflexively circling its wagons.
"Theyre going to protect their own," says Bragman of the music industrys embrace. "Theyre going to support the guy whos making the money right now."
In July 2009, Brown finally issued a public apology on YouTube to Rihanna and his fans. In the following months, he repeated those mea culpas on "Larry King Live" and "20/20." He pleaded guilty to felony assault. Some fans returned to the fold. Others stayed away.
Brown found himself in another mess in March 2011 after a "Good Morning America" appearance to promote "F.A.M.E.," his fourth album. After being asked about Rihanna on camera, he allegedly tried to chuck a chair through his dressing-room window following the interview.
"F.A.M.E." debuted at No. 1 a! nd earne d Brown three Grammy nominations and an invitation to perform at the 2012 awards ceremony, where he was given more airtime than the late Whitney Houston. That decision angered critics. On her sitcom "30 Rock," comedian Tina Fey shouted, "I reject Chris Browns comeback!" in a pleading voice that said "I wont stand for this thing I cant stop."
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