Chris Brown, aka Breezy, was born as Christopher Maurice Brown on May 5, 1989 in Tappahannock, a small town in Virginia. He is a multi-talented singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. Chris Brown was not a late bloomer. From an early age he showed musical promise. He started out singing in his local church choir and local talent shows at a very young age. By 2004, at the ripe age of fifteen, Chris Brown had already signed a contract with Jive Records and was releasing his first album.
His first album was self-titled, made it to number two on the Billboard 200 list, sold over three million copies around the world, and the Recording Industry Association of America slapped a certified double platinum label on the album. Chris Brown was not a one hit wonder and has been recording and producing albums ever since. It has not been smooth sailing for him, though, as he has ran into some serious domestic problems that resulted in a short stint in jail. In addition to his successful musical career, Chris Brown has pursued and steadily worked on building his acting career, being an excellent father, and earning awards and recognition for his continued success.
Here are 20 things you didn’t know about Chris Brown
1. Chris Brown loves to dance. Before he was even out of diapers, Chris Brown had started dancing….and he hasn’t stopped yet. In a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, Chris Brown let everyone know he has been dancing since he was 2 years old. When he was little and watching his singing favorite, Michael Jackson, on television, Chris Brown was imitating him. It was actually through watching Michael Jackson on television that he learned how to dance in the first place. He has said he has ants in his pants and dances all the time.
2. It’s the old school musicians that Chris Brown likes the most and that inspired him then and still do to this fay. His inspirations include the great musicians from back in the day – Stevie Wonder, Kim Burrell, Usher, Same Cooke, Michael Jackson, Donnie Hathaway, and Teddy Pendergrass. You can imagine how he felt the day his idol Michael Jackson reached out to him and called him. At the age of eighteen, Chris Brown received a phone call from Michael Jackson to let him know he loved the song Shortie Like Mine.
3. Chris Brown loves the 80’s style. He doesn’t dress with the same style all the time, though. He chooses his outfits based on his mood for the day. However, his favorite way to dress is with an 80’s edge. He says he dresses in a different style everyday.
4. Chris Brown’s acting talent was shining through at an early age. In elementary school, Chris Brown starred in the school play Elfis which was based on Elvis. This was just the beginning of what would become a lucrative acting career.
5. In addition to being a talented, successful singer, songwriter, and actor, Chris Brown is an athlete. He has a natural athletic talent. Since elementary school he has been an exceptional basketball player and point guard. In fact, he was so great that when he was in the sixth grade, he was on the eight grade basketball team. Chris Brown also has not one, but two favorite basketball teams; the Miami Heat and the Atlanta Falcons.
6. At the ripe young age of fifteen, Chris Brown auditioned for L.A. Reid’s Def Jam and was offered a recording contract right then and there. He declined and did not accept the offer, however. Instead, he eventually decided to go with Jive Records.
7. You have to feel bad for Chris Brown. The poor guy grew up with an abusive stepfather. He claims he was terrified all the time of his stepfather. There is one night in particular he remembers his stepfather making his mom’s nose bleed. All Chris could do was cry. He says he hated his stepfather then and he still hates him to his day. Even with a terrible home life, Chris Brown still managed to pull through and start a successful career as a teenager.
8. As famous and successful as Chris Brown is, he still has his own insecurities. He is 6’1″ and is afraid of getting any taller. He fears that if he gets taller he won’t be able to dance as well anymore because his body won’t move the same way it does now. In 2007, he was named one of People magazines Most Beautiful Celebrities, as well as The Sexiest Man Alive, and in 2008 he was chosen for a MILK ad, so he really has no reason to have any insecurities at all. The fans all love him just the way he is.
9. Chris Brown is an actor. Okay, you already knew that. But did you know where he made his start? What was Chris Brown’s first movie? What show did he make his television debut on? Here goes….Chris Brown made his acting debut in the movie Stomp the Yard. He also made a television debut on The O.C. in 2007 where he had a three-episode part.
10. Chris Brown has only won one Grammy Award. Although he has been nominated numerous times, twelve to be exact, he has only actually won one. The Grammy Award he won was back in 2012. He won the Best R&B album for F.A.M.E. This album also just happened to have been his very first number one album. His first three albums were only able to earn a number two, four , and seven spot.
11. Chris Brown truly can do it all. We know he can sing, we know he can write amazing songs, we know he can act, and we now know he can play a mean game of basketball. But, did you know he has yet another hidden talent? Chris Brown is an exceptional artist and he loves to paint. He says he uses his music and painting as an outlet to get thrugh the confusion. He paints monsters that he believes are mirror images of the negative views and opinions people have for him. He also enjoys painting murals. Most of the profits that his mural painting make are donated to charity.
12. Chris Brown was arrested in 2009. Most of you already know about the Chris Brown/Rihanna incident that resulted in Chris Brown’s arrest. He was arrested for hitting and assaulting his then girlfriend, Rihanna. This violent act landed him in jail, where he served his time. According to Chris Brown, he learned a lot from this experience. He says assaulting Rihanna was a wake up call for him. He realized then that he was not a teenager anymore and he needed to stop being a crazy, wild teenager-type. After the arrest, he decided it was time to grow up.
13. Chris Brown is an extremely talented song writer. You may have already known he wrote songs, but did you know how many? He is not one of those singers that writes a song here and there. His album Graffiti is composed of thirteen songs. Twelve of those songs were written by Chris Brown. In 2008, Rihanna had a hit song, Disturbia. That song was actually written by Chris Brown and he had intended to use it on one of his own albums.
14. Chris Brown has dated some famous women celebrities. He dated Rihanna, which we all know. He also has dated Draya, who stars on the show Basektball Wives, as well as Kim Kardashian briefly, and had an on-again off-again relationship with Karrueche Tran. Karrueche Tran was actually the muse for a piece of artwork he created in 2011 entitled Fallig in Love. How sweet! His relationship with Karrueche Tran also resulted in a beautiful baby girl.
15. Chris Brown has tattoos. The singer doesn’t have just a few tattoos, he has A LOT of tattoos! Chris Brwn started getting tattoos at the very yound age of thirteen. Today, he has over fifty tattoos on his body and this number is continuously increasing. Some of Chris Brown’s tattoos include: a tattoo of a pair of wings with four stars on his pecs, roses over top of a diamond in a symphonic love tattoo, a group of three stars on his neck that match his ex-girlfriend, Rihanna. the stars were a symbol of their undying love for each other. Chris brown has left his stars the way they are, but Rihanna had her stars tattoo altered so they no longer match. On his back there is an evil looking skeleton smile under an equally morbid looking smiley face and two intersecting feathers above the smiley face.He even has tattoos on his hands, one of which is his mom’s name. He has dozens of tattoos on his arms, creating two arm sleeves. On the top of his foot he has a large crossbones. These are only a few of his many tattoos!
16. Chris Brown loves burgers. He has said that while in jail the one food he couldn’t wait to eat was a delicious grease dripping burger. In fact, his love of burgers goes so far that Chris Brown owns fourteen Burger King restaurants. It is not easy to own a Burger King restaurant. In order to be eligible to own one, you must have a new worth of at least $1.5 million and $500,000 in liquid assets. In addition, it can take up to $1.2 to $2.2 million to develop the location. The costs depend on the size of the Burger King location as well as where it is located. And, on top of that it costs a whopping $50,000 to purchase a twenty year franchise agreement. That’s a lot of money to most of us, but to someone with a net worth of over $30 million, it probably seems like next to nothing.
17. Chris Brown is the only singer ever to be in jail and have a number one record at the same time. In 2014, Chris Brown was sentenced to jail time for hitting, Rihanna, who his girlfriend at the time. While he was incarcerated, his hit single, Loyal, rose to number one on the billboards list. No one else has ever been able to achieve this. He says the guards would even play the song for him while he was behind bars. Prior to getting sentenced, Chris Brown had managed to finish recording the album, X. His record producers were nervous about releasing the album and had been holding off on releasing it in fear that the negative press from his recent negative headlines would overshadow his music. He was released from in June and the album was released a few months later, in September. Holding off on releasing the album was a smart idea. The album quickly rose to number one, with sales rising as high as 145,000 copies in its debut week.
18. At the age of fifteen, Chris Brown bought a house for his mother. And not just any old house; a $1 million dollar house! At fourteen he signed with Jive Records. At fifteen he was releasing an album, becoming a superstar, making lots of money, and buying his number one fan, his mom, a $1 million home.
19. Chris Brown has a clothing line; die-hard Chris Brown fans already know that. But, did you know that his clothing line made $4 million in its first year? Black Pyramid, Chris Brown’s clothing line, puts a spin on jerseys, bombers, tees, racing jackets, track pants, polos, and more.
20. There’s something special and unbreakable about a father-daughter bond. Chris Brown has an adorable young daughter and loves spending time with her. He says loves dancing with her and even helps pick out her outfits. Her name is Royalty and he treats like a princess, even throwing her lavish birthday parties that she will probably not remember when she grows up.
FAQs
What is the gossip about Chris Brown? ›
Chris Brown Speaks Out After Being Sued for Allegedly Drugging and Raping Woman on Yacht. In a new lawsuit obtained by E! News, Chris Brown is accused of allegedly drugging and raping a woman on a yacht docked at Star Island, Fla., in 2020. Amid the claims, the singer is sending a message.
How old was Rihanna when she dated Chris Brown? ›Long before they were romantically linked, the pair met as teenagers in 2004, when Rihanna was 16 and Chris was 15. The duo was actually photographed backstage at the Z100 Jingle Ball concert held at Madison Square Garden in Dec. 2005. From there, their paths continued to cross.
Who taught Chris Brown to dance? ›taught him how to dance Azonto in 2013 ...
What religion is Chris Brown? ›“But I've been taught a Christianity that, because I said a prayer, I have the right to ask … no, demand that God from heaven come in and fix my life.”
What is Chris Brown suffering from? ›And according to the Los Angeles Superior Court documents, it's all because the singer suffers from bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
What did Drake do to Chris Brown? ›An alleged altercation with Chris Brown
In June 2012, Drake allegedly got into an altercation with singer Chris Brown at a New York City nightclub. At the time, Drake had been connected to Rihanna, Brown's ex-girlfriend whom he had been convicted of battering three years earlier.
It's not easy.” It was when Rihanna mended her relationship with her father, who was abusive to her mother, that she was really able to forgive Chris. “It took me a long time, I was angry for a long time,” she admits.
Who did Rihanna date first? ›Rihanna's first public relationship was with singer Chris Brown. The pair met as teenagers early on in their music careers and soon began collaborating on music. After Rihanna's "Umbrella" became a hit, Brown created its "Cinderella" remix, which he later performed on tour with the singer in 2008.
Did Chris Brown get Rihanna tattoo? ›So false! Brown's publicist, Jeff Raymond, tells us the tattoo is not Rihanna. "His tattoo is a sugar skull (associated with the Mexican celebration of the Day of the Dead) and a MAC cosmetics design he saw. It is not Rihanna or an abused woman as erroneously reported.
What is Chris Brown dance style called? ›Krumping is a common style of dance that Chris Brown does often in his dance routines. Krumping involves firm stomping, quick footwork, and large sweeping movements with your arms and legs. You can then integrate krump moves in your dancing to imitate Chris Brown.
Does Chris Brown do parkour? ›
Chris Brown Studied Parkour, Martial Arts For 'Takers'
Did Usher make Chris Brown famous? ›The Usher song that kicked off Chris Brown's career.
It was when Chris Brown performed Usher's 'My Way' in his home as a kid that his mum saw his vocal talent and decided to look for a record deal.
-I don't eat beef or pork. -When I was 6, I witnessed a relative attempt to commit suicide. -I love dancing with my daughter [Royalty, 15 months].
Is Chris Brown a vegetarian? ›I started my journey in 2002 as a vegetarian and it took me six months to transition to a plant-based vegan diet.
Does Chris Brown eat pork? ›15. I don't eat beef or pork.
Does Chris Brown have any health issues? ›Chris Brown has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, a rehab facility has confirmed. According to court documents obtained by E! News, the facility determined that the singer suffers from both ailments, which are the causes of his history of aggression.
Did Chris Brown do therapy? ›“I see my therapist twice a week, it's amazing and I was at first adamant about it, like, 'I don't want to go to therapy, I'm not going to talk to anybody,' but as I went through it and kept talking, it's actually very therapeutic.”
What injuries did Chris Brown do to Rihanna? ›In 2009, Chris physically assaulted RiRi in Lamborghini just a day before Grammys and gave her a busted lip, a black eye while leaving a bruised face. Scroll below to read the scoop. This was one of the biggest controversies of all time and pictures of RiRi with a bruised face went crazy viral in the media.
What was Chris Brown jailed for? ›Brown was arrested for felony assault in Washington D.C., when he and his bodyguard, Christopher Hollosy, were involved in a "physical altercation" with two men outside of the W Hotel, according to police spokeswoman Gwendolyn Crump.
What did Chris Brown do to his ex? ›Fourteen years ago, the night before the Grammy Awards, Brown attacked the We Found Love singer, who was then his girlfriend, in a Lamborghini. He was charged with a five-year probationary period. Since then, the Go Crazy singer has been facing backlash for his assault on the Barbadian singer. What is this?
Who is Chris Brown favorite rapper? ›
He didn't hesitate to rattle off four hip-hop legends—JAY-Z, Nas, Big L, and Tupac Shakur. He then quickly decided to swap out Nas for another GOAT, The Notorious B.I.G. “Put Biggie in the spot of Nas,” he said before making it clear that he still has love for his “Make the World Go Round” collaborator. “I love Nas.”
What did Rihanna say about Chris Brown hitting her? ›Back in 2009, Rihanna spoke over the whole incident with Vanity Fair over Chris Brown. “Well, I just never understood that, like how the victim gets punished over and over. It's in the past, and I don't want to say, 'Get over it,' because it's a very serious thing that is still relevant; it's still real.”
Did Rihanna date anyone after Chris Brown? ›Rihanna and Matt Kemp
She dated the professional baseball player for just under a year, from January-December 2010, following her split from Chris.
But forgiveness isn't a lack of control or a sign of managerial – or human - weakness. It's a sign of strength. Let me start by explaining what forgiveness is NOT: Forgiveness is not “letting people off the hook.” The world has a natural system where consequences follow actions, whether they are negative or positive.
Who does Drake love? ›Drake wasn't kidding when he called himself a certified lover boy. The Canadian-born rapper has had several high-profile flings, including a longtime on-again-off-again relationship with Rihanna and rumored romances with A-listers like Hailey Bieber, Julia Fox, Kylie Jenner and Jennifer Lopez.
Who is the father of Rihanna's baby? ›Rihanna's second baby's father is none other than her partner A$AP Rocky. The Testing artist and the “Umbrella” singer go way back and he's the father to Rihanna's first baby.
What is the name of Rihanna's baby? ›The name of Rihanna's child was revealed this week, nearly a year after the boy's birth. The child, born May 13, 2022, is named RZA Athelston Mayers, according to a copy of a birth certificate obtained by the Daily Mail and People.
Is Chris Brown happy about Rihanna's pregnancy? ›Chris Brown reacted to Rihanna's pregnancy announcement. The “Under the Influence” artist congratulated his ex on her surprise during her Super Bowl Half Time performance.
Did Chris Brown ever love Rihanna? ›Chris Brown Has Talked About His Admiration For Rihanna Before. Chris Brown has always looked very blissful whenever he talks about Rihanna, whether in interviews or otherwise. He admitted in a post that he was still in love with a past lover of his.
Why does Chris Brown have a shoe tattoo? ›Ganga tells Complex that the singer saw one of Brown's previous shoe tats, an Off-White x Air Jordan 1 (pictured below), and decided he wanted one of his own. "He loved it and showed me the Jordan shoe he wanted, which were his favorite Jordan shoes," Ganga said.
What did Chris Brown do to Usher? ›
Chris Brown Reportedly 'Jumped' Usher at Skate-Rink Birthday Party.
Why did Chris Brown unfollow everyone? ›Shortly after reminding the world of his catalog, it seems like he decided to cleanse his Instagram feed. The singer unfollowed everyone with the exception of his daughter, Royalty. Many began speculating that things have gone awry in his love life, specifically with Ammika Harris who he shares a child with.
Did Chris Brown take a plea deal? ›June 2009: Brown agreed to plead guilty to a felony assault charge in the Rihanna beating at a June 22 hearing. The plea deal included five years' probation, 1,400 hours of "labor-oriented service" and a yearlong domestic-violence counseling program.
When did Chris Brown come out? ›Brown's self-titled debut album, Chris Brown was released on November 29, 2005; which reached at number 2 on the US Billboard 200, while charting into the top 10 on the several other music markets. It was later certified double platinum in the United States, and gold in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom.
What is Chris Brown do to Rihanna? ›Brown was arrested for physically assaulting his then-girlfriend, Rihanna. The incident occurred the night before the 2009 Grammy Awards, and left Rihanna with visible injuries, including a split lip and bruises on her face.
How did Chris Brown treat Rihanna? ›In a sworn statement, an L.A. detective said that Brown had punched Rihanna repeatedly in the face and arm, even biting her ear all while maneuvering their rental down the street. With the car stopped, he put her in a headlock causing her to slowly lose consciousness as she struggled to break free.
What good things did Chris Brown do? ›- AIDS Project Los Angeles.
- Aid Still Required.
- Best Buddies International.
- Creative Visions Foundation.
- Debbie Allen Dance Academy.
- Get Schooled Foundation.
Chris Brown Has Talked About His Admiration For Rihanna Before. Chris Brown has always looked very blissful whenever he talks about Rihanna, whether in interviews or otherwise. He admitted in a post that he was still in love with a past lover of his.