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xpwewarchive · 4 years ago

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Monday Night XPWEW (5-25-2020)

XPWEW Monday Night XPWEW May 25th, 2020 Dubai, United Arab Emirates 🇦🇪 Coca-Cola Arena

Opening Segment: Golden Bryce enters “stone-faced” with emotion after his heartbreaking loss last Saturday night to Ruckus.

Kaitlyn Khaos and Nick Simmonds are on commentary as they show the highlights and recap how Ruckus/Bryce ended with Ruckus becoming a grand slam champ and capturing his first world title Crowd Chants “Asshole” in unison

Bryce: Last night I Crowd Chants “Loser” trilling him by interrupting Bryce’s promo

Bryce: Lockdown 6. I failed and Lockdown night I failed again... Crowd cheers in joy at his pain

Bryce: Sounds like a vocal majorly here in Dubai are happy at that outcome. Crowd chants YES! YES! YES

Bryce: Look it was a wild week for me, I became a father. My son Stefan was there in attendance, My wife. I told them I wouldn’t fail. I told my fans I wouldn’t fail and more importantly I told myself for a calendar year I wouldn’t fail. The last 365 days I’ve been emotionally deranged from my loss in Berlin, to now my loss in Dubai. But in the last 40 or so hours I’ll be honest I don’t think I’m cut out for this business. I just.... I think maybe I can’t get that big blockbuster win on the grand stage and maybe I should just hang it up... Bryce lays the mic down and goes to exit the ring

Masato Tanaka enters

Masato walks to the ring looking at Bryce in disappointment Masato: Don’t you do that! Bryce: Huh? Masato: We all lose, We all come into trials and tribulations along the way, but we do not let them beat us. Your giving up. I told you if you bring a TikTok dance to Lockdown....(Bryce interrupts angrily)

Bryce: I know! I know! I know! I know! I know! I get it alright! Well this time you listen to me! You listen to me! I tried! I gave everything in that ring! I have bled for this company! Twice now! Twice I’ve been the main event! Twice I’ve been the main match, the main attraction! Where were you last night? Mr. narrator? That’s right? You didn’t have a match?

Masato: That’s not my point! I didn’t want a match! Now stop cutting your ties, this locker room doesn’t like you that much so don’t lose another friend, you don’t have many of em in the back, most notably The Set. Ruckus earned the title, He beat your ass without help, He didn’t even need a Posse. You got your ass handed to you last night. God damn it look me in my eyes. Tell your son! Tell your wife! You main evented Lockdown two years in a row and the birth of your son mere hours before! Tell your mother the greatest day of your life was also the saddest second of your life

Masato Tanaka slaps Golden Bryce

Golden Bryce pushes Tanaka back down and stands over him intensely “Don’t you speak a god damn word about my wife and my son” spews Bryce

The Set enters with new xpwew world champion Ruckus. Oliver is holding Ruckus’ world title and his own Juniorweight title

Ruckus: Tanaka’s House Season 2 looks wild. Bryce are you going to retire? You might as well pimp.

Jordan: Or should we just end Masato’s career right now, cause we left his punk ass folded on the mat 2 weeks ago

Myron: HA! Ha! Ha! Roll the footage!

Kotto: Ay run that back, run that back

Footage of The Set’s beatdown on Tanaka plays

Ruckus: Bryce you gonna have to take the Golden off of your name boss, cause I got the gold and I got the winners share of the purse.

Lexoni: Dubai money be hitting different

Masato Tanaka: Ruckus, Why don’t you put your money, where you big fat mouth is and put the title on the line against me! Tonight!!!!!

General Manager Romeo Roselli announces over the Titan-Tron directly that with The Devil’s Playhouse coming up the first qualifying match will take place tonight, right now between Jordan Oliver and Golden Bryce

M1: Devils Playhouse Qualifying Match Jordan Oliver defeats Golden Bryce

Ad: Captain Falcon now on Netflix -

Kiera Hogan joins commentary M2: Prisiclla Kelly defeats Doxy Deity After the match Lotus beats down both Prisiclla and Doxy choking the life out of the women’s champion as Rosemary on the mic screams “She lost her father! She lost her way but I will guide this tortured soul to the Golden lakes! Gimme that title! This is ours!” Rosemary and Lotus steal the women’s title from Prisiclla’s possession and walk away with it up the ramp. Rosemary gets up in Kiera’s face “I never forget a pretty face”.

M3: All Man & All Woman defeat Based Fabian & Genevalisse

Chrissy Rivera and Myron Reed take heed to the new tag team champions. Chrissy: I’m a female! I wanna be tag team champion! Myron: and I’m a man, more man than all man could ever be!

Backstage: GM Romeo Roselli is in his office is looking at his phone when Death Machines kick the door down, Romeo: well I‘m sure that door was expensive I guess I was gonna make this announcement in the ring but since you two are here now I guess with this camera I’ll make my announcement that I’m resigning as General Manager and have left my duties up to who is the appointee for the position. And. Audrey: Oh really Joe Gacy: Well now we don’t feel remorse about what we’re gonna do right niw *Audrey and Gacy mercifully beat down Roselli ultimately with Carbine locking him arm in the Art of Ballistics and Gacy spits the yellow mist in his face, Joe Gacy: Suit up, Bitch

In ring segment: Leonard McGraw comes down to a huge pop. Well Dubai it’s been a helluva Memorial Day weekend, and I’m an American and nothing is more American than kicking that tea sipping bastard GT’s ass in front of 40 thousand of you sum bitches, I had a blast.

Champagne Clausen enters and says he left Freight Train and his father as well as the entire city of Dubai speechless as he stole the show Leonard: You beat a 65 year old man kid, humble yourself. You sparking wine sum bitch!

Troy Clausen enters Troy Clausen shakes Champagne’s hand and respects their bout at Lockdown 7 then reluctantly announces he’s replacing Romeo Roselli as the new XPWEW General Manager and I won’t hesitate to go back to the man I used to be, and you might be my son, But you aren’t safe by a long shot. So next week I welcome your opponent! Leonard McGraw!

Triple Threat Match M4: Kotto Brazil w/ Siaka Lexoni defeats Alveno La Flare & GG

In ring segment: Jake Awesome declares himself a fighting champion! Jake wants to defend the XPWEW International Championship tonight

Mandy Leon interjects with her client “The Marauder” Simon Gotch Mandy Leon: My client Simon Gotch was snubbed from the biggest show of the year and he is angry! Simon: Jake Alfonso! I’m answering the bounty you put upon your own head. The mammoth is extinct and so is your reign as the International Champion

Jake: I’ve heard promos but that one was corny, If you want a shot, come take it Carny

Gotch speeds down the ramp to where Jake meets him and they exchange in fisticuffs

Jake Awesome brawls with Simon Gotch up the ramp to where Mandy Rose hits Awesome with the steel chair up the ramp, Awesome bulks up and sizes up Mandy to which The Marauder Simon Gotch chops the giant redwood at the back of the knees as they run down back to the ring and over the ramp up the stands. Awesome grabs a mic as he stands strongly and proud among the Dubai faithful fans “Gotch! You just signed your deathwise. And I’m coming for you”. crowd pops

Ad: Lockdown 8 will take place on May 22nd, 2021 in Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York!

Main Event time! Ruckus is making his first world title defense

Backstage camera shows Golden Bryce watching Ruckus’ entrance on a monitor

XPWEW World Title 1 on 1 M5: Ruckus w/ The Set defeats Masato Tanaka

Interference from The Set makes a difference up until Golden Bryce comes in and takes out Kotto, Myron, Lexoni and Jordan to even up the odds, Tanaka looks at him and hits the Dragonbomb on Bryce while his back is turned! crowd pops

Tanaka turns on Bryce who came in to help him fend off the set

Ruckus hits The Bankroll on Tanaka

Ruckus pins Tanaka to retain the World Title

A downed Bryce and a downed Tanaka look at each other, They both stand up and start slugging each other with hockey style fists as the show ends with a slugfest between Tanaka and Bryce

#xpwew #monday night xpwew #Lockdown 7 #Golden Bryce #Ruckus

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blackkudos · 5 years ago

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Chris Brown

Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actor. Born in Tappahannock, Virginia, he was involved in his church choir and several local talent shows from a young age. Having signed with Jive Records in 2004, Brown released his self-titled debut studio album the following year, which became certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

With his first single "Run It!" peaking atop the Billboard Hot 100, Brown became the first male artist since 1997 to have his debut single top the chart. His second album Exclusive (2007) spawned his second Billboard Hot 100 number one "Kiss Kiss". In addition to his solo commercial success, Brown has been featured on several successful singles such as "No Air", a duet with singer Jordin Sparks, "Shortie Like Mine" with the rapper Bow Wow and "Shawty Get Loose" alongside Lil Mama and T-Pain. In 2009, Brown received significant media attention after pleading guilty to felony assault of his then girlfriend, singer Rihanna. Following the release of his third album Graffiti in the same year of the incident, Brown's fourth album F.A.M.E. (2011) became his first to top the Billboard 200 and earned him the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album. His fifth album Fortune, released in 2012, also topped the Billboard 200. Following the releases of X, Royalty and Heartbreak on a Full Moon, Brown's ninth studio album Indigo (2019) became his third Billboard 200 number-one album. It included his biggest hit in years "No Guidance" which peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100.

Brown has sold over 140 million records worldwide, making him one of the world's best-selling music artists. Throughout his career, Brown has won several awards, including a Grammy Award, 15 BET Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, and six Soul Train Music Awards. According to Billboard, Brown has the seventh most Billboard Hot 100 entries with 93. Brown has pursued an acting career, and his personal life has been publicized. In 2007, he made his on-screen feature film debut in Stomp the Yard, and appeared as a guest on the television series The O.C. Other films Brown has appeared in include This Christmas (2007), Takers (2010), Think Like a Man (2012), and Battle of the Year (2013).

Early life

Christopher Maurice Brown was born on May 5, 1989, in the small town of Tappahannock, Virginia, to Joyce Hawkins, a former day care center director, and Clinton Brown, a corrections officer at a local prison. He has an older sister, Lytrell Bundy, who works in a bank. Music was always present in Brown's life beginning in his childhood. He would listen to soul albums that his parents owned, and eventually began to show interest in the hip-hop scene.

Brown taught himself to sing and dance at a young age and often cites Michael Jackson as his inspiration. He began to perform in his church choir and in several local talent shows. When he mimicked an Usher performance of "My Way", his mother recognized his vocal talent, and they began to look for the opportunity of a record deal. At the same time, Brown was going through personal issues. His parents had divorced, and his mother's boyfriend terrified him by subjecting her to domestic violence.

Career

2002–2004: Career beginnings

At age 13, Brown was discovered by Hitmission Records, a local production team that visited his father's gas station while searching for new talent. Hitmission's Lamont Fleming provided voice coaching for Brown, and the team helped to arrange a demo package and approached contacts in New York to seek a record deal. Tina Davis, senior A&R executive at Def Jam Recordings, was impressed when Brown auditioned in her New York office, and she immediately took him to meet the former president of the Island Def Jam Music Group, Antonio "L.A." Reid, who offered to sign him that day. "I knew that Chris had real talent," says Davis. "I just knew I wanted to be part of it."

The negotiations with Def Jam continued for two months, and Davis then lost her job due to a corporate merger. Brown asked her to be his manager, and once Davis accepted, she promoted the singer to labels such as Jive Records, J-Records and Warner Bros. Records. According to Mark Pitts in an interview with HitQuarters, Davis presented Brown with a video recording, and Pitts' reaction was: "I saw the potential ... I didn't love all the records, but I loved his voice. It wasn't a problem because I knew that he could sing, and I knew how to make records." Brown ultimately chose Jive due to its successful work with then-young acts such as Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake. Brown stated, "I picked Jive because they had the best success with younger artists in the pop market, [...] I knew I was going to capture my African American audience, but Jive had a lot of strength in the pop area as well as longevity in careers." Brown attended Essex High School in Virginia until early 2005, when he moved to New York to pursue his music career.

2005–2006:

Chris Brown

and acting debut

After being signed to Jive Records in 2004, Brown began recording his self-titled debut studio album in February 2005. By May, there were 50 songs already recorded, 14 of which were picked to the final track listing. The singer worked with several producers and songwriters—Scott Storch, Cool & Dre and Jazze Pha among them—commenting that they "really believed in [him]". Brown also made some input on the album, receiving co-writing credits of five tracks. "I write about the things that 16 year olds go through every day," says Brown. "Like you just got in trouble for sneaking your girl into the house, or you can't drive, so you steal a car or something." The whole album took less than eight weeks to produce.

Released on November 29, 2005, the self-titled Chris Brown album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with first week sales of 154,000 copies. Chris Brown was a relative commercial success with the time; selling over two million copies in the United States—where it was certified two times platinum by the RIAA—and three million copies worldwide. The album's lead single, "Run It!", made Brown the first male act (since Montell Jordan in 1995) to have his debut single to reach the summit of the Billboard Hot 100—later remaining for four additional weeks. Three of the other singles—"Yo (Excuse Me Miss)", "Gimme That" and "Say Goodbye"—peaked within the top twenty at the same chart.

On June 13, 2006, Brown released a DVD entitled Chris Brown's Journey, which shows footage of him traveling in England and Japan, getting ready for his first visit to the Grammy Awards, behind the scenes of his music videos and bloopers. On August 17, 2006, to further promote the album, Brown began his major co-headlining tour, The Up Close and Personal Tour. Due to the tour, production for his next album was pushed back two months. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital received $10,000 in ticket proceeds from Brown's 2006 "Up Close & Personal" tour. Brown has made appearances on UPN's One on One and The N's Brandon T. Jackson Show on its pilot episode.

2007–2008: Exclusive

In January 2007, Brown landed a small role as a band geek in the fourth season of the American television series The O.C.. Brown then made his film debut in Stomp the Yard, alongside Ne-Yo, Meagan Good and Columbus Short on January 12, 2007. In April 2007, Brown was the opening act for Beyoncé, on the Australian leg of her The Beyoncé Experience tour. On July 9, 2007, Brown was featured in an episode of MTV's My Super Sweet 16 (for the event, it was retitled: Chris Brown: My Super 18) celebrating his eighteenth birthday in New York City.

In November 2007, Brown starred as a video host for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's Math-A-Thon program. He showed his support by encouraging students to use their math skills to help children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. Shortly after ending his summer tour with Ne-Yo, Brown quickly began production for his second studio album, Exclusive, which was released in the United States on November 6, 2007. The album debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 294,000 copies in its first week, and received generally positive reviews from music critics. As of March 23, 2011, it has sold over 1.9 million copies in the United States. The album's lead single, "Wall to Wall", peaked at number 79 on US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and number 22 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. "Kiss Kiss", featuring and produced by T-Pain, was released as the album's second single. It reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and became Brown's second number one single following "Run It!" in 2005. "With You", a song produced by Stargate, was released as the third single from Exclusive, and reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

On November 21, 2007, Brown appeared in This Christmas, a family drama starring Regina King. To further support the album Exclusive, Brown embarked on his The Exclusive Holiday Tour, visiting over thirty venues in United States. The tour began in Cincinnati, Ohio, on December 6, 2007, and concluded on February 9, 2008, in Honolulu, Hawaii. In March 2008, Brown was featured on Jordin Sparks' single "No Air", which peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. He also made a guest appearance on Ludacris' single "What Them Girls Like" alongside Sean Garrett. The song peaked at number 17 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and number eight on the US Hot Rap Songs chart. Brown re-released Exclusive on June 3, 2008, as a deluxe edition, renamed Exclusive: The Forever Edition, seven months after the release of the original version. The re-released version featured four new tracks, including the single "Forever", which reached number two on Billboard Hot 100. In August 2008, Brown guest-starred on Disney's The Suite Life of Zack & Cody as himself. In October 2008, he was featured on T-Pain's single "Freeze", from his third studio album Thr33 Ringz. Towards the end of 2008, Brown was named Artist of the Year by Billboard magazine.

2009–2010: Graffiti and mixtapes

In 2008, Brown began work on his third studio album, to be called Graffiti, promising to experiment with a different musical direction while hoping to emulate singers Prince and Michael Jackson. He stated, "I wanted to change it up and really be different. Like my style nowadays, I don't try to be typical urban. I want to be like how Prince, Michael and Stevie Wonder were. They can cross over to any genre of music." The album's lead single "I Can Transform Ya" was released on September 29, 2009. The song peaked at number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and number 11 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. "Crawl" was released as the album's second single on November 23, 2009. The song reached number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100. Graffiti was then released on December 8, 2009. The album debuted at number seven on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 102,000 copies in its first week, but received generally negative reviews from critics. As of March 23, 2011, it has sold 341,000 copies in the United States.

While performing a Michael Jackson Tribute at the 2010 BET Awards, Brown started to cry and fell to his knees while singing Jackson's "Man in the Mirror". The performance and his emotional turmoil resonated with several celebrities present at the ceremony, including Trey Songz, Diddy and Taraji P. Henson. Songz said, "He left his heart on the stage. He gave genuine emotion. I was proud of him and I was happy for him for having that moment". Michael's brother, Jermaine Jackson, expressed similar sentiments stating, "it was very emotional for me, because it was an acceptance from his fans from what has happened to him and also paying tribute to my brother". Later during the award ceremony, Brown stated, "I let y'all down before, but I won't do it again...I promise", while accepting the award for the AOL Fandemonium prize.

In May 2010, Brown released a collaborative mixtape with Tyga, titled Fan of a Fan. "Deuces", which features Tyga and Kevin McCall, was released from the mixtape in the United States on June 29, 2010. The song peaked at number one on US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for seven non-consecutive weeks, giving Brown his first number-one on the chart since his 2006 hit single, "Say Goodbye". It also peaked at number 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In August 2010, Brown starred alongside an ensemble cast, including Matt Dillon, Paul Walker, Idris Elba, Hayden Christensen and T.I. in the crime thriller Takers, and also served as executive producer of the film.

2011–2012: F.A.M.E. and Fortune

Brown's fourth studio album F.A.M.E. was first released on March 18, 2011. Although it received mixed critical reviews, the album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 270,000 copies, giving Brown his first number-one album in the United States. Its lead single, "Yeah 3x", reached the top-ten in eleven countries, including Australia, Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The album's second single, "Look at Me Now", featuring rappers Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes, reached number one on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, where it remained for eight consecutive weeks. It also reached number one on the US Hot Rap Songs chart. The album's third single, "Beautiful People", featuring Benny Benassi, peaked at number one on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart, and became the first number-one single on the chart for both Brown and Benassi. "She Ain't You" was released as the album's fourth US single, while "Next 2 You", featuring Canadian recording artist Justin Bieber, served as the album's fourth international single. To further promote the album, Brown embarked on his F.A.M.E. Tour in Australia and North America.

Brown received six nominations at the 2011 BET Awards and ultimately won five awards, including Best Male R&B Artist, Viewers Choice Award, The Fandemonium Award, Best Collaboration and Video of the Year for "Look at Me Now". He also won three awards at the 2011 BET Hip Hop Awards, including the People's Champ Award, Reese's Perfect Combo Award and Best Hip Hop Video for "Look at Me Now". At the 2011 Soul Train Music Awards, F.A.M.E. won Album of the Year. The album has also earned Brown three Grammy Award nominations at the 54th Grammy Awards for Best R&B Album, as well as Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song for "Look at Me Now". On February 12, 2012, Brown won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album. During the ceremony, Brown performed several songs marking his first appearance at the awards show since his conviction of felony assault.

On October 7, 2011, RCA Music Group announced it was disbanding Jive Records along with Arista Records and J Records. With the shutdown, Brown (and all other artists previously signed to these three labels) will release future material on the RCA Records brand. Brown's fifth studio album Fortune was released on July 3, 2012. The album debuted atop the Billboard 200, but received once again negative reviews from critics. "Strip", featuring Kevin McCall, was released as the album's buzz single, with "Turn Up the Music" released as the lead single, and "Sweet Love", "Till I Die", "Don't Wake Me Up" and "Don't Judge Me" released as the album's following singles, respectively. To further promote the album, Brown embarked on his Carpe Diem Tour in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Trinidad.

2013–2015: X, Fan of a Fan: The Album and Royalty

On August 9, 2013 at 1:09 AM PDT, Brown was reported to have suffered a seizure from Record Plant Studios in Hollywood, California as a 9-1-1 call was made. When paramedics arrived, Brown allegedly refused to receive treatment and also refused to be transported to the local hospital. (Brown has reportedly suffered from seizures since his childhood.) The next day, Brown's representative reported the seizure was caused by "intense fatigue and extreme emotional stress, both due to the continued onslaught of unfounded legal matters and the nonstop negativity." On November 20, 2013, Brown was sentenced to an anger management rehabilitation center for three months, putting the December 2013 release of X in jeopardy. To "hold [fans] over until [the X album] drops," Brown released a mixtape, titled X Files on November 19, 2013. On February 22, 2014, it was announced that the album would be released on Brown's birthday, May 5, 2014. On April 14, 2014, Brown released a teaser of the new track "Don't Be Gone Too Long" featuring Ariana Grande. However, on October 27, 2013, Brown was arrested for felony assault in Washington, D.C., the fight allegedly having started when two women wanted to take a picture with Brown in front of the W Hotel, and the song and album were again delayed due to Brown's prison sentence. On August 3, 2014, Chris announced via Instagram that the album's release date will be on September 16, 2014. On August 6, 2014, the album cover was revealed. The title track "X" was released as an instant-gratification track alongside the album pre-order on iTunes on August 25, 2014.

Brown's sixth studio album, X was released on September 16, 2014. The album's lead single, "Fine China", was released on April 1, 2013, and sent to US Top 40 radio on April 9. The album features a guest appearance by Kendrick Lamar and production from Diplo and Danja. X debuted at #2 on US Billboard 200 charts with first-week sales of 145,644 copies.

On February 24, 2015, Brown released his first collaborative studio album with Tyga, titled Fan of a Fan: The Album. The album was a follow-up to the pairs 2010 mixtape Fan of a Fan. In early 2015, Brown also embarked on his Between The Sheets Tour with Trey Songz.

In spring of 2015, Brown was featured on DJ Deorro's song "Five More Hours".

On June 24, Brown released a new song titled "Liquor". Shortly after, it was announced that "Liquor" was the first single from his seventh studio album. On August 22, 2015 the singer officially declares from his Twitter profile that the new album will be titled "Royalty" in honor of his daughter, Royalty Brown. On October 16 he has revealed the album cover, portraying Chris with Royalty in her arms in a black and white picture. On October 13, 2015, Brown announced that Royalty will be released on November 27, 2015. After it was revealed that the album has been pushed back to December 18, 2015, in exchange on November 27, 2015, he released a free 34-track mixtape called Before the Party as a prelude to Royalty, which features guest appearances from Rihanna, Wiz Khalifa, Pusha T, Wale, Tyga, French Montana and Fetty Wap. On October 16, 2015, the album cover was revealed. The album was released on December 18, 2015, and it debuted at number 3 on the US Billboard 200, selling 184,000 units (162,000 in pure album sales) in its first week, marking an improvement over Brown's last three studio albums. It also became his seventh solo album consecutive top ten debut in the United States.

2016–2019: Heartbreak on a Full Moon and Indigo

In March 2016, he collaborated again with the Italian DJ Benny Benassi for the song "Paradise" from the album Danceaholic.

On May 1, 2016, Brown announced that his next album title would be Heartbreak on a Full Moon. The lead single "Grass Ain't Greener" was released on May 5, 2016. In May 2016, Brown became the face of sneaker and streetwear retailer Snipes' spring/summer 2016 campaign.On December 16, 2016, Brown released the second single "Party" featuring Gucci Mane and Usher. Heartbreak on a Full Moon was eventually released as a double-disc album on October 31, 2017 via digital retailers and onto CD, three days later by RCA Records. The album received positive reviews from critics, who celebrated the record's variety, its length, and its introspective lyrical content. Heartbreak on a Full Moon debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200, becoming Brown's ninth consecutive top 10 album on the chart.

On March 15, 2018, Brown was featured in a new Lil Dicky single, "Freaky Friday", and its music video. By April 9, 2018, the video had reached over 100 million views and topped the charts in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

On July 20, 2018, while on tour together, rapper Rich The Kid revealed via Instagram him and Chris Brown are recording a joint album. Brown and rapper Joyner Lucas also announced their collaboration project, titled Angels & Demons on February 25, 2018. Both projects are yet to be released.

In 2019, Brown signed an extension and a new license agreement with this label RCA Records. With the new deal in place, Brown will own his master recordings, making him one of the youngest artists to do so at the age of 29.

On January 4, 2019, Chris Brown released "Undecided", the first single off his ninth album, Indigo, alongside a video for the song. "Undecided" saw Brown reunite with producer Scott Storch, who previously worked with Brown in 2005 on his breakout hit "Run It!". On February 4, he appeared on the Trey Songz single "Chi Chi". On April 11, he released the second single off the album titled "Back to Love". The third single, "Wobble Up", was released a week later featuring Nicki Minaj and G-Eazy, announcing that the album is expected to be released in June. On April 25, he appeared on a track with Marshmello and Tyga called "Light It Up". In an announcement on May 2, Brown revealed the list of artists he's been working with for his album, everybody from Nicki Minaj Tory Lanez, Tyga, Justin Bieber, Juicy J, Juvenile, H.E.R, Tank, Sage the Gemini, Lil Jon, Lil Wayne, Joyner Lucas, Gunna and Drake were included on the list. Some of these collaborations were surprising to the media, especially Drake, due to their public feud that lasted for several years. He later revealed the artwork of the album and its track list between May and June 2019. On June 8, Brown released "No Guidance" featuring Drake as a single. It debuted at number nine on the US Billboard Hot 100, making it Brown's 15th top-ten song, and later peaked at number six. Indigo was eventually released on June 28, 2019 as a double album, marking Brown's second album to be released in this style. In the United States, Indigo debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 108,000 album-equivalent units, which included 28,000 pure album sales in its first week, making it his third number-one album in the country. The album also accumulated 97.95 million on-demand audio streams in the United States for its track list of 32 songs. The album spawned a number of other singles, including "Heat", which topped the Billboard Rhythmic Airplay chart, and earned Brown his 13th number 1 on the chart, and second during 2019.

2020: Slime & B

On April 29, 2020, Chris Brown announced the release of a collaborative mixtape with Young Thug, Slime & B. It was released on May 5, 2020.

Artistry

Musical style and influences

Brown has cited a number of artists as his inspiration, predominantly Michael Jackson. Brown emphasizes "Michael Jackson is the reason why I do music and why I am an entertainer." In "Fine China", he exemplifies Jackson's influence both musically and visually as Ebony magazine’s Britini Danielle asserted that the song was "reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall". Choreographically, MTV noticed that it "takes distinct visual cues from classic clips like 'Smooth Criminal' and 'Beat It'", while Billboard complimented his appearance by calling it "a modern way to channel the King of Pop". Usher is also another influence who comes across as a more contemporary figure for Brown. He tells Vibe magazine "He was the one who the youngsters looked up to. I know that we, in the dancing and singing world, looked up to him", and maintains "If it wasn't for Usher, then Chris Brown couldn't exist". Other influences include Marvin Gaye, New Edition and R. Kelly.

Music critics have commended Brown's introduction to R&B, recognizing his modern day adaptations as well as versatility. Vibe's Iyana Robertson says "As traditional R&B flourished around him, the young singer began an evolution of the genre". She saw his debut single "Run It!" as a "prelude to what Brown would continue to do for the next decade: relentlessly disrupt the constructs of rhythm and blues." By his sophomore album Exclusive, she says he was "tapping more electric up-tempos, swimming deep in hip-hop waters and annihilating the pop arena". Describing the Grammy Award winning F.A.M.E. as "his most diverse offering to date", she remarked "There was no level of musical flexibility comparable. There still isn't."

In films such as Stomp the Yard and Battle of the Year, he displayed his ability to breakdance.

Voice

Brown possesses a light lyric tenor voice, which spans three and a half octaves, rising from the bass F♯ (F2) to its peak at the soprano C♯.(C♯6) His vocal ability was first recognized by his mother at a young age, as Brown tells People magazine "I was 11 and watching Usher perform 'My Way', and I started trying to mimic it. My mom was like, 'You can sing?' And I was like, 'Well, yeah, Mama.'" subsequently leading to the start of his career. "Take You Down" most notably earned him a Grammy award nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance in 2009.

Street art

Brown has produced street art under the pseudonym Konfused, partnering with street artist Kai to produce works for the Miami Basel.

Personal life and legal issues

Relationships

In 2009, Brown dated singer Rihanna. In 2011, Brown began dating aspiring model Karrueche Tran. In October 2012, Brown announced that he ended his relationship with Tran because he did not "want to see her hurt over my friendship with Rihanna." The day after the announcement, Brown released a video entitled "The Real Chris Brown", which features images of himself, Tran, and Rihanna, as Brown wonders, "Is there such thing as loving two people? I don't know if it's possible, but I feel like that."

In January 2013, Rihanna confirmed that she and Brown had resumed their romantic relationship, stating, "It's different now. We don't have those types of arguments anymore. We talk about shit. We value each other. We know exactly what we have now, and we don't want to lose that." Speaking of Brown, Rihanna also said, "He's not the monster everybody thinks. He's a good person. He has a fantastic heart. He's giving and loving. And he's fun to be around. That's what I love about him – he always makes me laugh. All I want to do is laugh, really – and I do that with him." However, she also declared that she would walk away if Brown showed a hint of his past violent behavior towards her again. In a May 2013 interview, Brown stated that he and Rihanna had broken up again. He subsequently reunited with Tran, but they parted ways following confirmation of Brown's daughter Royalty with Nia Guzman in 2015. In February 2017, Tran was granted a temporary 100-yard restraining order against Brown, and eventually a 5-year restraining order against the singer, claiming he threatened to kill her.

As of 2019, Brown was expecting a second child with Ammika Harris (Pietzker); their son Aeko Catori Brown was born on November 20, 2019.

Domestic violence case

At around 12:30 a.m. (PST) on February 8, 2009, Brown and his then-girlfriend, singer Rihanna, had an argument which escalated into physical violence, leaving Rihanna with visible facial injuries which required hospitalization. Brown turned himself in to the Los Angeles Police Department's Wilshire station at 6:30 p.m. (PST) and was booked under suspicion of making criminal threats. The police report did not name the female in the incident as is policy, but media sources soon revealed that the victim was Rihanna. Following Brown's arrest, several commercial ads and some TV shows featuring him were suspended, his music was withdrawn from multiple radio stations, and he withdrew from public appearances, including one at the 2009 Grammy Awards, where he was replaced by Justin Timberlake and Al Green. Brown hired a crisis management team and released a statement saying, "Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired."

On March 5, 2009, Brown was charged with felony assault and making criminal threats. He was arraigned on April 6, 2009, and pleaded not guilty to one count of assault and one count of making criminal threats. On June 22, 2009, Brown pleaded guilty to a felony and accepted a plea deal of community labor, five years of probation, and domestic violence counseling. Several organizations against domestic violence criticized the plea deal, advocating the punishment was not severe enough for the crime; the level of Brown's influence over youth also came under scrutiny. On July 20, 2009, Brown released a two-minute video on his official YouTube page apologizing to fans and Rihanna for the assault, expressing the incident as his "deepest regret" and saying that he has repeatedly apologized to Rihanna and "accepts full responsibility". In the video, Brown said he wanted to speak out earlier about the case but was advised by his attorney not to until the legal ramifications were settled. The video was removed, but is still available online. On August 25, Brown was sentenced to five years of probation, one year of domestic violence counseling, and six months of community service; the judge retained a five-year restraining order on Brown, which requires him to remain 50 yards (45.72 meters) away from Rihanna, reduced to 10 yards at public events. Andy Kellman of AllMusic stated, "A fairly substantial backlash resulted in Brown's songs being pulled from rotation on several radio stations. Ultimately, however, it had little bearing on the progress of his music and acting careers."

On September 2, 2009, Brown spoke about the domestic violence case in a pre-recorded Larry King Live interview, his first public interview about the matter. He was accompanied to the interview by his mother, Joyce Hawkins, and attorney Mark Geragos, as he discussed growing up in a household with his mother being repeatedly assaulted by his stepfather. Brown said of hearing details of his assault of Rihanna, "I'm in shock, because, first of all, that's not who I am as a person, and that's not who I promise I want to be." Brown's mother said Brown "has never, ever been a violent person, ever" and that she does not believe in the cycle of violence. Brown said that it is "tough" for him to look at the famous photograph released of Rihanna's battered face, which may be the one image to haunt and define him forever, and that he still loved her. "I'm pretty sure we can always be friends," said Brown, "and I don't know about our relationship, but I just know definitely that we ended as friends." He stated he did not feel that his career was over, and likened his relationship with Rihanna to Romeo and Juliet, blaming the media attention in the aftermath of the assault for driving them apart. When asked if he had any memory of assaulting Rihanna, he said that he did not, but realized that it occurred, and was sorry for his actions. However, following criticism of saying he did not remember, he later said in a statement, "Of course I remember what happened. Several times during the interview, my mother said that I came to her right afterwards and told her everything." Brown said despite this, "[that night] was and still is a blur".

In June 2010, Brown's application for a visa to enter the UK was refused on the grounds of him "being guilty of a serious criminal offence" due to his assault on Rihanna. Brown had been planning to do a tour of British cities as part of a European tour but Sony stated that due to "issues surrounding his work visa" the tour was to be postponed. In February 2011, at the request of Brown's lawyer, Judge Patricia Schnegg modified with Rihanna's agreement the restraining order to a "level one order," allowing both singers to appear at awards shows together in the future. The following month, on March 22, 2011, during an interview with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America at the Times Square Studios, where he was asked about the Rihanna situation and restraining order, Brown became violent in his dressing room during a commercial break before his second performance ending that day's program, and threw an object at a window overlooking Times Square, causing damage to the window. He then took off his shirt, and after several angry confrontations with the segment producer, other show staff and building security, left the building shirtless. Following the incident, he said that he was tired of people bringing up the incident.

On July 11, 2012, Brown's community service was evaluated and he was ordered to meet a judge. The evaluation was ordered by Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg on July 10, 2012. He was scheduled to appear in court with regard to the evaluation on August 21, 2012. While conducting his community service in Virginia, however, Brown was tested positive for cannabis and appeared in court on September 25, 2012, at which time his hearing date was changed to November, to determine whether or not he had violated the terms of his court order. He reappeared in court on November 1, 2012, to ascertain whether or not he had violated his probation less than 24 hours after attending the same party as Rihanna, dressed as an Islamic terrorist. He attempted to address the court and was told by his lawyer, Mark Geragos, "I don't dance; you don't talk." Later that year, in September, Brown received criticism for a new neck tattoo that appeared to be the face of a battered woman, prompting allegations that the tattoo was a depiction of Rihanna. Brown's publicist stated that the tattoo does not depict a battered woman and is instead a design derived from a Day of the Dead sugar skull. On March 20, 2015, Brown's probation ended formally closing the felony case emanating from the Rihanna assault which happened over six years prior.

In a 2017 self-documentary, Welcome to My Life, Brown goes into detail about the abusive relationship, saying he intended to marry Rihanna, but that he lost her trust after he lied about a sexual encounter with someone who worked with him, that happened prior to their relationship.

Religion

When discussing his upbringing, Brown stated: "We were used to two pairs of shoes for a school year. We used to go to church every day. I was one of those kids that had more church clothes than school clothes." He has also discussed his second work of grace, saying that "he experienced the Holy Ghost while performing 'His Eye Is on the Sparrow' in church". After being released from jail on June 2, 2014, Brown wrote that he was "Humbled and Blessed" and tweeted the words "Thank you GOD."

Other legal issues and rehab

In January 2013, Brown was involved in an altercation with Frank Ocean over a parking space, outside a recording studio in West Hollywood. Police officers in Los Angeles said that Brown was under investigation, describing the incident as "battery" due to Brown allegedly punching Ocean. Although Ocean alleged that Brown had threatened to shoot him, he said he would not press charges.

In July 2013, Brown's probation was revoked after he was involved in an alleged hit-and-run in Los Angeles. He was released from court and was scheduled to reappear in August 2013, to learn whether or not he would serve time in prison. The charges would later be dropped, but Brown would have 1,000 additional hours of community service added to his probation terms.

In October 2013, Brown was arrested for felony assault in Washington, D.C., after refusing to take a picture with two men. The charge was reduced to a misdemeanor. Brown spent 36 hours in a Washington jail and was taken to court in shackles. He was released and ordered to report to his California probation officer within 48 hours. The probation officer prepared a report for the Los Angeles judge, who could have ordered him to complete as many as four years in prison for the beating of Rihanna if found to be in violation of his probation.

On October 30, 2013, Brown voluntarily decided to enter rehab. After Brown completed his 90 days, the judge ordered him to remain a resident at the Malibu treatment facility until a hearing on April 23, 2014. The deal was if Brown left rehab, he would go directly to jail. On March 14, 2014, Brown was kicked out of the rehab facility and sent to Northern Neck Regional Jail for violating internal rules. He was expected to be released on April 23, 2014, but a judge denied his release request from custody either on bail or his own recognizance. At his May 9, 2014 court date, Brown was ordered to serve 131 days in jail for his probation violation. He was sentenced to serve 365 days in custody; however, he was given credit for the 234 days he has already spent in rehab and jail. He was given early release from jail just after midnight on June 2, 2014, because of jail overcrowding calculations that count one day in custody as two days.

The leadership of the Iglesia ni Cristo, a Philippine-based religious sect, filed a fraud complaint against Brown for not appearing at a New Year's Eve show held at the Iglesia ni Cristo-owned Philippine Arena on December 31, 2014. The Iglesia ni Cristo's chief legal advisor, Glicerio Santos IV, acting on behalf of their Maligaya Development Corporation, who manages the Philippine Arena, requested assistance from Justice Secretary Leila De Lima on prosecuting the case. De Lima confirmed that she issued a Lookout Bulletin Order against Brown, meaning that he would have to confront and disprove the allegations of fraud in order to acquire an Emigration Clearance Certificate which would allow him to leave the country. In late afternoon of July 24, 2015, he was permitted to leave the Philippines.

In the early hours of August 30, 2016, a woman called the police to report that Brown had threatened her with a gun inside his house. Due to his previous felony assault conviction, Brown is prohibited to possess any firearms. Police were called, but Brown denied them entry without a warrant. When they returned with one, Brown refused them entry and began what news sources referred to as a "standoff" with the LAPD, including the robbery-homicide division and SWAT team. During this time, Brown was seen posting videos on Instagram, in which he rails against the police and the media coverage of the activity at his house. He denounced media reports that he was "barricaded" inside his house, complained about the helicopters flying overhead, and called the police "idiots" and "the worst gang in the world." He said that he was innocent and "What I do care about is you are defacing [sic] my name and my character and integrity". Brown was arrested and later released from jail on $250,000 bail. On September 1, 2016, Brown's lawyer, Mark Geragos, stated that there was no standoff and that, with regard to the LAPD search, "nothing was found to corroborate her statement." In September, Japan denied Brown entry due to the allegations. Charges were later dropped after prosecutors declined to arraign Brown on the felony charges.

As of 2016, due to his criminal record, Brown is banned from entering Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

Business ventures

In 2007, Brown founded the record label CBE (Chris Brown Entertainment or Culture Beyond Your Evolution), under Interscope Records. Brown has since signed frequent collaborator Kevin McCall, singer Sabrina Antoinette, former RichGirl member Sevyn Streeter, singer/songwriter Joelle James, and rock group U.G.L.Y.

Brown has stated he owns fourteen Burger King restaurants. In 2012, he launched a clothing line called Black Pyramid, in collaboration with the founders of the Pink + Dolphin clothing line.

Discography

Chris Brown (2005)

Exclusive (2007)

Graffiti (2009)

F.A.M.E. (2011)

Fortune (2012)

X (2014)

Royalty (2015)

Heartbreak on a Full Moon (2017)

Indigo (2019)

Filmography

Tours

Headlining

Up Close and Personal Tour (2006)

The UCP Exclusive Tour (2007)

Fan Appreciation Tour (2009)

F.A.M.E. Tour (2011)

Carpe Diem Tour (2012)

Between The Sheets Tour (with Trey Songz) (2015)

One Hell of a Nite Tour (2015-2016)

The Party Tour (2017)

Heartbreak On A Full Moon Tour (2018)

Indigoat Tour (2019)

Supporting

The Beyoncé Experience (Australia dates) (2007)

Good Girl Gone Bad Tour (the Philippines, Oceania) (2008)

Supafest (2012)

#05/05

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news-mashable-yahoopartner-blog · 7 years ago

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50 best tweets that helped us cope throughout 2017

Let's be honest here, 2017 has had nothing but disappointments and mediocrity.

This tumultuous year has taken such a toll on us that the only thing that made us smile, even a little bit, was our dear old friend and the best place for great memes: Twitter.

Sure it can be a terrible toilet at times, but at its best, it's all we have.

At the end of the 2017, we might as well get a laugh out of it to hide our 365 aches.

SEE ALSO: Twitter confirms it's testing a tweetstorm feature

In no particular order, here are 50 of the most perfect tweets from 2017. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you might even run for office.

Guys imagine the possibilities of Vine 2. Did Kyle step the fuck up? Can Raven swim? Did Jared ever learn how to read? IS MISS KEISHA STILL DEAD?

— Jen-gle Bells ❄☃ (@Miss_Zelda_Zonk) December 6, 2017

judge: please present your argument millennial lawyer: your honor & members of the jury, yall aint never gonna BELIEVE the fresh as hell tea and receipts i have on the accused...my first point, sis over here is a gemini with a scorpio rising, she's already over & canceled

— william shookspeare (@dracomallfoys) December 5, 2017

On the first day of Christmas, Bob Mueller gave to me A guilty Michael Flynn plea

— hieronymus squash (@brain_koff) December 1, 2017

Just so y’all know I taught my big sister about @CardiB_ today pic.twitter.com/sGt7R1hOwi

— Tiffany Haddish (@TiffanyHaddish) November 26, 2017

Where is @LilJon? Is he “OKAY”?!

— austin nelson (@austinCLGnelson) November 22, 2017

YEAHHHHHHH https://t.co/QNBlZK15lb

— LILJON (@LilJon) November 23, 2017

I accidentally texted my wife with voice recognition...while playing the trombone pic.twitter.com/tWCPSXbbrO

— Paul The Trombonist (@JazzTrombonist) November 21, 2017

my instagram feed: 3 days ago 3 days ago 1 day ago ad five days ago 3 hours ago 6 hours ago 3 days ago 4 days ago 3 days ago 2 days ago ad 1 day ago 1 day ago 3 hours ago 4 days ago 5 days ago 3 days ago 2 hours ago ad

— Kevin Nguyen (@knguyen) November 20, 2017

why do i see 2015 harry holding 2010 harry and 2013 harry is behind them, holding 2011 harry pic.twitter.com/WQhSuO9N5P

— kyrstene ◟̽◞̽ (@aIwaysIou) November 19, 2017

bill nye's full name is actually bill new year's eve

— ocular frog (@holyscum) November 19, 2017

10.

the year is 2008. the time: 2:30 AM. you awaken in a sweat. a light illumates your dim room and a sound penetrates the area. you hear the words that come this time every night: “All. My. Friends. Know the low rider.” You see him. pic.twitter.com/hZ38fC4cvI

— LOGAN (@luggin_) November 17, 2017

11.

pic.twitter.com/utp0PqD1zZ

— ️🤳🏾 (@iamkiyonce) November 18, 2017

12.

"sir do u know how fast u were going?" "Officer I..." "and do u know how furious u were going?" "um..." "and do u know how...Tokyo Drift u wer

— Fred Delicious (@Fred_Delicious) November 16, 2017

13.

WHAT IS BLAKE SHELTON HIDING BEHIND HIS HEAD. pic.twitter.com/DrQWaCFz9z

— Peter Allen Clark (@peterallenclark) November 15, 2017

14.

Who did this pic.twitter.com/3ZIaaNhRyo

— Professor Snape (@_Snape_) November 6, 2017

15.

ᶜᵃᶰ ᴵ ᵍᵉᵗ ᵃ ᵘʰʰʰʰʰ ᶫᵃʳᵍᵉ ˢᵉᵉᵈ pic.twitter.com/8FBFEvwhzI

— memes 🎄 (@memeprovider) November 6, 2017

16.

if #Arthur was an edgy teen drama (Trailer) pic.twitter.com/IDzGbS7Egn

— Daniel Nkoola 🇺🇬 (@DNkoola) November 4, 2017

17.

I thought DJ Khaled just graduated lmaooooo pic.twitter.com/MuRWx3MqXF

— billy🥀 (@oraltwjnk) November 3, 2017

18.

Stranger Things Stranger Things 2 Strangers and Things 2 Strange 4 Things 5 Things The Strange and the Things: Tokyo Drift Strangest 7

— eric 🐻 (@ericbearden_) November 2, 2017

19.

steve and billy's fight scene but with toxic by britney spears playing in the back pic.twitter.com/3iGzzrTUCu

— river (@mkewheeIr) November 2, 2017

20.

Last minute costume idea: put on a trash bag and go as 2017.

— Akilah Hughes (@AkilahObviously) October 28, 2017

21.

[day after hallowe'en] me: I think I ate too much candy doctor: sorry I can't offer you any treatment me: ok just gimme the trickment

— Marf (@MarfSalvador) October 27, 2017

22.

Bad news: I accidentally washed a nice wool shirt that I really loved and it shrunk a LOT Good news: pic.twitter.com/bPN6uji4ws

— alex tumay (@alextumay) October 24, 2017

23.

offset: I put a ring on her finger quavo: FINGER offset: i hired a priest and a singer quavo: VOWS offset: wut kinda cake I got quavo: POUND

— Zachary Fox (@zackfox) October 28, 2017

24.

when you're just trying to enjoy the fall but existential dread keeps creeping in pic.twitter.com/jjJASoT9vn

— rae paoletta (@PAYOLETTER) October 22, 2017

25.

I've been picking apples in the autumn since before it was cool to post about it on Instagram. pic.twitter.com/9hJLCwV6Fc

— Patrick Stewart (@SirPatStew) October 22, 2017

26.

once a dude interrupted me, and a second dude said, "wait, she is saying something." anyway i married the second dude.

— Kathryn Jezer-Morton (@KJezerMorton) October 16, 2017

27.

Can't wait for BLACK PANTHER because Michael B Jordan is playing the most terrifying Marvel villain yet: Your college boyfriend pic.twitter.com/eQDTFRgiBF

— Kyle Buchanan (@kylebuchanan) October 16, 2017

28.

It’s big/lil season & UPD just got their matches 💗💗💗💗 pic.twitter.com/MawdI6zkI8

— Northwest MoState PD (@NW_UPD) October 12, 2017

29.

Pitch: THE OB, a show about a rare blood type that’s a sequel to THE OA and a prequel to THE OC

— Ira Madison III (@ira) October 4, 2017

30.

when you're signing up for a free trial and it asks for your credit card details pic.twitter.com/VsP4ue7Ezv

— Medieval Reactions (@MedievalReacts) October 1, 2017

31.

I save all my best dance moves for food.

— Issa Rae (@IssaRae) October 1, 2017

32.

My dad loves This is Us. These are the different names he's called it: -We are Them -This is Now -Who are You -What is Up

— Season's Tweetings (@Swag_Catholic) September 27, 2017

33.

the year is 2027. rihanna &her brand have seized the means of production from corporate america. we have universal healthcare. fenty health.

— virgo queen (@EFFLORESCENE) September 25, 2017

34.

U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain't going! So therefore ain't no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!

— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 23, 2017

35.

How come when a house is 'haunted' its always a ghost from the 1700s? imagine a ghost from 2007 screaming "ITS BRITNEY BITCH" at 3 am.

— Amber Joy (@officialambrjoy) September 18, 2017

36.

I just want android users to realize that their snaps look like civil war footage

— Sabria Ⓥ (@glutenfrida_) September 13, 2017

37.

Hi my name is Junie B. Jones. The 'B' stands for lil BITCH YOU CANT FUCK WITH ME IF YOU WANTED TO THESE EXPENSIVE THESE IS RED BOTTOMS

— Madi Wallace (@madimae443) August 29, 2017

38.

me after Amazon lowers Whole Food's prices pic.twitter.com/fTHbiNN9jP

— bootykiller (@tamboochie) August 26, 2017

39.

me: skincare! my other organs: please help us .

— sam (@smeezi) July 26, 2017

40.

I closed my finger in a drawer and yelled "Son of a bitch!" and my 6 yo called from another room "What is it? Is it Trump? What did he do?"

— Kristin (@FeralCrone) June 30, 2017

41.

[enter password] SuperMan [password not strong enough] WonderWoman

— Eden Dranger (@Eden_Eats) June 20, 2017

42.

hey there delilah whats it like in a country that believes in climate change

— i need a girlfriend im 6’4 (@ilooklikelilbil) June 2, 2017

43.

I am an actual state someone help pic.twitter.com/160mC5j9I4

— Natalie Smith (@natalie5mith) May 7, 2017

44.

Glasses are so unattractive 😫😫💔

— K H O L O F E L O (@Ursula_Joy) May 7, 2017

We just tryna see damn https://t.co/w2ZJf4kHQQ

— 🤺 (@MylesAjani) November 9, 2017

45.

The dinner that @fyrefestival promised us was catered by Steven Starr is literally bread, cheese, and salad with dressing. #fyrefestival pic.twitter.com/I8d0UlSNbd

— Tr3vor (@trev4president) April 28, 2017

46.

Me jumping to conclusions pic.twitter.com/CVdnX6rJ7D

— That (@HeyPariss) February 6, 2017

47.

[first date] Him: Let's take the stairs! Me: I think we should see other people.

— Fickle_Filly (@Fickle_Filly) January 8, 2017

48.

SOMEONE TOOK THE TIME TO TRACE OUT THE DISNEY STARS' WAND IN THE AWKWARD COMMERICAL OUTTAKES I'M WHEEZING THE LIFE OUT OF MY WHOLE BEING pic.twitter.com/88eZ3LcLSN

— ari (@arigoggles) January 7, 2017

49.

priest: let us offer each other the sign of peace crush: peace be with you me: pls be with me crush: priest: Father: Son: Holy Spirit:

— 🎄 idabells 🎄 (@idasiasoco) January 3, 2017

50.

DATE: You OK? ME: Yeah, sure. DATE: You seem a bit distracted, what are you thinking about? MY BRAIN: pic.twitter.com/DnAxL8Y6Fo

— Brian Lloyd (@BrianMLloyd) January 1, 2017

We certainly can't wait for what 2018 has in store.

WATCH: The cutest, most Instagram-famous pets of the internet

#_uuid:7287f5b4-23d0-38a6-83d0-4c41f9868317 #_author:Leah Collie #_lmsid:a0Vd000000DTrEpEAL #_revsp:news.mashable

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flauntpage · 7 years ago

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The Cult: Roger Federer

This article originally appeared on VICE Sports UK.

Once you're done with Roger, why not clear your diary and check out the other 98 instalments of The Cult.

Cult Grade: The God Illusion

Deep in the mists of time, when this series began, I called it The Cult because it seemed that everyone had grown a little silly about who and what sportsmen and women were. The urge to venerate humans far above what they actually are is presumably as old as the human ego. I doubt that chimpanzees did it – they don't seem the type – but I'm pretty sure the Mayans did, up there on the highest hill, cutting off some child's head for a little blood sacrifice to their dead ancestors. You know what people are like: if we put our minds to it, we can control anything.

We live – or have been living, depending on how many miles you think are left on this particular road – in the Entertainment Age. You hardly need me to tell you that sport has stood side by side with movies to form its most beloved couple. Know how many movies were released in 2016? Nah, me neither. Too many. I stopped counting at 60, by which point it was January 8th. Friend Request. Eisenstein in Guanajuato. Crayon Shin-Chan: My Moving Story. "Gimme a break, kid," you'll have to tell some uppity grandchild who's asking whether you possess the know-how to construct a workable flood defence. "I was busy with other stuff."

READ MORE: The Cult – Goran Ivanisevic

Though most of the time I just accept it, every so often I'm caught by what 'normal' looks like in sport, the excess congesting its surfaces like a bad case of herpes. The umbrella sponsored by BNP Paribas, a digital display sponsored by Rolex, the sweetly innocent Robinsons, still trying to get someone to buy barley water. Loudest of all are the desperate solicitations – delivered in a tone that always puts me in mind of that poor salesman Gil from The Simpsons – to bet on anything and everything you're seeing. Please – *grips your arm* – please bet now.

Then there are the people playing it, and the labyrinthine distortion through which we now see them. What they are is humans running around and throwing things and having KEEP IT TIGHT TO HIM GARY as the central philosophy of their existence. What they also are, in the Entertainment Age, is one of the few things on this planet that feels like it truly matters. After all, it's always new, the drama of a 91st-minute winner is never fake, so blame me not for losing track of how important they are. In this Age, when all the stuff that matters most is the opposite of what has mattered most to the human race for millennia, you get a bit weird about how to define 'important'.

So yeah, that was what I wanted to get across in profiling the members of that cultish firmament. That, among other things, it's irresistible, but inane, to see them as anything but human beings. And then moonlight falls on the murky pond of human inanity, and you see a guy who, though you know you shouldn't, can't help but make you feel that we are gods. Capable of nonchalantly rewriting the laws of what is possible. And, happily, back into the pond you go.

Point of Entry: Keys To The Universe

Here are some sports players who can compete with Roger Federer in the cultish perception stakes: Michael Jordan, Usain Bolt, Lionel Messi. That's it. I mean, I say that like I have any bloody clue about how Rod Laver or Pele or Wilt Chamberlain were viewed, except for knowing that they came into the Western conscious at a time when the Entertainment Age was at best in its adolescence, when stuff like nuclear war or global communism or the rights of black people put more pressing demands on people's attention. As your correspondent at your service, I watched some old footage of Rod Laver playing tennis, and I can report back that he looks very good at it. But, running around an unadorned court in service-issue whites, that's all he looks: good at tennis. He isn't a god. He's a sportsman who won all four Grand Slams in the same year that the Soviet Union started shipping nuclear missiles to an island a few hundred miles from America. Barely 15 years previous – in fact, only slightly longer than the gap between Federer's first and eighth Wimbledon titles – America had emptied life from two cities with these weapons. They obviously weren't 'symbolic deterrents'. I sort of hope Rod did actually try telling people during that time, as their knuckles whitened around their corned-beef tin, ears glued to their radios: 'Guys, I'm thinking of eliding my initials to form a cool logo.'

Is it an error to think of how Roger Federer plays tennis as godlike? I can't tell anymore. I'm not exactly helped by all the people who assemble to watch him while wearing sportswear bearing his logo. During the semi-final against Tomas Berdych the camera repeatedly cut to a couple, who appeared old enough to dress themselves, sporting his and hers RF red caps as if that was a completely regular thing to do, even though they clashed dementedly with the rest of their outfits. At what point did they put them on? In unison? Or did they discover, as they reunited in the hall to leave the house, that they both had the same instincts? Is that not the definition of cult: the keenness to debase yourself in service of it?

PA Images

But then he played, and he reminded you that, at his best, there is no tennis apart from his. Jordan, Bolt, Messi, Federer – they have the power to remove the very existence of competition, to destroy all worlds but their own. *Mutters, sotto voce - because of dunking a ball, running fast, kicking a ball, hitting a ball*

More than once – probably about 20 times – Berdych played a shot where your natural reaction was: "He'll do well to get that one back." And then, whip. He does indeed do well. There's a music that plays, a saturnine Federer key into some rhythm of the universe that only he knows, where every single element of the winner he produces has a one-millimetre margin for error, the angle of his racket and the height of the net and the position of Berdych and the length of the court leaving it with a possibility for success of *grabs calculator* not very much. And yet his most difficult shots are the ones that seem somehow most sure to work, a restructuring of physics, the silly music of humans as gods, because it's also just tennis. The consequence is, when you're not distracted by the BNP Paribas umbrella and the Rolex display, you feel innocent about life, about how to judge and measure it. He did that to you. Your humble correspondent would argue that his ability to make you childlike and awestruck is why he seems to have a pretty neat split between girl fans and boy fans of all ages, because as kids we're less aware of our gender.

My favourite thing Federer does, and it usually happens once or twice a match, is to go down three break points. "Oh my god, I've got three break points against Federer!" The way in which he then takes those break points back, like a sniper who manages to put three headshots on you before you've even bent a knee, probably makes it even more disheartening to have got them in the first place than if you'd just lost the game conventionally. The most likely interpretation of this is that he's supremely unruffled by the situation, being who he is; and the awesome, godlike interpretation is that he really is toying with humans who have made multi-million pound careers in tennis by giving them imaginary break points.

This stuff is so illusory. You've learnt from all those interviews with sporting superheroes how regularly they disprove the possibility that exciting, compelling things are occurring in their heads. From Kobe Bryant to Pete Sampras to Steven Gerrard to Lewis Hamilton, they're all boring; they weren't made to talk. A large part of me suspects that if you were to ask Roger Federer whether, like a cruel, godlike tennis cat, he was toying with his opponents in these situations, you would be met with the same reaction as if someone asked you to describe the dynamics at play in your mind while tying your shoelaces. But I'm afraid, and this will forever hold true, a small part of me just can't help but wonder.

The Moment - A few seconds in an interview from 1999, when he had terrible highlights in his hair

Is Federer boring in interviews? Again, it's hard to tell. I mean, obviously he is. There are about eight sportsmen who give genuinely interesting interviews, and they're all fuck-ups who demonstrably had minds that distracted them from operating consistently in elite sport. But still, that happy, bulbous-nosed serenity – I end up retrofitting it in my mind, as if somehow this talking-style will be taken on to the court and turned into godlike tennis. In fact, I suspect the reality is that it's not much like him, that talking isn't a whole lot to Roger Federer, a minor significance compared to what life is really for.

Take, for example, a brief exchange during this interview, which is meant to be presented in rapid-fire 20-questions style, but, thanks to the hilariously literal-minded approach of his Dutch interviewer, comes across more like the interrogation of a fighter pilot who's been captured behind enemy lines. 'Last book you read?' Fed swats the question back in that way we've all grown to know and love, like it's literally nothing to him. "I don't read books, so I don't have a favourite book."

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But relax, I have an update on this particular saga. I have sat through a little clipoid called Favourite Book? from Tennis TV. A smattering of them are proper readers, though not the Americans, obviously. It has some strong moments: Andy Roddick telling us that it is because he is 'a big history buff' that his favourite book is Angels and Demons by Dan Brown; Sam Querrey pronouncing 'book' like he isn't quite convinced of the spelling; Rafa sitting there for a second or two, looking like he isn't even convinced of the definition, and then naming a book in the magic-realist Latin American tradition from the daughter of the ex-Chilean president called City of the Beasts, like a sudden topspin whip kicking up in your face.

And then we get to Roger. A decade has passed; his cap is now adorned by an elided RF. You've never heard a more practiced answer; he says it literally as soon as he can: "I actually read a lot of magazines, newspapers, so I actually don't have a favourite book… but autobiographies are quite interesting as well."

You know what I think Roger Federer's not prepared to do? He's not prepared to get anything wrong, ever, including answers to questions like 'What's your favourite book?' Do you know how hard it must be to have that as your overall sense of life? I think, in its coiled springs, it makes you want to hurt people. Could you truly imagine that the person who occupies his spot in the sporting world would simply be the one with the most talent? The talent has to be strapped to, needled by, something darker. Something to force it beyond where anyone else's talent goes. If you looked at Roger Federer's eyes, would you say they look light or dark?

PA Images

And so we get to the true god illusion. A gentle god, his image perpetuated by how handsome he looks in a white jacket as he strides on to Centre Court, by dippily idolising TV pundits, by the creation of his smoothed, chaste, on-camera style. The illusion that somehow, Mr RF is simply playing alone, a solitary maestro bestowing his hallowed brand of tennis on a grateful world.

Bullshit. You know who doesn't get mentioned enough in any discussion of Roger Federer? His opponents. Because I can guarantee you, Roger hasn't forgotten them. He is not the charitable foundation of RF Tennis. He is, lest we forget, possibly more than anyone in the history of men's sport, the one whose forte is beating another human one-on-one. And beating them in a way that's relentless in torturing their dream that they might escape a beating. You don't get to do that, year in year out, unless you want to. Find a friendly way to describe that one to Sue Barker, eh Rodge? 'So what did you think when you knew Cilic was injured?' Can guarantee you wouldn't like the answer to that, Sue, if he could only find a way to spell it out. And here's a question: if he could, would he still feel the drive to keep on playing? Does he need tennis to spell out the darkness?

READ MORE: The Cult – Michael Vick

And so to The Moment, which occurs around 48 seconds into the video above. In the silence when the interviewer is asking him "Is it tough to be on the tour?" his face spells it out, even if it's gone in a heartbeat. And you know why I think that is? Because what he'd just said regarding recent tour results was that he'd taken a good scalp, a top-10 player, "So this week is already great."

And my theory, dear reader, for you, brought to you from a kitchen table where I have made an apple core into an impromptu ashtray, is that when 18-year-old Roger talks about beating people and then uses the words "already great", it causes a reaction in his face that gives his eyes juuuust the slightest hint of axe-murderer around enraged, tightened cheeks, before it disappears. Something inside him would never be satisfied, would never think the job was done. You cannot keep beating people, to the extent he has, unless you need to, unless it is a means to cool your insides off. And what are any of us really looking for but a way to cool off our insides?

Closing Statements

Some suited commentary goon stood next to one of those blue ATP courts in 2010, doing a bit-to-camera:"I had a chance to chat to the top eight players. I asked them a few 'random questions'.First of all, which actor would they like to portray them – *pause for effect * – in a film.

Federer: "Pffft, I dunno. Hopefully one of the greatest actors around. I don't know which one that is right now."

Words: @TobySprigings / Illustration: @Dan_Draws

The Cult: Roger Federer published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

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blackkudos · 7 years ago

Text

Chris Brown

Christopher Maurice (Chris) Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, and dancer. Born in Tappahannock, Virginia, he was involved in his church choir and several local talent shows from a young age. Having signed with Jive Records in 2004, Brown released his self-titled debut studio album the following year. It peaked at number two on the US Billboard 200 and was later certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), selling an overall three million copies worldwide. With his first single "Run It!" peaking atop the US Billboard Hot 100, Brown became the first male artist as a lead since Diddy in 1997 to have his debut single top the chart. His second album Exclusive (2007) spawned his second Hot 100 number one "Kiss Kiss", in addition to "With You" and "Forever". The album was also certified double platinum by the RIAA. In addition to his solo commercial success, Brown has been featured on several singles such as "No Air", a duet with singer Jordin Sparks, "Shortie like Mine" with the rapper Bow Wow and "Shawty Get Loose" alongside Lil Mama and T-Pain. The songs have peaked at number three, number nine and number ten on the US Billboard Hot 100 respectively.

In 2009, Brown received significant media attention after pleading guilty to felony assault of his then girlfriend, singer Rihanna; he was sentenced to five years of probation and six months of community service. His third album Graffiti was released later that year, and included the top-twenty single "I Can Transform Ya". Brown's fourth album F.A.M.E. (2011) became his first to top the Billboard 200; it spawned the singles "Yeah 3x", "Look at Me Now", and "Beautiful People". F.A.M.E. earned Brown his first Grammy Award for Best R&B Album at the 54th Grammy Awards. His fifth album Fortune was released in 2012. However, after the release of Exclusive, Brown's albums have not been well received commercially or by music critics, with the exception of X, which received a normalized rating of 63. Brown's seventh studio album Royalty was released on December 18, 2015.

Apart from his work in the music industry, Brown has pursued an acting career. In 2007, he made his on-screen feature film debut in Stomp the Yard, and appeared as a guest on the television series The O.C.. Other films Brown has appeared in, include This Christmas (2007), Takers (2010), Think Like a Man (2012), and Battle of the Year (2013). Throughout his career, Brown has won several awards, including 14 BET Awards, 5 Billboard Music Awards, and 5 Soul Train Music Awards. According to Billboard, Brown has the seventh most Hot 100 entries on the chart with 82.

Early life

Career

2002–04: Career beginnings

2005–06: Chris Brown and acting debut

Released on November 29, 2005, the self-titled Chris Brown album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with first week sales of 154,000 copies. Chris Brown was a relative commercial success with the time; selling over two million copies in the United States—where it was certified two times platinum by the RIAA—and three million copies worldwide. The album's lead single, "Run It!", made Brown the first male act (since Montell Jordan in 1995) to have his debut single to reach the summit of the Billboard Hot 100—later remaining for four additionally weeks. Three of the other singles—"Yo (Excuse Me Miss)," "Gimme That" and "Say Goodbye"—peaked within the top twenty at the same chart.

2007–08: Exclusive

2009–10: Graffiti and mixtapes

In 2008, Brown began work on his-then upcoming third studio album. According to him, he would experiment a different musical direction for his new album—titled Graffiti—while hoping to emulate singers Prince and Michael Jackson. He stated, "I wanted to change it up and really be different. Like my style nowadays, I don't try to be typical urban. I want to be like how Prince, Michael and Stevie Wonder were. They can cross over to any genre of music." The album's lead single "I Can Transform Ya" was released on September 29, 2009. The song peaked at number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and number 11 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. "Crawl" was released as the album's second single on November 23, 2009. The song reached number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100. Graffiti was then released on December 8, 2009. The album debuted at number seven on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 102,000 copies in its first week, but received generally negative reviews from critics. As of March 23, 2011, it has sold 341,000 copies in the United States.

2011–12: F.A.M.E. and Fortune

2013–14: X

On August 9, 2013 at 1:09 AM PDT, Brown was reported to have suffered a seizure from Record Plant Studios in Hollywood, California as a 9-1-1 call was made. When paramedics arrived, Brown allegedly refused to receive treatment and also refused to be transported to the local hospital. Brown has reportedly suffered from seizures in his childhood. The next day, Brown's representative reported the seizure was caused by "intense fatigue and extreme emotional stress, both due to the continued onslaught of unfounded legal matters and the nonstop negativity." On November 20, 2013, Brown was sentenced to an anger management rehabilitation center for three months, putting the December 2013 release of X in jeopardy. To "hold [fans] over until [the X album] drops," Brown released a mixtape, titled X Files on November 19, 2013. On February 22, 2014, it was announced that the album would be released on Brown's birthday, May 5, 2014. On April 14, 2014, Brown released a teaser of new track "Don't Be Gone Too Long" featuring Ariana Grande, however, on October 27, 2013, Brown was arrested for felony assault in Washington, D.C., the fight allegedly started when two women wanted to take a picture with Brown in front of the W Hotel, and the song and album were again delayed due to Brown's prison sentence. On August 3, 2014, Chris announced via Instagram that the album's release date will be on September 16, 2014. On August 6, 2014, the album cover was revealed. The title track "X" was released as an instant-gratification track alongside the album pre-order on iTunes on August 25, 2014.

2015–present: Fan of a Fan: The Album,Royalty and Heartbreak on a Full Moon

In spring of 2015, Brown was featured on DJ Deorro's song "Five Hours".

On May 1, 2016, Brown announced that his next album title would be, Heartbreak on a Full Moon. The first song in promotion of the album, "Grass Ain't Greener" was released on May 5, 2016. In May 2016, Brown became the face of sneaker and streetwear retailer Snipes' spring/summer 2016 campaign.

On December 16, 2016, Brown released the lead single from his upcoming eight studio album, "Party" featuring Gucci Mane and Usher.

Artistry

Musical style and influences

Chris Brown has cited a number of artists as his inspiration, predominantly Michael Jackson. Brown emphasizes "Michael Jackson is the reason why I do music and why I am an entertainer." In "Fine China", he exemplifies Jackson’s influence both musically and visually as Ebony magazine’s Britini Danielle asserted that the song was "reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall". Choreographically, MTV noticed that it "takes distinct visual cues from classic clips like 'Smooth Criminal' and 'Beat It'", while Billboard complimented his appearance by calling it "a modern way to channel the King of Pop". Usher is also another influence who comes across as a more contemporary figure for Brown. He tells Vibe magazine "He was the one who the youngsters looked up to. I know that we, in the dancing and singing world, looked up to him", and maintains "If it wasn't for Usher, then Chris Brown couldn't exist". Other influences include Marvin Gaye, New Edition and R. Kelly.

Music critics have commended Brown’s introduction to R&B, recognizing his modern day adaptations as well as versatility. Vibe’s Iyana Robertson says "As traditional R&B flourished around him, the young singer began an evolution of the genre". She saw his debut single "Run It!" as a "prelude to what Brown would continue to do for the next decade: relentlessly disrupt the constructs of rhythm and blues." By his sophomore album Exclusive, she says he was "tapping more Electric up-tempos, swimming deep in Hip-hop waters and annihilating the Pop arena". Describing the Grammy Award winning F.A.M.E. as "his most diverse offering to date", she remarked "There was no level of musical flexibility comparable. There still isn’t."

Voice

Brown possesses a light Lyric tenor vocal style. His vocal ability was first recognized by his mother at a young age, as Brown tells People magazine "I was 11 and watching Usher perform 'My Way', and I started trying to mimic it. My mom was like, 'You can sing?' And I was like, 'Well, yeah, Mama.'" subsequently leading to the start of his career. "Take You Down" most notably earned him a Grammy award nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance in 2009.

Personal life

Domestic violence case

At around 12:30 a.m. (PST) on February 8, 2009, Brown and his then-girlfriend, recording artist Rihanna, had an argument which escalated into physical violence, leaving Rihanna with visible facial injuries which required hospitalization. Brown turned himself in to the Los Angeles Police Department's Wilshire station at 6:30 p.m. (PST) and was booked under suspicion of making criminal threats. The police report did not name the female in the incident as is policy, but media sources soon revealed that the victim was Rihanna. Following Brown's arrest, several commercial ads featuring him were suspended, his music was withdrawn from multiple radio stations, and he withdrew from public appearances, including one at the 2009 Grammy Awards, where he was replaced by Justin Timberlake and Al Green. Brown hired a crisis management team and released a statement saying, "Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired."

On March 5, 2009, Brown was charged with felony assault and making criminal threats. He was arraigned on April 6, 2009, and pleaded not guilty to one count of assault and one count of making criminal threats. On June 22, 2009, Brown pleaded guilty to a felony and accepted a plea deal of community labor, five years' formal probation, and domestic violence counseling. Several organizations against domestic violence criticized the plea deal, advocating the punishment was not severe enough for the crime; the level of Brown's influence over youth also came under scrutiny. On July 20, 2009, Brown released a two-minute video on his official YouTube page apologizing to fans and Rihanna for the assault, expressing the incident as his "deepest regret" and saying that he has repeatedly apologized to Rihanna and "accepts full responsibility". In the video, Brown said he wanted to speak out earlier about the case but was advised by his attorney not to until the legal ramifications were settled. The video was removed, but is still available online. On August 25, Brown was sentenced to five years of probation, one year of domestic violence counseling, and six months of community service; the judge retained a five-year restraining order on Brown, which requires him to remain 50 yards away from Rihanna, 10 yards at public events. According to Andy Kellman of Allmusic, "A fairly substantial backlash resulted in Brown's songs being pulled from rotation on several radio stations. Ultimately, however, it had little bearing on the progress of his music and acting careers."

On September 2, 2009, Brown spoke about the domestic violence case in a pre-recorded Larry King Live interview, his first public interview about the matter. He was accompanied to the interview by his mother, Joyce Hawkins, and attorney Mark Geragos, as he discussed growing up in a household with his mother being repeatedly assaulted by his stepfather. Brown said of hearing details of his assault of Rihanna, "I'm in shock, because, first of all, that's not who I am as a person, and that's not who I promise I want to be." Brown's mother said Brown "has never, ever been a violent person, ever" and that she does not believe in the cycle of violence. Brown said that it is "tough" for him to look at the famous photograph released of Rihanna's battered face, which may be the one image to haunt and define him forever, and that he still loved her. "I'm pretty sure we can always be friends," said Brown, "and I don't know about our relationship, but I just know definitely that we ended as friends." He stated he did not feel that his career was over, and described his relationship with Rihanna as having been like Romeo and Juliet, blaming the media attention in the aftermath of the assault for driving them apart. When asked if he had any memory of assaulting Rihanna, he said that he did not, but realized that it occurred, and was sorry for his actions. However, following criticism of saying he did not remember, he later said in a statement, "Of course I remember what happened. Several times during the interview, my mother said that I came to her right afterwards and told her everything." Brown said despite this, "[that night] was and still is a blur".

On March 22, 2011, after his first performance of "Yeah 3x" and a contentious interview with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America at the Times Square Studios where he was asked about the Rihanna situation and restraining order, Brown allegedly became violent in his dressing room during a commercial break before his second performance ending that day's program, and threw an object at a window overlooking Times Square, causing damage to the window. Brown then took off his shirt and after several angry confrontations with the segment producer, other show staff and building security, left the building shirtless. Following the incident, Brown left a message on Twitter saying, "I'm so over people bring this past s**t up!! Yet we praise Charlie Sheen and other celebs for there bullshit [sic]." The comment was deleted moments later.

In September 2012, Brown received criticism for a new neck tattoo that appeared to be the face of a battered woman, prompting allegations that the tattoo was a depiction of Rihanna. Brown's publicist stated that the tattoo does not depict a battered woman and is instead a design derived from a Day of the Dead sugar skull.

On March 20, 2015, Brown's probation was ended formally closing the felony case emanating from the Rihanna assault which happened over six years prior.

Relationships

Though they became friends in 2005, Brown's romantic relationship with Rihanna reportedly began in 2008, and ended for the first time with the aforementioned domestic violence case in 2009. Shortly after his relationship with Rihanna ended, Brown briefly dated Girlicious member Natalie Mejia. In 2011, he began dating aspiring model Karrueche Tran. However, throughout 2012 there was persistent media speculation that Brown was rekindling his relationship with Rihanna, though he remained involved with Tran and under probation in the Rihanna domestic violence case. In October 2012, Brown announced that he had ended his relationship with Tran because he didn't "want to see her hurt over my friendship with Rihanna." The day after the announcement, Brown released a video entitled "The Real Chris Brown", which features images of himself, Tran, and Rihanna, as Brown wonders, "Is there such thing as loving two people? I don't know if it's possible, but I feel like that."

In January 2013, Rihanna confirmed that she and Brown had resumed their romantic relationship, stating, "When you add up the pieces from the outside, it's not the cutest puzzle in the world. You see us walking somewhere, driving somewhere, in the studio, in the club, and you think you know. But it's different now. We don't have those types of arguments anymore. We talk about shit. We value each other. We know exactly what we have now, and we don't want to lose that." Speaking of Brown, Rihanna also said, "He's not the monster everybody thinks. He's a good person. He has a fantastic heart. He's giving and loving. And he's fun to be around. That's what I love about him – he always makes me laugh. All I want to do is laugh, really – and I do that with him." However, she also declared that she would walk away if Brown showed a hint of his past violent behavior towards her again. In a May 2013 interview, Brown stated that he and Rihanna had broken up again.

In March 2015, news broke that Brown was father to a baby girl named Royalty, which he confirmed on Instagram in April.

In May 2016, Brown won joint custody of his daughter Royalty. A judge denied Nia Guzman's request to impede Brown's custody of 1-year old daughter Royalty.

In February 2017, Karrueche Tran filed a restraining order against Brown, claiming he threatened to kill her. He denied these allegations, but previously admitted to stalking.

Religion

When discussing his upbringing, Brown stated: "We were used to two pairs of shoes for a school year. We used to go to church every day. I was one of those kids that had more church clothes than school clothes." He has also discussed his second work of grace, saying that "he experienced the holy ghost while performing 'His Eye Is on the Sparrow' in church". After being released from jail on June 2, 2014, Brown wrote that he was "Humbled and Blessed" and tweeted the words "Thank you GOD."

Other legal issues, rehab and jail

On June 14, 2012, Drake and his entourage were involved in a scuffle with Brown at a nightclub called WIP in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City. About eight people were injured during the brawl, including San Antonio Spurs star Tony Parker, who had to have surgery to remove a piece of glass from his eye, and a tourist from Australia who suffered injuries to her face and head and received sixteen stitches as a result. Drake was not arrested. A few weeks later, Brown made a diss record about Drake. He also posted a picture of himself with a gashed chin on Instagram. Brown's attorney claimed Drake was the instigator. On July 16, 2014, Brown and Drake appeared together in a skit produced for the nationally televised ESPY Awards. The skit seemingly mocks their past feud as Drake is on an operating table readying for surgery, the camera then reveals the surgeon to be Brown, with surgical tools, ready to operate. Both men had rehearsed the skit together prior to the televised airing of the ESPY Awards; the live audience roared with laughter.

In January 2013, Brown was involved in an altercation with Frank Ocean over a parking space, outside a recording studio in West Hollywood. Police officers in Los Angeles said that Brown was under investigation, describing the incident as "battery" due to Brown allegedly punching Ocean. Ocean said he would not press charges, despite his claim that Brown had threatened to shoot him and that one of Brown's entourage had called him a "faggot".

In January 2013, press reports indicated that there were irregularities in the record submitted to the court concerning Brown's community service. He seems to have been credited with community service work when he was actually out of the United States. In July 2013, Brown's probation was revoked after he was involved in an alleged hit-and-run in Los Angeles. He was released from court and was scheduled to re-appear in August 2013, to learn whether or not he would serve time in prison. The charges would later be dropped, but Brown would have 1,000 additional hours of community service added to his probation terms.

On October 27, 2013, Brown was arrested for felony assault in Washington, D.C. The fight allegedly started when two women wanted to take a picture with Brown in front of the W Hotel. Two men saw Brown and attempted to join them in the photo. Brown then allegedly said, "I’m not into this gay shit, I’m into boxing," and he and his bodyguard threw punches at one of the men. The victim claimed he was injured and that Brown had broken his nose. Initial police reports stated that Brown's bodyguard threw the first punch, but later reports stated that it was Brown's punch that broke the victim's nose. The following day, the charge was reduced to a misdemeanor. After the assault, Brown spent 36 hours in a Washington jail and was taken to court in shackles. Brown was then released and ordered to report to his California probation officer within 48 hours. The probation officer will prepare a report for the Los Angeles judge, who could order him to complete as many as four years in prison for the beating of Rihanna if he is found in violation of his probation. On October 30, 2013, Brown voluntarily decided to enter rehab, Brown's representative said in a statement: "Chris has elected to enter a rehab facility, his goal is to gain focus and insight into his past and recent behavior, enabling him to continue the pursuit of his life and his career from a healthier vantage point". Brown was expected to stay in the facility for 3 months. On November 14, 2013, however, Brown was kicked out of the facility for "breaking program rules by acting violently". On November 20, 2013, at a probation status hearing, Brown was sentenced to 90 days at an anger management rehab facility. He must also submit to drug testing and take any prescriptions recommended by the facility. In December 2013, at another hearing, Brown's probation in the Rihanna assault case was revoked; The judge felt that the criminal complaint in D.C. is enough proof that Brown did not obey all laws; However, the judge did not immediately remand Brown into custody due to his impressive progress at the anger management facility. On February 20, 2014, Chris Brown was sued over the alleged homophobic beatdown.

After Brown completed his 90 days, the judge ordered him to remain a resident at the Malibu treatment facility until a hearing on April 23, 2014. The deal was if Brown left rehab, he would go directly to jail. On March 14, 2014, Brown was kicked out of the rehab facility and sent to jail for violating internal rules. He was expected to be released on April 23, 2014 but Superior Court Judge Victor Greenberg denied his release request from custody either on bail or his own recognizance. At his May 9, 2014 court date, Brown was ordered to serve 131 days in jail for his probation violation. He was sentenced to serve 365 days in custody, however he was given credit for the 234 days he has already spent in rehab and jail.

Brown was given early release from jail just after midnight on June 2, 2014, because of jail overcrowding calculations that count one day in custody as two days, according to the Los Angeles Times, which further wrote, "Brown isn't totally free yet though. He's still on probation, obviously, and has to see a psychiatrist twice a week, complete his remaining community service, take his prescribed medications and stay off marijuana, including for medical use."

He confirmed on February 25, 2015 that he was rejected entry to Canada and would be cancelling the part of his tour there due to criminal history.

Brown is currently banned from entering Australia and the United Kingdom. In 2016, Brown had a mentally ill stalker invade his house in Agoura Hills. Another stalker named Danielle Patti claimed she was Brown's ex-girlfriend; Brown filed a restraining order against her.

In the early hours of August 30, 2016, a woman called 911 to report that Brown had threatened her with a gun inside his house. Police were called, but Brown denied them entry without a warrant. When they returned with one, Brown refused them entry and began what news sources referred to as a "standoff" with the LAPD, including the robbery-homicide division and SWAT team. During this time, Brown was seen posting videos on Instagram, in which he rails against the police and the media coverage of the activity at his house. He denounced media reports that he was "barricaded" inside his house, complained about the helicopters flying overhead, and called the police "idiots" and "the worst gang in the world." He said that he was "innocent" and he says in one of the videos "What I do care about is you are defacing my name and my character and integrity". Brown was arrested and later released from jail on $250,000 bail. On September 1, 2016, Brown's lawyer Mark Geragos stated the LAPD search on the incident found no "firearms nor the crucial piece of jewelry described in the accuser's report."

Business ventures

Brown has stated he owns fourteen Burger King restaurants.

Discography

Studio albums

Chris Brown (2005)

Exclusive (2007)

Graffiti (2009)

F.A.M.E. (2011)

Fortune (2012)

X (2014)

Royalty (2015)

Heartbreak on a Full Moon (2017)

Collaboration albums

Fan of a Fan: The Album (with Tyga) (2015)

Wikipedia

#Chris Brown #05-05

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