Chris Brown

Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, dancer, and actor. A hip-hop and pop-influenced R&B musician who works in a variety of genres, he has been called the "King of R&B" by some contemporaries. His lyrics often address emotional and hedonistic themes. His singing and dancing skills have often been compared favorably to those of Michael Jackson.

In 2004, Brown signed with Jive Records. The following year, he released his first album, Chris Brown, which reached double Platinum certification by the end of 2006. Brown topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart with his debut single, "Run It!", making him the first male artist since 1995 to do so. His second album, Exclusive (2007), was commercially successful worldwide and spawned his second Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, "Kiss Kiss".

In 2009, Brown faced significant controversy and media attention when he pleaded guilty to felony assault of his girlfriend, the singer Rihanna. He was sentenced to five years probation with six months community service. The same year, he released his third album, Graffiti, which was considered to be a commercial failure. He released his fourth album F.A.M.E. (2011), which was his first album to top the Billboard 200. The album contained three commercially successful singles—"Yeah 3x", Diamond certified "Look at Me Now" and "Beautiful People"—and earned him the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album. His fifth album, Fortune, released in 2012, topped the Billboard 200.