Born as Christopher Brown on May 5, 1989 in Tappahannock, Virginia, he has been drawn to music since his childhood and was heavily influenced by the sounds of Michael Jackson and Anita Baker. However, it was not until the age of 11 that he actually possesses an amazing voice, thanks to his mother who quickly noticed her son's talent after she heard him singing around their house. Encouraged by this supportive woman to see some local producers, the thirteen-years-old boy satisfyingly made his way to get the attention of a small production team so that they agreed to help him record a few songs as his demo. "There were ups and downs," he described the process. "But I loved it and I knew I wanted to do it."
Brown's self-titled album was released in November 2005 and quickly found its way into the charts. Working with established producers and songwriters, he had a No. 1 hit with "Run It!," which was co-written by Scott Storch and Sean Garrett. The track also featured a guest appearance by rapper Juelz Santana. More hits followed, including "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)" and "Gimme That," which was written by Garrett and Storch. While many of the songs have a hip-hop influence, Brown's voice has a classic R&B sound. And just like many other teenagers, dating and girls figure prominently in his songs. He has sometimes been compared to Michael Jackson because of his dual talents as a singer and dancer.
The album brought Brown two Grammy Award nominations for Best New Artist and Best R&B Contemporary Album. While he did not win, he showed the audience at the Grammy Awards just how talented he was by holding his own while performing with two R&B legends.Brown went on to receive a number of other awards, including an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding New Artist. With a large following of young fans, it was no surprise when he won a Teen Choice Award for Choice Music Breakout Artist Male.
In 2006, Brown went out on the road for his Up Close & Personal tour. He played more than 30 concerts in cities across the country. While he enjoyed playing live, it was not without its hazards. "Once during a show, I reached out to touch these girls' hands, and they pulled me off the stage," Brown told CosmoGirl magazine.
Expanding his career as an entertainer, Brown has branched out into acting. He had a small role in the box office hit Stomp in the Yard(2007), which centered around a step dance competition. The film also featured another popular R&B performer, Ne-Yo. On the small screen,
Brown played against type as a high school band geek on The O.C. for several episodes.
The final months of 2007 brought a wave of new projects for Brown. He released his second album, Exclusive, in November. On this latest project, Brown became more hands on behind the scenes. He helped write several tracks, including the hit single "Kiss Kiss" with T-Pain. In addition to T-Pain, Brown worked with Sean Garrett on "Wall to Wall" and will.i.am and Tank on "Picture Perfect" among others. He also came up the concepts for his music videos and served as co-director on them.
Around the same time, Brown returned to the big screen with a more substantial role in the holiday-themed dramatic comedy, This Christmas (2007). As Michael "Baby" Whitfield, he played a young man wanting to pursue a musical career despite opposition from his family. Next up for the budding actor is reportedly the lead role in the sports drama Phenom.
In anticipation of his self-titled debut album release on November 29, 2005, Chris Brown really has come with a loud thud into the R&B music scene for his first single, "Run It!" instantly soared to the second rank of both Billboard Hot 100 and R&B/Hip-Hop Chart. Being extremely busy going around U.S. throughout November 2005 to hold some shows, he has delightfully taken time to appear on "Live with Regis & Kelly" and Vibe Awards in the same month. Selected to host the 2005 American Music Awards' Red Carpet for Access Hollywood, this young gifted singer, without doubt, has become one of the year's sensational acts in American music industry with his genuine style and creativity.