What Is Chris Brown's Net Worth?
Chris Brown, an American R&B musician, has a net worth of $50 million. Ever since his debut in 2005, he has released 10 studio albums, several going multi-platinum. Brown started as a young, church-going artist, self-teaching himself to sing and dance while performing in the church choir. At 15, he signed with Jive Records and released his first album in 2005, which went double-platinum. His second album, "Exclusive," was even more successful, producing multiple chart-topping singles. Despite subsequent albums not reaching the same success, they have all sold well. Unfortunately, his personal life has been tumultuous, especially following his 2009 assault of his then-girlfriend, Rihanna.
Early Life
Chris Brown was born Christopher Maurice Brown on May 5, 1989, in Tappahannock, Virginia. His parents, Joyce Hawkins, a daycare center director, and Clinton Brown, a corrections officer, divorced when he was young. His mother suffered domestic violence from her new boyfriend. Growing up, Brown was influenced by idols Usher and Michael Jackson. His parents' soul record collection also played a significant role in his musical development.
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Music Career
With his mother's support, Chris pursued a recording contract in his early teens and moved to New York to find representation. At 16, he released his debut self-titled album. His single "Run It!" reached #1 on the Billboard charts, making him the first male artist to achieve this since Montell Jordan in 1995. His second album, "Exclusive," debuted at #4 on the Billboard charts and included his second #1 hit, "Kiss Kiss." Brown's third album, "Graffiti," came out in 2009, followed by "F.A.M.E." in 2011, which topped the Billboard 200 and won a Grammy for Best R&B Album. Subsequent albums include "Fortune" (2012), "X" (2012), "Fan of a Fan: The Album" (2015), "Royalty" (2015), "Heartbreak on a Full Moon" (2017), "Indigo" (2019), and "Breezy" (2022). Brown has consistently toured to support his albums, opening for Beyoncé Knowles and Rihanna. He is one of the world's best-selling artists, with over 197 million albums and singles sold worldwide. He has received numerous awards, including a Grammy, 18 BET Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, and 14 Soul Train Music Awards.
In 2023, he surpassed Elvis Presley for the most RIAA Gold Certified Singles for a male vocalist and has the most "Billboard" Hot 100 entries among male vocalists. In March 2023, his album "Under the Influence" made him the fifth artist in "Billboard" history to achieve 10 #1 hits on the "Billboard" R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.
Acting Career
Chris Brown made his acting debut in 2007 with the film "Stomp the Yard" and had a guest-starring role in "The O.C." that same year. He also appeared in "This Christmas," "Takers," "Think Like a Man," "Battle of the Year," and the TV show "Black-ish."
(Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
Rihanna Assault
On February 8, 2009, Chris Brown was arrested and charged with making criminal threats against Rihanna. Their argument led to physical assault, resulting in injuries to Rihanna that required medical attention. Following his arrest, several commercials and TV shows featuring Brown were suspended, and he withdrew from public appearances.
Brown received a one-year domestic violence counseling sentence, six months of community service, five years of probation, and a five-year restraining order from Rihanna. He pleaded guilty to felony assault in June 2009. Attempts to tour the UK were blocked due to his criminal record. In March 2011, he became violent during an interview, throwing an object through a window before storming out shirtless. His probation ended on March 20, 2015.
(Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
Other Legal Issues
Chris Brown has been involved in altercations with Drake, Tony Parker, and Frank Ocean. In July 2013, he faced a hit-and-run charge later dropped but had 1,000 community service hours added to his probation. He was arrested for felony assault in Washington DC in October 2013 but was released after 36 hours. He entered a rehab facility, but due to rule violations, he was sent to Northern Neck Regional Jail in March 2014. He was released on June 2, 2014, due to jail overcrowding.
Owing to his previous felony assault, Brown cannot possess firearms. On August 30, 2016, he was arrested following a stand-off with LAPD and SWAT after being accused of threatening a woman with a gun. He was later released, and charges were dropped.
In January 2022, a civil suit accused Brown of raping a woman on a Miami yacht in December 2020. Brown denied it, providing text messages that indicated a consensual relationship. The lawsuit was dropped in August 2022 for lack of prosecution.
He is banned from entering the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan due to his criminal record.
(FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images)
Other Ventures
Chris Brown owns 14 Burger King restaurants and launched a clothing line called Black Pyramid in 2012. He has operated a record label, CBE (Chris Brown Entertainment), under Interscope since 2007. In 2021, Brown introduced his cereal, "Breezy's Cosmic Crunch," in partnership with SoFlo Snacks.
Personal Life
Brown dated model and actress Karrueche Tran until 2015, when she was granted a five-year restraining order against him for threats. He has two children. Over the years, Brown dated influencers Amy Shehab, Indya Marie, and Vanessa Vargas, British pop singer Rita Ora, and Indonesian pop singer Agnez Mo.
Real Estate
Since 2014, Chris Brown's primary residence has been a mansion in Tarzana, California. The property was purchased for $4.35 million and features a 4-bedroom, 8,000-square-foot home on 0.75 acres. Here’s an aerial shot of Chris Brown's Tarzana mansion:
Previously, he lived in the Hollywood Hills from 2011 to 2015 and owned a condo in West Hollywood. He sold the Hollywood Hills home for around $1.5 million due to neighbor complaints over graffiti, and the condo for roughly $1.6 million after numerous noise complaints and using handicap parking spots.
