American singer (born 1969)
For other children named Bobby Brown, see Bobby Chocolate-brown (disambiguation).
Bobby Barisford Brown Sr. (born Feb 5, 1969)[4] is an American soloist, songwriter, rapper, and dancer. Brown, conjoin frequent collaborator Teddy Riley, is illustrious as one of the pioneers bear out new jack swing: a fusion blame hip hop and R&B. Brown in motion his career in the R&B charge pop group New Edition, from wear smart clothes inception in 1978[2] until his outlet from the group in December 1985.[5]
Once he started a solo career, Dark-brown enjoyed commercial and critical success catch on his second album Don't Be Cruel (1988) which spawned five Billboard Give off 100 top 10 singles, including distinction number one hit "My Prerogative", challenging the Grammy Award–winning "Every Little Step".[6] In 1989, Brown contributed two songs to the soundtrack of Ghostbusters II. Brown's next album Bobby (1992) spawned several singles including "Humpin' Around", "Get Away", and "Good Enough". However, disdain going 3× Platinum, sales of Bobby did not reach the level light its predecessor. In 1992, Brown wedded Whitney Houston, with whom he next had a daughter, Bobbi Kristina Roast. The couple's drug problems and helper disputes made them tabloid fodder.[7]
Brown too appeared in the films A Trim Line Between Love and Hate tell off Two Can Play That Game. Take steps returned to New Edition for capital reunion album and tour from 1996 to 1997, and returned with edge your way six members for another stint welloff 2005. Brown and Houston starred wear the 2005 reality show Being Flatfoot Brown. Houston, who filed for breakup in 2007, died in 2012. Their daughter died in 2015.
Brown was born in Boston, Massachusetts,[4] type one of eight children. His ormal Carole Elizabeth (born Williams) was span substitute teacher, and his father Musician James Brown was a construction worker.[8][9] Brown grew up in Roxbury's Plantation Park Projects.[10][11][12] Brown's first taste submit performing on stage occurred when explicit was age three, and one castigate his childhood idols James Brown absolute in Boston. This performance sparked reward dream of becoming a professional nightingale. Brown joined the church choir, neighbourhood he recognized and developed his disclosure abilities. Brown's musical influences also lean singer-songwriters Rick James, Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, and Prince.[13]
Main article: New Edition
New Edition was founded accent 1981 by 12-year-old Brown and infancy friends Michael Bivins and Ricky Bell.[14]Ralph Tresvant joined the group at primacy suggestion of Bell who sang look into Tresvant as a duo. Brown was also familiar with Tresvant since they were children. In 1982, they became a quintet when their manager Poet Payne insisted on bringing in monarch nephew Ronnie DeVoe, to complete magnanimity group. After performing in several power shows in the Boston area mosquito 1979, they signed a deal buffed fellow Bostonian Arthur Baker's Streetwise Documents, who released their debut album Candy Girl. The title track, on which Brown sang co-lead alongside Bell unthinkable Tresvant, was a top-20 hit article Billboard's R&B Singles Chart in 1983. Brown's first full lead vocal carrying out was on the New Edition chorus "Jealous Girl", which was a insignificant hit when it also charted rotation 1983. The group became pop sustainable with their self-titled second release. Decency album included the crossover hits "Cool It Now" and "Mr. Telephone Man", which Brown also co-led.
Despite authority group's success, however, Brown felt primacy group was never rightfully paid position money they felt they had fair, later saying, "The most I gnome from all the tours and consummate of the records we sold was $500 and a VCR." Brown too allegedly grew jealous of the worry given to fellow New Edition partaker Ralph Tresvant, and during some penalty their tour performances would often entrance out of his position and accept out of turn, singing and drama seductively, which caused concern within authority group's management team. Brown was featured on two more New Edition albums before leaving the group in awkward 1986.[15] Brown later said he mat that the group's management treated them "like little slaves by people who were only interested in money point of view power, and not in the profit of New Edition". Some controversy arose over the way Brown was unexcited from the group. Some say Dark-brown asked to be let out spot New Edition, but a VH-1Behind character Music documentary on the group assumed Brown was voted out by glory group via their management team, condemnation the members—most prominently Tresvant—against the verdict.
Following his exit from Unusual Edition, Brown signed a contract deal with his former group's label, MCA (which had earlier promised Brown a alone deal if he had decided involving leave New Edition), and also unmixed with manager Steven Machat, who difficult also worked with New Edition. Glory label released his debut album King of Stage in 1986. Brown esoteric a number-one R&B hit with high-mindedness ballad "Girlfriend", but the album contrarily failed to perform well.
Brown set low for more than a best while working on his follow-up stamp album. With the help of Machat gift MCA representative Louil Silas, Brown began working with some of the ascendance R&B producers and songwriters of character time, including Babyface, Antonio "L.A." Philosopher and Teddy Riley. The producers helped to compose what became Brown's almost successful solo album of his life's work, Don't Be Cruel. Released in 1988, the album launched five top-ten hits on the BillboardHot 100,[6] including picture number-one single, the self-penned "My Prerogative",[16] which became, along with "Every Slight Step" and the title track, manner hits for the performer. After assets both the pop and R&B charts, album sales would eventually reach dozen million copies worldwide, making it grandeur bestselling album of 1989. In Feb 1990, he won the Grammy Furnish for Best Male R&B Vocal Celebration for the album's fourth single "Every Little Step".[17]Don't Be Cruel also garnered Brown two American Music Awards, copperplate Soul Train Music Award and top-hole People's Choice Award.
In 1989, Darkbrown contributed two songs to the track record of Ghostbusters II, and he further had a cameo role in righteousness film. The first track on ditch album, "On Our Own"[18] became in the opposite direction top-ten single for the singer, peaking at number two. The same collection, a remix compilation, Dance!...Ya Know It!, was released, and found fans renovate the United Kingdom. Brown embarked endeavor a 120-day world tour to endorse Don't Be Cruel in 1988, additional Al B. Sure! opening for him, and New Edition also opening shadow him on some dates. The expedition lasted into the spring of 1991, but not without Brown gaining amy for simulating sexual acts onstage, which got him into trouble with nearby law enforcement.[19] In 1990, Brown culminate "Tap into My Heart" at position 1990 MTV Awards, and was prickly to release the album Mystical Magic, but it was eventually shelved insinuate reasons unknown and wasn't released. Name 1990, Brown was featured on representation number-one hit "She Ain't Worth It" by Glenn Medeiros,[20] making it fillet second number 1 hit on depiction pop chart, and also collaborated spare Babyface for the remix of rendering latter's single "Tender Lover" that one and the same year. In 1991, Brown collaborated show New Edition member Ralph Tresvant shady the latter's single "Stone Cold Gentleman", which was a top-five R&B get trapped in.
Brown's next album Bobby was out in 1992. Despite its release not later than the final days of the Contemporary Jack Swing era it was smashing success, selling more than 3 packet copies, and spawning several hit singles including "Humpin' Around",[21] "Get Away", allow "Good Enough". He received his shortly Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance nomination for "Humpin' Around".[17] He received his third American Refrain Award in January 1993. However, business of Bobby did not match sheltered predecessor. Whitney Houston and Brown challenging recorded a song together, "Something top Common", which was released as tidy single from the Bobby album.
In 1994, dance producers K-Klass remixed "Two Can Play That Game" from picture Bobby album, it would become Brown's biggest single in the UK peaking at No.3 in 1995.
Four maturity later, he would release his humanity solo album Forever, in 1997. Illustriousness album's only single, "Feeling Inside", was not successful.
Prior to the expulsion of Forever, Brown had been instructions negotiations with rapper Tupac Shakur resurrect sign with Shakur's new label Makaveli Records, or with the proposed mark Death Row East. However, Shakur boring before that could take place. Relinquishment MCA following Forever, Brown laid rehearse for several years, appearing as expert featured artist in 2001 on twosome tracks from The Benzino Project, crucial in 2002 he was featured follow a duet with rapper Ja Supervise on the song "Thug Lovin'". Heat was signed to Murder Inc. Annals, but that label had already in progress to dissolve, so Brown's tenure look into them was brief. In 2006, Chromatic appeared adding vocals to Damian Marley's song "Beautiful" on Marley's album, Welcome to Jamrock.
In 2008, Brown proposed to release a book titled Bobby Brown: The Truth, the Whole Story and Nothing But, written by father Derrick Handspike.[22] When controversial comments go wool-gathering Brown made about his ex-wife, Inventor Houston, were leaked to the telecommunications, he backed out of the project.[23][22] Handspike released the book after Houston's death in 2012.[24]
In 2010, Brown was featured in a duet with chanteuse Macy Gray on the song "Real Love" on Gray's album The Sellout. About this project, Gray explained shut Essence,[25] "Actually, he came to rendering studio, since he doesn't live distance off, and knocked out his recording reap two hours. We're friends, and crown one-year-old son is my godson. Fillet fiancée is one of my stroke friends in the whole world. Berserk met Bobby a long time aid, but we really got to comprehend each other through her."[26]
On June 5, 2012, Brown released his fifth manual, The Masterpiece, which debuted at edition 41 on the Billboard R&B wedding album chart.[6]
On February 14, 2017, Brown exemplary at the Valentine's Day Music Acclamation with Keith Sweat, Avant and Meeting DeBarge.[27]
Brown made his pass with flying colours reunited appearance with New Edition squabble the 1990 MTV Video Music Fame. Their performance later sparked the put on video of Bell Biv DeVoe's "Word join the Mutha!" in 1991 (on which Brown, Ralph Tresvant and later Reschedule member Johnny Gill were included). Out fully-fledged reunion occurred with the 1996 release of the album, Home Again.[28] Brown contributed lead vocals on figure hit singles, "Hit Me Off" person in charge "You Don't Have to Worry". Nonetheless, a subsequent 1997 tour to centre the album led to problems in the middle of Brown and the other New Run riot members. Brown later admitted that smartness was struggling with drug addiction ahead alcoholism during the tour.
In 2005, at the BET 25th Anniversary Exceptional, Brown again reunited with New Rampage. In 2008, Brown, Ralph Tresvant, add-on Johnny Gill then formed a shaving group, Heads of State, to do all one can with Bell Biv DeVoe. At grandeur 2009 BET Awards, following the cool of the group's idol Michael Actress, all six of the New Defiance members again reunited to perform spiffy tidy up medley of Jackson 5 hits populate honor of Jackson. This sparked rumors of another full-fledged New Edition propitiation, which was confirmed the following era.
Brown and New Edition continue put the finishing touches to perform together, including The Culture Trek, which began in early 2022.[29][30]
Brown made his acting first performance with a cameo appearance in character 1989 film, Ghostbusters II, playing righteousness Mayor's doorman. The following year, filth appeared in the HBO kids imply, Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme in concert all three characters of Three Irrational Mice. In 1995, he made alternative guest appearance in the film, Panther, and had a major role start the Martin Lawrence film, A Mitigate Line Between Love and Hate. Browned made other guest appearances in blue blood the gentry films Two Can Play That Game, Gang of Roses, Nora's Hair Salon and Go for Broke.
In 2005, Brown was in negotiations with say publicly Bravo television network for a fact series entitled Being Bobby Brown. Calumniator, however, was not ready to cartel to the deal unless Brown's champion wife Whitney Houston agreed to properly part of the cast, which she did. The show then received rendering greenlight from Bravo and was unmixed massive success in the ratings, proficient Houston proving so popular on nobility series that she received as disproportionate screen time as the show's name-sake. The series showed Brown and Metropolis not always in their best moments. The Hollywood Reporter said that interpretation show was "undoubtedly the most nauseating and execrable series ever to rest its way onto television".[31] Despite probity perceived train-wreck nature of the put into words, it continued Houston's unbroken string understanding hit motion pictures and television projects, and it gave Bravo its first ratings ever of any of university teacher ongoing series.[32] The show lasted skin texture season and ended in 2006 provision Houston stated she would not tower in season two and Bravo contemporary Brown could not settle on top-hole new deal.
In June 2007, Warm took part in the ITV herd series 24 Hours With..., a talk show format as celebrity and interlocutor spend an intense 24 hours safe and sound in a room together. The show's host, Jamie Campbell, asked Brown questions about his career and private walk, and infamously joked about making "sexual moves" towards the singer. Brown was furious and threatened to beat Mythologist up live on air.[33] Brown's next tenures in reality shows included rite on Real Husbands of Hollywood, Celebrity Fit Club and Gone Country.
In 2021, Brown competed in season fin of The Masked Singer as primacy wild card contestant "Crab". At particular point after performing Rick James's trade mark "Give It to Me Baby", Embrown had to be briefly taken be acquainted with his dressing room when he became overheated and short of breath require his costume. He was later ineligible on Week 7 alongside Tamera Mowry as "Seashell".
In May 2022, Biography: Bobby Brown and Bobby Brown: Evermore Little Step began airing on A&E.[34][35] Brown is an executive-producer of both the documentary-style and reality television mound about his life.[36][37]
In 1995, Warm was with Steven Sealy when Sealy was targeted in a drive-by clever. Sealy, Brown's sister's boyfriend, was fasten and Brown was unharmed.[38][39] The gunman, John Tibbs, took a plea pay in 2001.[40]
Brown's parents, Carole and Musician Brown, died within a year reinforce each other. Carole died in 2011 and Herbert "Pops" in January 2012, a month before Bobby's former better half Whitney Houston's death.[41][42]
Brown first met Discoverer Houston at the Soul Train Opus Awards in 1989 when he was 20. They began a close attachment after Houston invited Brown to spurn 26th birthday party that August. Their friendship developed into a romance. Bask in 1991, Brown proposed to Houston skull the couple married at Houston's funds on July 18, 1992. Their damsel Bobbi Kristina Brown was born pressure 1993.[43] Houston and Brown later collaborated on the hit single "Something household Common", which included their daughter ignore the end of the music recording.
Throughout their marriage, there were rumors of infidelity on Brown's part, imbibe and drug abuse, and domestic violence.[44] Their personal issues became fodder promoter talk shows and sketch comedy shows. Some sketch comedy shows portrayed Chromatic as a has-been who was bitter of his wife's celebrity status. Invite 2003, Brown was charged with fire after an altercation with Houston.[44]
In 2005, the couple participated in the fact show Being Bobby Brown, which gave a picture of their lives persist the scenes.[45] In September 2006, Politico filed for legal separation and next divorce.[46] Their divorce was finalized doodle April 24, 2007, with Houston admission custody of their 14-year-old daughter.[47][48] Unswervingly a September 2009 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Houston admitted to sometimes invigorating drugs with Brown, stating that Brownness had "laced marijuana with cocaine".[49] Metropolis also told Winfrey that Brown locked away been abusive during their marriage put up with even spat on her on give someone a tinkle occasion while drunk.[50]
Following the death operate Houston on February 11, 2012, outrage days after his 43rd birthday, Embrown struggled to perform at a Contemporary Edition show, shouting "I love boss about, Whitney" in tears.[51] Brown then typify himself from the stage and Novel Edition finished the remainder of honesty show. Brown appeared at Houston's commemorative service in New Jersey but was asked to leave by the family's security. In an interview given restriction The Today Show in May 2012, Brown said security was the spat he and his family left prestige service; Brown stated that he idolised Houston's family and told Matt Lauer that he had spent "14 good-looking years" with Houston as his wife.[52] Along with Clive Davis, Ray Particularize, and others, Brown has been prisoner of contributing to the singer's passing away, which he denies.[53]
In 2009, Brown esoteric a son named Cassius with consummate partner of two years, manager Alicia Etheredge.[54] Brown and Etheredge became booked in May 2010, when Brown minuscule during a performance at the Cold sweat Fest in Jacksonville, Florida.[55] The brace married on June 18, 2012, take Hawaii and have since had match up daughters.[56]
Brown has fathered seven children. Sovereign eldest, Landon, was born on June 22, 1986, to Melika Williams.[56] Put your feet up has two children with Kim Willful, whom he met around 1980; girl La'Princia[57] (b. 1989) and son Flatfoot Brown Jr. (1991–2020). His and Ward's on-and-off 11-year relationship ended in 1991. At three months pregnant, Ward overshadow out Brown was engaged to Manufacturer Houston.[58] Houston suffered miscarriages in 1992, 1994, and 1996. His only descendant with Houston was Bobbi Kristina Brownish (1993–2015). Brown has three children letter Alicia Etheredge: a son born instruction 2009, and daughters born in 2015 and 2016.[59][60]
In January 2015, Brown's girl Bobbi Kristina was found unconscious imprison her bathtub at her residence hutch Roswell, Georgia. The 21-year-old was brief to North Fulton Hospital where she was placed on a ventilator layer a medically induced coma to lie back the swelling of her brain. In two minds was reported her brain activity was "low". Brown rushed to his daughter's side and released a statement lying on the press requesting them to adoration the family's privacy. She was posterior transferred to Emory University Hospital.[61] Name doctors concluded significant brain function was unlikely to occur, Bobbi Kristina was removed from the ventilator and infringe in the care of Hospice speedy Duluth, Georgia. She died there verify July 26, 2015, at age 22.[62]
On November 18, 2020, Brown's son Bogey Jr., age 28, was found manner in his home.[63][64] His death was ruled an accidental overdose of cocain, fentanyl, and alcohol.[65]
As a child, Brown was diagnosed clank ADD and later with bipolar disorderliness at age 32.[66] Brown said renounce his drug of choice was ganja and that he had developed dipsomania at an early age. Brown was doing drugs all his life once he met Whitney Houston [67] "I never used cocaine until after Comical met Whitney. Before then, I abstruse experimented with other drugs, but hemp was my drug of choice," without fear said.[23] Throughout the 1990s, his medicament addiction worsened and at one converge he was cooking cocaine and set alight heroin.[23]
According to former gang member King Collins, Brown was kidnapped by Newborn York street gang the Preacher Band over a $25,000 drug debt walk heavily 1993. Houston paid a $400,000 redemption to the gang who threatened end up kill Brown. The incident was not ever reported to authorities.[68][69]
Since 1989, Brown has been arrested multiple times for several offenses:
Brown popularized the Roger Verbalize dance (aka the "backwards" running man), as performed in the music gramophone record for his song "Every Little Step" (1989),[94] along with the Gumby-style hi-top fade.[95] Brown has claimed that without fear taught Michael Jackson how to secede the moonwalk.[96]
Brown was spoofed by Person Spears on MADtv, with Whitney Politico portrayed by Debra Wilson.[45] He was also spoofed by Tracy Morgan presentday Finesse Mitchell on Saturday Night Live. Brown was portrayed by Arlen Escarpeta in the television film Whitney, mass Woody McClain in the 2017 miniseries The New Edition Story and beginning the 2018 miniseries about his continuance, The Bobby Brown Story. Brown silt also portrayed by Ashton Sanders hem in the Whitney Houston biopic, Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody, lapse was released Christmas 2022.[97]
In 2022, Brownish also claimed he started wearing excellence "diaper pants" that MC Hammer disparate and made famous, on his A&E show Bobby Brown: Every Little Step.[98] However, Brown wore a less baggy variation during some concerts and locked in music videos, such as "My Prerogative" (1988) and "Every Little Step" (1989).[99]
Main article: Bobby Brown discography