Chris Brown

Foo Fighters, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne Recognize EDM At Grammys

13 Feb 2012 00:29:27 EST

David Guetta and Deadmau5 were also part of an all-star performance that paid tribute to EDM Sunday night.
By James Dinh

Foo Fighters perform at the 2012 Grammy Awards
Photo: Getty Images

EDM's road to the mainstream limelight hit a high on Sunday (February 12) when David Guetta, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, Deadmau5 and, most surprisingly, the Foo Fighters joined together at the 54th Grammy Awards to pay tribute to electronic music.

Introduced by host LL Cool J, Chris Brown made his way through a sea of audience members, donning his best Run DMC gear. Leaving the dancing to the crowd, Breezy crooned to the tune of his David Guetta collaboration "I Can Only Imagine" as the DJ/producer jumped behind his turntables set. But the star power didn't stop there: Lil Wayne appeared shortly after to spit his verse of the duet amid the flashing neon backdrop and jumping fans. Once the song ended, smoke filled the air and the other side of the stage lit up to reveal the Foo Fighters. As they previously revealed to MTV News, the rock group left the dancing to the pros and stuck to what they're good at: rocking out. Marking their second performance of the night, the band performed their single "Rope," before transitioning into Deadmau5's glow-in-the-dark light set. At the time of the performance, the Foos had already nabbed four awards, including Best Rock Song, Best Rock Album, Best Hard/Rock Metal Performance and Best Long Form Music Video. MTV News recently caught up with frontman Dave Grohl, who confessed that there isn't much of a gap between the Foos' rock and the electronic genre. Video: Watch Highlights From The 2012 Grammy Awards "Well, Deadmau5 is maybe the only EDM artist I know because we did a bunch of festivals over the summer, and for whatever reason, he would be headlining over there while we were headlining over here," Grohl said. "I guess people thought that our audiences would split, but our audiences are compatible in a way, because what he does ... rocks." What did you think of the EDM tribute performance? Share your reviews below. Stick with MTV News for all the news on the Grammy red-carpet fashion, Grammy winners and more until the hangover wears off!

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Chris Brown Returns To Grammys With Fancy Footwork

12 Feb 2012 21:06:09 EST

Chris Brown performed new single 'Turn Up the Music' and last year's 'Beautiful People' in his controversial return to the Grammys.
By Rob Markman

Chris Brown performs at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

Breezy's Back. With so many questions surrounding Chris Brown's controversial return to the Grammys, the F.A.M.E. singer simply let his feet do the talking. It was 2009 when Brown assaulted ex-girlfriend Rihanna a night before both were scheduled to appear at the 51st Grammy Awards. Sunday night (February 12), however, it was all about the music.

Fans may not have recognized the intro beat to "Turn Up the Music," Brown's first single from his upcoming fifth album, Fortune, but they're sure to be humming the tune tomorrow following Chris' colorful performance at Sunday's show. When the stage lit up, Brown stood atop a collection of colorful blocks that at times resembled the 1980s arcade game "Q-Bert." The electric-tuned, Underdogs-produced single filled Staples Center, as Brown, who was dressed in a white and gray varsity jacket, white pants and sparkling sneaks, kick-stepped up and down multiple levels of the high-rising stage prop. As the beat built, the blocks went from red to blue to yellow and green with building intensity before Brown switched gears and went into the more familiar dance single "Beautiful People" from last year's F.A.M.E. LP. The pop star got a bit daring, jumping across the structure while his backup dancers, who wore oversize winged ponchos, followed suit in a high-flying routine. In the end, there were no innuendos or screen cuts to Breezy's ex-flame Rihanna. Brown simply finished his number, stood triumphantly and saluted the crowd before taking a bow. What did you think of Chris Brown's Grammy performance? Tell us in the comments Stick with MTV News all for all the Grammy red-carpet fashion, Grammy winners and Grammy news until the hangover wears off!

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Chris Brown To Remain On Supervised Probation

10 Feb 2012 08:06:38 EST

Singer must finish community service under terms of 2009 plea deal.
By Gil Kaufman

Chris Brown
Photo: Getty Images

In a status hearing on Thursday in Los Angeles, a judge said that Chris Brown is doing a good job complying with the terms of his sentence for assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna in 2009, but that he must remain under the supervision of a probation officer for the time being.

According to the Associated Press, Brown was not in court for the hearing where his attorney asked that the singer's supervised probation end thanks to his good behavior. Superior Court judge George Lomeli, however, agreed with prosecutors, who argued that even with Brown's good marks to date, he should keep reporting to a probation officer in his home state, Virginia. Brown's attorney, Mark Geragos, attempted to end the probation, which is part of the sentence Brown received in June 2009 when he agreed to a plea deal  in which he plead guilty to one count of felony assault and was sentenced to 180 days of community labor and five years of probation. Geragos pointed to a probation report that said that Brown had been truthful with officers, passed all required drug tests and "has made great strides" while under probation. To date, Brown has completed half of the six months of roadside cleanup, graffiti removal and other manual labor he was ordered to do under the terms of the deal. But the AP reported that Lomeli didn't think it was unreasonable for Brown to say under supervision while he finishes the rest of his community service hours. The singer has already completed anger management and domestic violence counseling and a different judge in the case agreed last year to relax a restraining order that barred Brown and Rihanna from contacting each other or getting too close to one another at music industry events. The hearing came just days before Brown and Rihanna are slated to return to the Grammy stage  for the first time since the February 2009 assault. In advance, tongues have already begun wagging, with rumors flying last month that the exes have reunited recently and have been spending time together again.

Chaos! Profanity! Wardrobe malfunctions! Don't miss Sway and James Montgomery live from the Grammys red carpet this Sunday, February 12, for a full three hours of mayhem, starting at 5 p.m. ET on MTV.com. And the fun doesn't end Sunday: MTV News has you covered until the Grammy hangover wears off!

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Rihanna, Chris Brown Return To The Grammys: Three Years Later

09 Feb 2012 17:11:56 EST

With the once-troubled exes poised to return to Sunday's show, we look back on the assault that changed everything.
By Rebecca Thomas

Rihanna performs at the 2011 Grammys
Photo: Getty Images

They were R&B's answer to Britney and Justin. Young, gifted and famous, Rihanna and Chris Brown had become a favorite of the blogs and mags in 2008; pictures of them coupled up on the beach or just making a fast food run cropped up everywhere. Rihanna once remarked that Brown helped her to feel her age in a very grown-up industry. But everything changed on the night of February 7, 2009. Brown's assault on girlfriend Rihanna would change the career trajectories of both, catapulting one to superstardom and launching the other on an unlikely comeback trail. Three years later, with the two stars poised to return to the Grammy stage, MTV News looks back.

February 7, 2009: Rihanna hits the stage at a pre-Grammy party hosted by producer Timbaland in Los Angeles. The Bajan stunner performs her smash "Umbrella," among other tunes. Earlier that night, she's snapped looking cheerful with boyfriend Chris Brown at music honcho Clive Davis' annual Grammy bash. February 8, 2009: Reports surface that Brown and a female passenger was involved in a car accident. E! News confirms that neither Rihanna nor Brown will appear at the Grammy Awards ceremony that night; both were scheduled to perform. The Los Angeles Police Department begin investigating a felony battery report against the Virginia crooner. February 19, 2009: TMZ posts a gruesome photo of Rihanna taken by LAPD just after the February assault. The image of the singer — bruised, eyes swollen and mouth split — confirms what had been rumor up until then. Then-19-year-old Brown becomes the subject of public outrage. The backlash is only beginning, though, as radio stations across the country announce bans on Brown's music. June 22, 2009: Brown has been mostly quiet, on the advice, he says, of his representatives. In May, Vibe publishes a cover story, "Tainted Love," delving into how the young couple unraveled. It's a more nuanced portrait that describes both Brown's and Rihanna's upbringings in households rife with domestic violence. It's also announced that Brown will strike a plea deal giving him 180 days of community service. The same month, the "Forever" singer uploads a video apology to the Web: "I've told Rihanna countless times and I'm telling you today, I'm truly, truly sorry that I wasn't able to handle the situation both differently and better," he pleads. September 2, 2009: Brown tapes an interview with CNN's "Larry King Live." Accompanied by his attorney, the singer — seldom off-pitch onstage — struggles to strike the right chord. But even his unfortunate choice of neckwear comes under scrutiny. November 6, 2009: Rihanna sits down for a "20/20" special, detailing for anchor Diane Sawyer her assault at the hands of Brown. November 9, 2009: Rihanna tells MTV's Sway she doesn't want to be the "domestic-violence spokesperson." November 20, 2009: Rihanna drops the dark and introspective Rated R, sporting a razor-cut, tough-girl 'do on the album cover that sparks a frenzy of its own in Stateside hair salons. The LP is widely received as a rumination on her tragic relationship with Brown. May 17, 2010: Unofficially on ice with his label, Jive, Brown joins with homey and YMCMB rapper Tyga for the Fan of a Fan mixtape. The project yields slow-burning smash singles like "Deuces" and "No Bullsh--." February 10, 2011: Two years after the assault, the "Russian Roulette" singer agrees to loosen a restraining order against Brown. Breezy also earns high marks for progress from the judge in his ongoing probation case. November 12, 2011: Red-tressed Rihanna drops Loud, and the Grammy-nominated album is a sunny departure from the brooding R. That month she and Brown also take to their respective Twitter accounts and signal in a series of posts that they're ready to move on from the assault. March 22, 2011: Livid over questions about his relationship with ex Rihanna, Brown smashes a chair in an ABC green room after a "Good Morning America" interview. The outburst threatens to overshadow what will be a highly successful release, the F.A.M.E album. 2011: It's a year of triumphs for the former duo: From awards to VMA performances, Grammy nods and critical acclaim, the Rihanna Navy and Team Breezy rally behind their idols. January 19, 2012: After the blogosphere lights up with rumors that Rih and Brown are hooking up again, a rep for Brown denies the two have reunited, insisting the superstar exes are "just friends." Brown's representative also confirms he won't be doing any press this year. February 8, 2012: Recording Academy announces that Brown will perform at Sunday's show; Rihanna has been confirmed for a collabo with rockers Coldplay. The revelation sets up the potential for a public reunion. Chaos! Profanity! Wardrobe malfunctions! Don't miss Sway and James Montgomery live from the Grammys red carpet this Sunday, February 12, for a full three hours of mayhem, starting at 5 p.m. ET on MTV.com. And the fun doesn't end Sunday: MTV News has you covered until the Grammy hangover wears off!

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Chris Brown To Perform At Grammy Awards

07 Feb 2012 09:32:51 EST

Brown slated to take stage in first Grammy appearance since 2009 assault on Rihanna following a pre-Grammy party.
By Jocelyn Vena

Chris Brown - ama performance 2011
Photo: Kevin Winter/ AMA2011/ Getty Images

Chris Brown is ready to return to the Grammy Awards. Unnamed sources told The Associated Press that the singer will be one of the many performers taking the stage at Sunday's show. This will be Brown's first appearance at the Grammys since his 2009 assault on then-girlfriend Rihanna during Grammy weekend. That year both stars were scheduled to perform, but both canceled. Rihanna, however, has since appeared on the show.

Despite being nominated in years since, Brown has not attended the ceremony. The performance is not meant to be formally announced prior to the show. Brown is up for three Grammys, including Best R&B Album for his 2011 opus, F.A.M.E., as well as Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song for his track "Look at Me Now," which also features Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes. Rihanna is also slated to attend on Sunday. She's set to take the stage with Coldplay and is up for a handful of her own awards including Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Loud as well Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "What's My Name?" which features Drake. Rihanna and Brown have recently denied rumors that they are romantically involved. However, the twosome was spotted at the same Super Bowl party over the weekend in Los Angeles, though reportedly they didn't cross paths. Rihanna and Brown won't be the only two A-listers taking the stage at Sunday's show. Adele, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars, Kelly Clarkson, Jason Aldean and Nicki Minaj are also confirmed to perform live at the 54th annual awards show, which will be hosted by LL Cool J and take place in Los Angeles. Who would you like to see perform at the Grammy Awards? Leave your comment below. MTV News is all over the Grammys! Stick with us from now through Sunday's show as we bring you everything you need to know. And don't miss our pre-show live stream with all the celebs on the red carpet at 5 p.m. ET on MTV.com!

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Chris Brown 'This Generation's Michael Jackson,' Duo Say

31 Jan 2012 12:12:25 EST

'Turn Up the Music' producers the Underdogs say Breezy is 'the ultimate artist' on upcoming Fortune album.
By Rob Markman

Chris Brown
Photo: Mindy Small/ FilmMagic

The Underdogs are no strangers to hitmaking. For the production/songwriting duo of Harvey Mason Jr. and Damon Thomas — who have crafted songs for Britney Spears, Beyoncé and Mary J. Blige — their latest, Chris Brown's "Turn Up the Music," could be their biggest hit yet.

It isn't their first song with Breezy — the duo worked on his 2007 ballad "Take You Down" and his Jordin Sparks duet "No Air" — but on "Turn Up the Music," the first single from his fifth solo album, Fortune, they take things to new sonic heights. "He's so well-rounded, so versatile, he can really cover anything. He kills the uptempos, he can do the urban uptempo records, he could do the ballads, he could do the pop songs. You can really come to him with any record that you think is that hot," Mason told MTV News. "He is, for me right now and for many people, the ultimate artist. He's kinda this generation's Michael Jackson, if you will." On "Turn Up the Music," which will be on sale digitally February 14 on iTunes, the Underdogs laced Breezy with a super-charged dance groove in a similar vein to last year's hit "Yeah 3x." For Mason and Thomas, the inspiration for this record came from Brown's moves on the dance floor. "The inspiration was really him as an artist, visualizing how he dances and how he performs, and giving him something to match that energy," Mason said. This is the first taste we get from Breezy's upcoming Fortune, a companion album to 2011's F.A.M.E., and based on what they've already heard, the Underdogs expect some big things for the new album. "The Fortune record is F.A.M.E to the next level," Mason described. "Similar material, but he's really being innovative with some of the music that you haven't heard before, taking pieces of other genres and integrating them into pop and R&B, which I think is really cool. Vocally, he sounds amazing; he's really, really coming into his own as a singer." Thomas added: "The only way I can describe Chris and what he's doin' with this record that he's making is that he's this generation's Michael [Jackson]." Share your review of "Turn Up the Music" in the comments below!

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Chris Brown Drops New Single 'Turn Up The Music'

26 Jan 2012 14:30:51 EST

Brown revisits electronic-dance sound for first single from Fortune.
By Christina Garibaldi

Chris Brown's "Turn Up The Music"
Photo: RCA

Chris Brown is getting the club banging with "Turn Up the Music." The first single from Brown's upcoming album, Fortune, was released Thursday (January 26), and much like his 2010 hit "Yeah 3x," Brown revisits an electronic-dance sound that is destined to get people in the clubs and on the dance floor. The track, which was written and produced by the Underdogs and will be available at all digital music stores February 14, is a house-inspired song with a pulsing beat that has Breezy singing, "Turn up the music, 'cause the sun just came up/ Turn up the music if they try to turn us down/ Turn up the music, 'cause I'm trying to hear the speakers blow/ Turn up the music, fill your cup and drink it down," followed by repeated chants of "If you're sexy and you know it, put your hands up in the air."

With a release date for Fortune to be announced soon, Brown is in the studio putting the finishing touches on his fifth studio album, the follow-up to 2011's F.A.M.E. Back in October, Brown reached out to Team Breezy via Twitter, revealing a single from his upcoming album. "STRIP [from Brown's Boy in Detention mixtape] is one of the singles off of FORTUNE so request at RADIO!" Brown tweeted. Fans can't expect Brown to be doing much more than tweeting about this album: Earlier this month Brown's manager, Tina Davis, told Billboard magazine that the singer wouldn't be doing any interviews in 2012. "We're not trying to be rude, selfish or disrespectful to anyone in any way," she told the mag. "If people are going to judge anything, judge him for his talent. He signed up to sing and entertain, not to talk about his personal life." What do you think of "Turn Up the Music"? Share your reviews in the comments!

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Beyonce, Chris Brown, Emma Stone Nab NAACP Nods

20 Jan 2012 10:20:00 EST

NAACP Image Awards nominations also recognize 'Modern Family' and Bruno Mars.
By Jocelyn Vena

Beyonce
Photo: Getty

Beyoncé, Chris Brown and "The Help" star Emma Stone are among the A-listers who have nabbed NAACP Image Awards nods this year.

New mama Beyoncé — nominated for Best Music Video ("I Was Here"), Outstanding Song ("Best Thing I Never Had") and Outstanding Album (4) — is also up for Outstanding Female Artist with her "Dreamgirls" co-star Jennifer Hudson, Jill Scott, Ledisi and Mary J. Blige. Chris Brown, Common, Cee Lo Green, Bruno Mars and Anthony Hamilton will compete for Outstanding Male Artist. Diggy Simmons and Mindless Behavior are two of the newcomers in the Outstanding New Artist category, alongside Landau Eugene Murphy Jr., Wynter Gordon and Committed. "The Help" is up for Outstanding Motion Picture against "Tower Heist," "Jumping the Broom," "Pariah" and "The First Grader." Eddie Murphy ("Tower Heist"), Laurence Fishburne ("Contagion"), Laz Alonso ("Jumping the Broom"), Oliver Litondo ("The First Grader") and Vin Diesel ("Fast Five") will face off for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture. Meanwhile, in the Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture category, Emma Stone ("The Help") is alongside her co-star and Critics' Choice Movie Awards winner Viola Davis as well as Adepero Oduye ("Pariah"), Paula Patton ("Jumping the Broom") and Zoe Saldana ("Colombiana"). Golden Globe winner and GLAAD Awards nominee "Modern Family" will compete for Outstanding Comedy Series with "Reed Between the Lines," "The Game," "Tyler Perry's House of Payne," and "Love That Girl!" On the other end of the spectrum, Outstanding Drama Series, nominees include "Boardwalk Empire," "Grey's Anatomy," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "The Good Wife" and "Treme." The show aims to "celebrate the accomplishments of people of color in the fields of television, music, literature and film, and also honors individuals or groups who promote social justice through creative endeavors." A full list of nominees can be found on the NAACP Image Awards website. The winners will be announced live February 17 on NBC. Who will you be rooting for? Share your picks below!

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Chris Brown Denies Rihanna Relationship Rumors

19 Jan 2012 10:23:10 EST

'He and Rihanna are just friends,' Brown's rep tells ABC News of hookup rumors.
By Jocelyn Vena

Photo: Rick Diamond/WireImage

Nearly three years after Chris Brown assaulted then girlfriend Rihanna, rumors have spread that the two have been hooking up for the past year. But Brown's rep has stoutly denied there is any truth to the gossip. "He and Rihanna are just friends," his rep tells ABC News. "He is with his girlfriend, Karrueche, and is not cheating."

Sources told Us Weekly that the former couple "meet up very casually," adding, "She comes to see him anytime she's in L.A." Other sources say that "they can't get enough of each other. I don't see it ending well." "Rihanna loves to live dangerously," another source added. "And talking to and hooking up with Chris is all part of that." While Brown is speaking out against the report, instead of responding to the rumors, Rihanna has been posting a series of vacation photos on her Twitter. In them, she's seen posing on the beach in her bikini, hanging with her friends on a surfboard and working out on a treadmill. Rihanna has also been focusing on the positive, which includes another week at the top of the charts for her Calvin Harris-produced track, "We Found Love." She's also set to perform with Coldplay at the Grammy Awards on February 12. She appears on their Mylo Xyloto track, "Princess of China." "My friends @ColdPlay and I will be sharing the stage for a performance at this years Annual Grammy Awards!" Rihanna tweeted Wednesday night, later adding, "I'm in a great mood, and I got some GREAT NEWS!!! PRINCESS OF CHINA #GRAMMYS2012." Do you believe the hookup rumors? Sound off below!

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Chris Brown Is The Male Beyonce, Fat Joe Says

09 Jan 2012 16:42:43 EST

'You know, he's a sex symbol,' Joe Crack tells MTV News.
By Rob Markman

Fat Joe
Photo: MTV News

When it comes to Fat Joe's "Another Round" collaborator, Chris Brown, the Bronx MC holds the singer to a high standard. Breezy doesn't just bring his soulful vocals and soothing melodies to Joe's track, his appearance in the Colin Tilley-directed video also provides some eye candy for the ladies. "You know, that guy, he's like the 'guy Beyoncé,' " Joe joked to MTV News last week. In the clip, CB and a slimmed-down Joe Crack serenade a number of bikini-clad beauties on a golden beach. "Don't you be holding back your love," Breezy sings on the hook before assuring his lady that after making love with him she's sure to want "another round."

Brown really gets into it on the song's bridge and final hook. The blond (again) lothario splashes around in the ocean, tearing off his shirt as he puts more emotion into his vocals. Joe likened Brown's performance in "Another Round" to Queen B's performance in her 2006 video for "Déjà Vu," where she runs through a cornfield while singing for her special someone. Like most Beyoncé videos, the visuals were particularly exciting to her male fanbase. Joe said Breezy's "Another Round" appearance has been evoking a similar reaction with the rapper's female following. "This guy takes his shirt off — I played it for a couple of chicks before we released it and they just start goin' crazy and buggin' out like, 'Oh my God, yo,' " Joe laughed. "You know, he's a sex symbol." Do you agree with Fat Joe comparing Chris Brown's sex appeal to Beyoncé's? Tell us in the comments!

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