We are living in a time when movements like #MeToo and Time’s Up have taken over social media, and victims have been able to share their stories to the world. Powerful people like Harvey Weinstein, R. Kelly and Bill Cosby are forced to face the repercussions of their actions. However, there are some celebrities who still seem to be getting away with it, such as Chris Brown. For over two decades, R. Kelly has brought a lot of people joy through his beautiful voice. He sang “I Believe I Can Fly” which is an anthem for a lot of people, as well as “Ignition” which is a classic party song. However, he recently made headlines after a documentary was released, exposing his long history of sexual abuse, manipulation, child pornography and more.
While his record is not as long as R. Kelly, Chris Brown has a long history of abusing women as well. Brown’s abusive tendencies first broke the news on February 8, 2009 when he abused Rihanna the night before the Grammy Awards. One of their fights resulted in Brown hitting her to the point where there was visible swelling and bruising on her face.
He has had several “altercations” with people such as Drake and Frank Ocean over silly things like a parking spot. He punched Frank Ocean and threatened to shoot him. Brown has been forced to enter rehab on court orders and has done some time in jail. Time and time again, he has been released on probation and community service which is not enough for all the issues he has caused. As of 2016, due to his criminal record, Brown is banned from entering Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. On January 22, 2019, he was arrested in Paris after being accused of aggravated rape on a 24 year-old woman. Yet he was released with no charges.
I may never know for sure which stories are true and which are simply rumors, but as a female who wants to empower other females, I choose to believe anyone who says she or he has been assaulted in any shape or form. People like Chris Brown, who have massive influence, should no longer have such big platforms. Whether it is hitting people such Rihanna or fighting with Frank Ocean, people like Brown need to face the consequences of their actions because Time’s Up. His money gets him out of everything and it needs to end.
A more detailed history of Chris Brown’s history with the law is linked here.