Chris Brown: 30 Facts You Didn’t Know About Breezy

Despite his troubled past, there are a few interesting things to know about the talented artist that is Chris Brown.

Little did you know that he owns 14 Burger King restaurants, a record label and a clothing line. Or that he once got a telephone call from Michael Jackson and even produced a movie. Believe it or not, there’s a lot more to Breezy than just his ex-girlfriends like Rihanna or Karrueche…

Scroll through these Chris Brown facts and learn a little more about the R&B superstar…

1. Chris Brown has a Sister

…and she keeps under wraps. Breezy’s sister is called Lytrell Bundy and is commonly known as “Tootie”. According to News Swirl, Lytrell is 36 years-old and is a banker at her local bank in Virginia. Although Tootie stays out of the spotlight, she was once spotted with her brother in a behind-the-scenes video for Gimmie That.

2. He Witnessed a Suicide

Sounds traumatizing? Sure was! Chris revealed to US Weekly that he witnessed a family member attempt suicide when he was just 6-years-old. That must have scarred Breezy for life. We hope his relative made it through…

3. Chris was Part of Church Choir

Chris must have built up his sensational vocals at his church choir. Apparently the star was a regular church goer in his hometown, Virgina, and also took part in several talent shows.

4. He Had an Abusive Stepfather

Chris recalls being terrified of his abusive stepfather whilst growing up. He even remembers his stepfather making his mom’s nose bleed, and all Chris could do was cry. With a troubled home life, Chris still went on to become a superstar…

5. Chris Brown had a Stage Name

Before fame, Chris used the stage name “C-Syzle”. After getting signed, he decided to be recognized by his real name. Can you imagine if we knew Chris as “C-Syzle”?  Now that sounds cheesy. We prefer “Breezy”…

6. He was Discovered in a Gas Station

Good things happen when you least expect it. Chris Brown would agree! Can you believe he was discovered in a gas station?! Chris was only 13-years-old when a production team who was looking for new talent came across his great vocals. Who knew he would end up becoming one of the biggest-selling male artists in the world!

7. Chris Rejected L.A Reid

At the young age of only 15, Chris Brown was offered a recording contract by L.A Reid’s Def Jam. Chris rejected it and chose to work with Jive Records instead.

8. He Dropped Out of School Early

Once Chris was signed by Jive Records, he decided to drop out of school so he could pursue his career in music. At only 16-years-old, Breezy was on his way to becoming a major superstar. I guess that decision certainly paid off! He still had private tutoring though!

9. Chris Brown is an Actor, Too!

That’s right. Not only can Chris Brown sing and dance like a pro, he can act like one, too! Breezy has starred in a couple of movies including Stop the Yard, Takers and This Christmas as well as television series such as The O.C and an episode of Sesame Street!

10. He has Produced a Movie

Not only did Breezy star alongside Matt Gillon, Idris Elba and T.I as bank robber Jesse Attica in the movie, Takers, he was also one of the film’s executive producers. Chris’ talent is undeniably endless!

11. Chris Bought his Mom a $1 Million House

You’d think it took years for Chris to financially support his loved ones. Nope. Breezy gifted his mother with a $1 million house aged 15 years-old!

12. He Was Telephoned by Michael Jackson

Not only is Chris Brown one of Michael Jackson’s biggest fans, he even received a telephone call from him! The King of Pop called to tell him he was a fan of his song, Shortie Like Mine. It’s not everyday your idols give you a buzz!

13. Breezy is Trained in Martial Arts

…and boxing! The singer told Giant magazine that he had studied martial arts, which he once used to defend himself in a fight with classmates. He also learnt to use it for stunt scenes in the movie, Takers. 

14. He Owns Burger King Restaurants

That’s right! Chris Brown owns 14 Burger King restaurants! Now that’s something you didn’t expect from the Run It singer. According to the Burger King website, franchisees must have a minimum net worth of $1.5 million and $500,000 in liquid assets. Chris’s net worth is at $22 million which pretty much makes sense why he thought of investing in the food chain…

15. Chris is a Graffiti Artist

It’s no coincidence that one of his albums is titled Graffiti. Chris Brown loves to paint murals and donates most of the profits to charity. This guy’s talent is seriously unlimited!

16. He has Over 50 Tattoos

It’s safe to say Breezy is one of the most tatted celebrities out there. Almost every inch of his body is inked up. Chris apparently has over 50 tattoos. They include a lion on his neck, a snake on his back, an “X” on his foot, and an unknown woman on the side of his neck which many assumed depicted Rihanna.

17. Chris Owns a Record Label

Chris Brown wanted to help singers reach stardom by opening his own record label. He founded CBE in 2007 under Interscope records which signed Kevin McCall, Sabrina Antoinette and Sevyn Streeter…

18. He’s Written Songs for Major Artists

Chris doesn’t only write his own songs, he’s even scratched up the lyrics to other singers’ tracks too. They include Jennifer Lopez’ Same Girl, Rita Ora’s Body on Me, Mary J Blige’s Stronger and many more!

19. Chris Brown Only Owns One Grammy

Crazy, right? Although he has been nominated numerous times, Chris Brown has only ever won one Grammy award throughout his successful career. The 2012 Grammy Award was for the Best R&B album for F.A.M.E. I don’t know about you, but Breezy certainly deserves more than one Grammy. Despite his personal issues, the guy is super talented.

20. He has a Clothing Line

He’s a singer, a dancer, an actor and he owns 14 Burger King restaurants. What else could Chris possibly do, right? Believe it or not, the singer owns a clothing line called Black Pyramid which includes unique jerseys, bombers, racing jacks, t-shirts and more! What’s crazy? His line made a whooping $4 million in its first year!

21. Several Companies Dropped him After Rihanna Assault

On February 8, 2009, Chris and his then-girlfriend, Rihanna, had an argument which escalated into physical violence. This argument left Rihanna with visible facial injuries which required hospitalization. Following his arrest, Chris was dropped by many commercial ads and his music was pulled from multiple radio stations. Soon after and until today, Chris deems the incident as his “deepest regret”. In 2013, Rihanna forgave Chris Brown and the two started dating again for a few months.

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22. He’s the Only Singer to Have a Number One Record in Jail

Despite this celebrity’s criminal offence, his talent never went unnoticed. Chris’ track, Loyal went to number one in 2014 while he was locked up in jail. In fact, he’s the only artist to have a number one on the Billboards list whilst sitting behind bars!

23. Chris Brown Fought with Drake and Frank Ocean

In 2012, Chris and Drake clashed in a nightclub leaving Chris being treated in hospital with a bloody chin. Listed as one of the most shocking celebrity beefs, the events allegedly broke out after Chris sent a bottle of champagne to Drake’s table as a peace offering after several feuds. Drake supposedly refused Chris’ gift and returned a note stating “I’m f****** the love of your life [Rihanna], deal with it”

Not just that. In 2013, Chris was rumored to have punched Frank Ocean outside a recording studio over a parking spot in West Hollywood. EEK!

24. He Went to Rehab

In late 2013, Chris voluntarily entered rehab to “gain insight into his past and recent behavior.” Things didn’t turn out too well when the singer allegedly got kicked out for smashing his mother’s car window during a family session. He was then ordered by a judge to enter into another rehab program.

25. An Obsessed Fan Broke Into his Home

Fans can be freaky! A 21-year-old woman broke into Breezy’s home and vandalized it in May 2015 while he was away. Chris took to Instagram to talk about the incident describing how the fan wrote “I love you” on the walls, cooked up some food in the kitchen and painted her name on his cars. The crazy lady was later charged with burglary, vandalism and stalking. DAMN!

26. Chris’ House was Robbed

Can Chris ever catch a break? Just two months after having a stalker break into his home, Chris’ house was robbed. A group of gunmen reportedly stole money and valuables and allegedly forced his aunty (who was home at the time) into a closet.

27. He was Framed By a Beauty Queen

It’s just one thing after the other for Chris! A lying beauty queen almost landed Breezy in jail again! In 2016, Chris was arrested after an 11 hour stand-off with police. The woman claimed that Chris was threatening her with a gun at his house. After being released, it was revealed that the so-called beauty queen ‘had a history of making up death threats’ and “the allegations are not just false but fabricated.”

28. Chris Has a Beautiful Daughter

Other than talking to a pastor, there’s something else that keeps Chris going – his daughter. As many already know, Breezy has a gorgeous daughter named Royalty whom he had with Nia Guzman, a woman he briefly dated a few years ago. In May 2016, Chris won joint custody of his daughter Royalty. He regularly boasts about his love for her on Instagram and even named his latest album, Royalty after her.

29. He Often Talks to a Pastor

Chris lets his frustrations out on a pastor. He talks to a minister twice a week which helps him cope with all the negativity in his life. Stay strong, Breezy!

30. Chris is Banned From Entering Australia and England

After the incident with Rihanna, Chris Brown was banned from entering Australia and the United Kingdom. He was forced to cancel world tours in the U.K and was denied a visa to enter the country “on the grounds of being guilty of a serious criminal offence”. In 2015, Chris had to cancel his tour in Australia and New Zealand after immigration officials refused to grant him a work visa for the same reasons.

Chris Brown isn’t just the bad boy the media makes him out to be. He’s multi-talented, he’s hard-working and he’s a devoted dad. Can you look beyond Breezy’s unruly past and simply see him as a talented artist? Let us know in the comments below…

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