“Chris Brown Hits Women. Enough Said.” Music Critics Bash Breezy’s New Album

July 31st, 2012 - By Alissa Henry

Source: Billboard.com

More than three years after Chris Brown famously beat down his then-girlfriend Rihanna, in the eyes of music critics charged with reviewing his albums, the 23-year-old’s fortune still hasn’t changed.

Recently, the R&B singer released his fifth studio album Fortune. Normally, music critics review an album by waxing eloquent about the lyrics, melodies, vocals, production, etc. For Chris Brown’s new album though, Cityreview’s Chad Taylor simply had this to say:

Source: twitter.com/ChadTaylor

“Chris Brown hits women. Enough said.”

That was all he wrote!

Chad wasn’t the only music critic to use the opportunity to tell us he really feels about Chris Brown. As Take 40.com reported, in a scathing “No Stars Ever” review, Chloe Papas took a cue from the black belt’s treatment of Rihanna and held no punches:

“Chris Brown has released his fifth studio album — a 19-track repugnant record that we can only hope will be his last!”

“The whole album is skitzy and has two themes: unprotected sex is super fun and partying is cool.”

“Regardless of whether Chris Brown has any musical talent (he doesn’t) or whether this album is any good (it isn’t), the man recently brutally assaulted a woman, and is still regularly invited back to award shows and worshipped by ‘Breezy’ fans worldwide. Which is, frankly, disgusting… Final words: don’t buy this album.”

Countless other publications reviewed Chris’s album including CNN, LA Times, Billboard Magazine and HipHop DX. Though most steered clear of making the 2009 incident their focus, not a single review failed to mention Rihanna.

Telling readers “Don’t buy it”, Time Magazine’s Melissa Locker had this to say:

[...]

With his track record, some fans may hesitate to plunk down cash for Brown’s latest album, Fortune. However, a truly great album could push wavering fans to pay, despite their trepidations about supporting Brown himself. Fortune, however, is not a great album. It has a few stand-out tracks that show Brown’s potential as an artist, but for the most part, the album is boring. It manages to combine elements of electronic dance music, dubstep and R&B with talented producers, skilled guest stars and a huge budget to create one of the blandest R&B albums in recent memory.

But being boring is not the worst thing about the album. Writing an album of love songs when you’re on probation for beating your famous girlfriend is nothing short of hubris, and like most Greek heroes it’s also Brown’s fatal flaw. The cycle of domestic violence is marked by something that the domestic abuse community calls “the honeymoon phase.” It’s a period after a violent outburst that is marked by apologies and promises that it will never happen again, or that the abuser will do his or her best to change. This album feels like Chris Brown’s musical equivalent of a honeymoon phase, except for the fact that it’s completely remorseless.

Brown seems so determined to ignore his past crimes that his album comes across as brash at best and, at worst, insulting. The end result is retch-inducing lyrics set to a party beat.

Chris Brown may elicit more sympathy if he didn’t continue making headlines for his controversial behavior following the horrific 2009 incident. It seems every other day, he is into something else. Clearly from his Fortune record sales though, he still has fans — probably an equal amount as the people who don’t like him. For her part, Rihanna never seemed to hate him for what he did, but maybe she found it easy to quickly forgive him because so much of the public clearly hasn’t.

What do you think of these Chris Brown Fortune reviews? Do you think it’s time to review his music without bringing up the Rihanna incident?

Follow Alissa on Twitter @AlissaInPink

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Injynqbs

Why do people act like Chris is the 1st person to go through this? What about RiRi’s part in this? People weren’t saying anything when they were bouncing around to her “S&M” track. I think of Sean Penn striking Madonna back in the 80s and he still is a fairly popular actor and no one brings that up everytime he puts a movie out. I mean he wasn’t Ike Turner for crying out loud. Also as I was listening to another Trey Songz track (I’m a fan yes) but I am starting to wonder how much longer before his wang falls off. That is what black/urban audiences are feeding into. The artists are only putting out what people “want”. Point is these incidences occurred before Chris and we’ll probably still hear about them in the future as well.
Diana

Social media has been the only means he has used since 09 to rech his fans. He can’t afford not to use social media as he does not do interviews.
1) He is young and the racist media is trying to destroy not only his music career but his self-image & self-esteem as a young black man. Sorry but it would mae me a bit crazy too.
2) Hs voice is just fine. He doesn’t need to sound like Adele or any of the white singers the media praise all day everyday. He has a nice voice IMO perhaps frank Ocean and his freak show is more your speed?
3) Chris writes and co-writes his music. You obviouly have not listened to Fortune. Might I suggest: Don’t Judge Me, Free Run, Wait For You, 4-Years-Old, Stuck On Stupid, & Remember My Name.
- http://www.facebook.com/people/Ebony-Anderson/1282631184 Ebony Anderson
  
  As I said he acts a damn fool on social media..”# Fortune Block Party” Cussing and carrying on? If he can’t reign himself in he needs to get off of twitter.
  
  His voice is nasal and lacks depth control & quality. He relies to heavily on auto tune. That is my take on his voice
  
  As for his songs just because he writes them that doesn’t make them good.
  I am into lyrics and artistry.
  
  As per your suggestion I listened to “4 years old” did not move me. It actually came across as a shallow person’s attempt at depth. The vocal were just okay. even with the mentioned auto tune.
  
  As a 32 year old woman I find his style on and off stage childish. A lyricist in my mind is Stevie Wonder. Michael Jackson (his IDOL) Breathed his entire soul into every lyric he sang and every dance he did. That is why he is the greatest. And Marvin Gaye could sing the most sexual of lyrics and still leave a woman feeling like a woman instead of a ho. None of which Chris Brown does.
  These are my opinions. They are just as valid as yours. By the way, My father is a classical/ Jazz pianist. There is no shortage of music to which I am exposed. Just because I don’t like something it doesn’t mean I am ignorant. I just don’t like it.
cleojonesin

I was upset about the album reviews at first too until I saw where Chris Brown was blocking his fans on twitter b/c he didn’t get better album sales. Dude is an a-whole & I totally believe in karma. I do think the media judges black men way harsher than they than do white men, they get labeled ‘bad boys’ while black men labeled ‘thugs’. I also feel like CB needs to take some responsibility though. I will not support someone who shows absolutely no remorse.
- Cammy
  
  That’s not true stop spreading lies. He blocked ppl that claimed to be fans but never had a supportive thing to say about him or his music. I hate when ppl get half a story then start spreading the news like a twisted nosy neighbor.
Guest

As evident from the comments, Chris Brown will remain successful due to self-hating black women. The only problem many black women have with Chris Brown beating Rhianna is that he wasn’t beating their asses. May those black women remain with and find abusive black men to “love” them. Cheers to their black eyes/broken bones, dysfunctional children, cries of racism, calls for forgiveness and reminders to others that God loves sinners too. Lets just hope black women who love battering black men are alive to tell us how wrong society is for incarcerating, misunderstanding, failing to support and criticizing their “men”.
- TRUTH TELLER
  
  WHY DO BACK GIRLS IN TEAMBREEZY DEFEND CHRIS? HE SURROUNDS HIM SELF WITH ASIAN SPANISH AND WHITE GIRLS. HE CANNOT STAND DARK SKIN BLACKS AND YET THE DARK SKIN FEMALES ARE HIS BIGGEST DEFENDERS. HE ONLY CARES ABOUT THEM BUYING HIS MUSIC AND GETTING RICH. LOOK AT THE LEADING LADIES IN HIS VIDEOS ARE WHITE GIRLS. DON’T BLAME WHITE PEOPLE BECAUSE CHRIS BROWN LOVES HIS WHITE CRITICS AND THEIR WHITE DAUGHTERS.
- Jax
  
  Ignorant comment from a loser with no self-esteem. Stop projecting your self-loathing onto others. Chris Brown was a kid. He has had no such incident since. I’m not female but I forgive him eventhough its not my place. I’m not God!
  - Truth
    
    What an insightful comment from a potential(and/or practicing) batterer! Anyone who idolizes Chris Brown needs therapy.
http://www.facebook.com/cici.sey Charlotte Laurence

Seriously?? people needa learn to let this ishh go. Yes he did bash rihanna, but he still makes perfectly good music! What about all the rappers and artist that release songs/albums degrading women?

If Rihanna aint even bothered about this now, why does the rest of the world care?
DoinMe

The white media has it in for Chris. They’re mad that his career survived the Rihanna incident and won’t be satisfied until he’s either jailed or dead. They did the same thing to OJ and MJ.
Gimmeabreak78

Girl, you said it!
Chassie

I don’t see why his beating of Rihanna has anything to do with his album, so I do believe the critic’s were wrong for that. That being said, it would be a lot easier for people to give Chris Brown second chances if he didn’t keep ruining them. He has to be on his 7th chance by now. Perhaps if he had decided to spend the time after the incident being remorseful and actually maturing into an adult, the world could forgive his juvenile indiscretion. However, it seems like he is becoming increasingly juvenile. I don’t even have a twitter and I am aware of his behavior. Until he shows some maturity, Chris will remain the media’s favorite target. His punishment might not seem fair but then he could have avoided that by not doing the crime. Just because Rihanna has forgiven Chris doesn’t mean the world is automatically going to, it is what it is. Finally, talented in dancing Chris is, but in singing, OK at most. I was hoping after F.A.M.E. he’d continue to prosper and improve in his career, but his product and attitude are unfortunately worsening.
- Diana
  
  No, if you think about it everything you have heard negative about Chris has either been untrue or overblown by the media. 1) Drake attacked CB, Tony Parker and several women yet the media managed to make it about CB, Drake & Rihanna. 2) They claim he mad a homophobic remark about frank Ocean because he allagedly used the term no homo. Come to find out that’s not true. The medi has it in for chris brown ans wont be happy until he is outof the music industry, on drugs or dead!

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