Chris Brown Hires Armed Guards To Protect His Home

In a bizarre turn of events, Chris Brown is stuck in the Philippines--at last check, he was being held until he paid promoters for no-showing at a scheduled appearance last New Years Eve. This news comes just a day after the singer had yet another emotional tirade on Instagram (this time, it was about how his "soul will always be pure of heart"). That said, if there's ever a time to cut Brown some slack, it would be now, in the wake of a home invasion that saw his aunt held at gunpoint by a group of armed men. Authorities first thought that the burglars, who ransacked the California house, were working in conjunction with a club promoter to retrieve a $50,000 cash payment for an appearance. However, that theory was quickly revised, with the LAPD dispatching its gang unit to the case; law enforcement sources suggest the culprits might be Bloods who are close to Brown. (Whoever was behind the invasion had enough knowledge of Brown's financial situation to look specifically for the aforementioned bundle of cash.)

To combat this, the "Loyal" star has hired a new armed security detail. TMZ reports that Brown will now have 24-hour protection, with one armed guard inside his home and another waiting in a vehicle outside. Sources from his camp say that he has also made the resolution to allow fewer people into his home. That dynamic--of hangers-on who financially depend on him for their livelihood--has been a source of friction between Brown and his mother.