The new era’s “King of R&B” title is always heavily debated, but Chris Brown’s name is always at the forefront of the discussion. He’s been famous since he was a young teen, getting his start around the age of 16. Early on, label executives saw the potential based off of Brown’s singing and dancing ability. He signed with Jive Records at the top of the 2000s and released his multiplatinum, self-titled debut album in 2005. The project peaked at No. 2 on Billboard’s 200 chart and its lead single, “Run It,” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Over the next decade, CB continued to show promise as a young legend. After being nominated for Best New Artist by the Grammys in 2007, he got busy on an acting front, starring in movies like This Christmas and shows like The O.C. Musically, he toured with artists like Beyoncé, successfully collaborated with acts such as Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes (“Look At Me Now”), plus, he became a chart mainstay with Grammy award-winning LPs like F.A.M.E. and RIAA-certified tracks like “With You,” “Forever” and “Yeah x3,” among many others.

Though successful, Chris’ career has had some controversy as well. In 2009, he was charged with felony assault following a fight that he had with his then-girlfriend Rihanna. The two have since resolved their issues. And though some fans tried to cancel Chris, his impact in music has still been unerasable. From the late 2010s to early 2020s, he emptied his hard drive through projects like Indigo (2019) and has remained within the top 10 on Billboard with timeless tracks like “Go Crazy” with Young Thug.

All in all, Chris has nearly 100 RIAA certified songs, over 110 appearances on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (12 on the Billboard 200) and despite only having one win, over 20 Grammy nominations. That’s why he’s rightfully deemed by most as a legend in music.