Bobby Brown
Robert Barisford Brown Sr. (born February 5, 1969)[4] is an American singer, songwriter, and dancer. Brown, alongside frequent collaborator Teddy Riley, is noted as one of the pioneers of new jack swing: a fusion of hip hop and R&B. Brown started his career in the R&B and pop group New Edition, from its inception in 1978[2] until his exit from the group in December 1985.[5]
For other people named Bobby Brown, see Bobby Brown (disambiguation).
Bobby Brown
Once he started a solo career, Brown enjoyed commercial and critical success with his second album Don't Be Cruel (1988) which spawned five Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles, including the number one hit "My Prerogative", and the Grammy Award–winning "Every Little Step".[6] In 1989, Brown contributed two songs to the soundtrack of Ghostbusters II. Brown's next album Bobby (1992) spawned several singles including "Humpin' Around", "Get Away", and "Good Enough". However, despite going 3× Platinum, sales of Bobby did not reach the level of its predecessor. In 1992, Brown married Whitney Houston, with whom he later had a daughter named Bobbi Kristina Brown. The couple's drug issues and domestic disputes made them tabloid fodder.[7]
Brown also appeared in the films A Thin Line Between Love and Hate and Two Can Play That Game. He returned to New Edition for a reunion album and tour from 1996 to 1997, and returned with all six members for another stint in 2005. Brown and Houston starred in the 2005 reality show Being Bobby Brown. Houston, who filed for divorce two years later in 2007, died in 2012, followed by the death of their daughter in 2015.
Early life[edit]
Brown was born in Boston, Massachusetts,[4] as one of eight children. His mother Carole Elizabeth (born Williams) was a substitute teacher, and his father Herbert James Brown was a construction worker.[8][9] Brown grew up in Roxbury's Orchard Park Projects.[10][11][12] Brown's first taste of being onstage occurred when he was three and one of his childhood idols, James Brown, performed in Boston. This performance sparked a dream of becoming a singer. Brown joined the church choir, where he recognized and developed his singing abilities. Brown's musical influences also include Rick James, Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, and Prince.[13]
Acting and television career[edit]
Brown made his acting debut with a cameo appearance in the 1989 film, Ghostbusters II, playing the Mayor's doorman. The following year, he appeared in the HBO kids show, Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme playing all three characters of Three Blind Mice. In 1995, he made another guest appearance in the film, Panther, and had a major role in the Martin Lawrence film, A Thin Line Between Love and Hate. Brown made other guest appearances in the films Two Can Play That Game, Gang of Roses, Nora's Hair Salon and Go for Broke.
In 2005, Brown was in negotiations with the Bravo television network for a reality series entitled Being Bobby Brown. Bravo, however, was not ready to commit to the deal unless Brown's superstar wife Whitney Houston agreed to be part of the cast, which she did. The show then received the greenlight from Bravo and was a massive success in the ratings, with Houston proving so popular on the series that she received as much screen time as the show's name-sake. The series showed Brown and Houston not always in their best moments. The Hollywood Reporter said that the show was "undoubtedly the most disgusting and execrable series ever to ooze its way onto television".[31] Despite the perceived train-wreck nature of the show, it continued Houston's unbroken string of hit motion pictures and television projects, and it gave Bravo its highest ratings ever of any of its ongoing series.[32] The show lasted one season and ended in 2006 after Houston stated she would not appear in season two and Bravo and Brown could not settle on a new deal.
In June 2007, Brown took part in the ITV television series 24 Hours With..., a chat show format as celebrity and interviewer spend an intense 24 hours locked in a room together. The show's host, Jamie Campbell, asked Brown questions about his career and private life, and infamously joked about making "sexual moves" towards the singer. Brown was furious and threatened to beat Campbell up live on air.[33] Brown's later tenures in reality shows included appearances on Real Husbands of Hollywood, Celebrity Fit Club and Gone Country.
In 2021, Brown competed in season five of The Masked Singer as the wild card contestant "Crab". At one point after performing Rick James's song "Give It to Me Baby", Brown had to be briefly taken to his dressing room when he became overheated and short of breath in his costume. He was later eliminated on Week 7 alongside Tamera Mowry as "Seashell".
In May 2022, Biography: Bobby Brown and Bobby Brown: Every Little Step began airing on A&E.[34][35] Brown is an executive-producer of both the documentary-style and reality television series about his life.[36][37]
In popular culture[edit]
Brown popularized the Roger Rabbit dance (aka the "backwards" running man),[94] as performed in the music video for his song "Every Little Step" (1989),[95] along with the Gumby-style hi-top fade.[96] Brown has claimed that he taught Michael Jackson how to do the moonwalk.[97]
Brown was spoofed by Aries Spears on MADtv, with Whitney Houston portrayed by Debra Wilson.[45] He was also spoofed by Tracy Morgan and Finesse Mitchell on Saturday Night Live. Brown was portrayed by Arlen Escarpeta in the television film Whitney, by Woody McClain in the 2017 miniseries The New Edition Story and in the 2018 miniseries about his life, The Bobby Brown Story. Brown is also portrayed by Ashton Sanders in the Whitney Houston biopic, Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody, that was released Christmas 2022.[98]
In 2022, Brown also claimed he started wearing the "diaper pants" that MC Hammer altered and made famous, on his A&E show Bobby Brown: Every Little Step.[99] However, Brown wore a less sagging variation during some concerts and in music videos, such as "My Prerogative" (1988) and "Every Little Step" (1989).[100][101]