Christopher Maurice Brown, born May 5, 1989, in Tappahannock, Virginia, is a singer, songwriter, dancer and actor. He taught himself to sing and dance as a child, performed in his church choir and local talent shows, and cited Michael Jackson as his model. He signed to Jive Records in 2004 and released his self-titled debut the following year, topping the Billboard Hot 100 with "Run It!" as the first male artist since 1995 to lead the chart with a debut single. Exclusive produced a second number one in "Kiss Kiss." In 2009 he pleaded guilty to felony assault of his then girlfriend Rihanna and was sentenced to five years of probation. His later albums include F.A.M.E., Fortune, Royalty, Indigo and 11:11, and he has continued to chart and tour at scale while remaining one of the most divisive figures in R&B.