We need to talk about Chris Brown

Trigger warning: domestic violence

Yesterday he performed his first show at the Ziggo Dome; tonight he is there again and on March 23 once more. It is not sold out (thankfully), but still, three nights nearly 17,000 people cheer for him each time. And to be honest, I really don't understand it at all. Isn't it just bizarre that a man like Chris Brown can still have a career like he does now?

On February 8, 2009, a report came in to the police emergency number in Los Angeles; Robyn Fenty, better known to the public as Rihanna, was severely beaten by her then-boyfriend Chris Brown while they were in the car. I think this is known to everyone, but often I feel that it is conveniently forgotten. I see ‘arguments’ like: ‘that was so long ago,’ or ‘Rihanna has forgiven him too.’

To immediately address that first argument: Chris Brown has a very long history of abusing women. In January 2022, another charge was filed against him because he is alleged to have drugged and raped a woman on a yacht in Florida. In 2019, Brown, along with two other men, was arrested in Paris after a woman reported a violent rape. His ex, Karrueche Tran, managed through the courts in 2017 to impose a five-year restraining order against Brown  — she presented multiple messages and voicemails in court in which he threatened her. That threatening was also not a one-time incident; his former tour manager accused him in 2016 of having threatened her as well.

And this is just a small selection of the accusations against Chris Brown, but the most well-known incident remains, of course, the one with Rihanna. We probably all still remember the photo, where the singer appears battered. But did you know that the full police report about that night is also available online? If you don't want to read it all, I'll just highlight the most shocking parts.

‘Brown was unable to force Robyn F. out of the vehicle because she was wearing a seat belt. When he could not force her to exit, he took his right hand and shoved her head against the passenger window of the vehicle, causing an approximate one-inch raised circular contusion.

Robyn F. turned to face Brown and he punched her in the left eye with his right hand. He then drove away in the vehicle and continued to punch her in the face with his right hand while steering the vehicle with his left hand. The assault caused Robyn F.’s mouth to fill with blood and blood to splatter all over her clothing and the interior of the vehicle.’

‘”Robyn F.” […] used her cell phone to call her personal assistant Jennifer Rosales, who did not answer.

Robyn F. pretended to talk to her and stated, ‘I’m on my way home. Make sure the police are there when I get there.’

After Robyn F. faked the call, Brown looked at her and stated, ‘You just did the stupidest thing ever! Now I’m really going to kill you!’

‘He […] placed her in a headlock positioning the front of her throat between his bicep and forearm. Brown began applying pressure to Robyn F.’s left and right carotid arteries, causing her to be unable to breathe and she began to lose consciousness.

She reached up with her left hand and began attempting to gouge his eyes in an attempt to free herself. Brown bit her left ring and middle fingers and then released her.’

This is the same man who was cheered yesterday by a full Ziggo Dome, where several people I follow on Instagram went, enthusiastically singing along, screaming — intensely happy to see Chris Brown. Many of these women pretend on their social media to support other women. But that apparently only applies when it suits someone? Why does it seem that everyone has forgotten what this man has done?

Not a hair on my head thinks about ever playing one of his songs again. And if I can convince even one former fan with this piece that you should not support an artist like Chris Brown, then I am already satisfied. Someone who treats women like this does not deserve to be on a stage and be worshipped.