Salon.com > Chris Brown http://www.salon.com Sat, 18 May 2013 00:26:47 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Chris Brown’s mural upsets L.A. neighbors http://www.salon.com/2013/05/13/chris_browns_mural_upsets_l_a_neighbors/ http://www.salon.com/2013/05/13/chris_browns_mural_upsets_l_a_neighbors/#comments Mon, 13 May 2013 13:52:00 +0000 http://www.railrode.net/?p=13297047 Rapper Chris Brown is back in headlines -- this time for a new mural painted on the facade of his Hollywood Hills home. The private street-art has elicited complaints from neighbors and intervention from city officials.

The LA Times reports:

"There are lots of babies, lots of children, and they're literally frightened. It's like devils on the wall — big scary eyes and big scary teeth, and just the whole vibe is not what we're used to," said Patti Negri, president of the Hollywood Dell Civic Assn.

Responding to complaints about the monster art, L.A. city code officials cited Brown for unpermitted and excessive signage and ordered him to remove the art within 30 days. He also faces fines that start at $376 but could rise significantly if he fails to comply.

Los Angeles city ordinances deem it illegal to create murals on private property, but the rapper plans to fight back. "They are trying to suspend the 1st Amendment," Brown's lawyer, Mark Geragos told the Times. "They've called animal control. They have sicced parking [enforcement] on him, and now they reached the heights of ridiculousness here. Shame on them."

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]]> http://www.salon.com/2013/05/13/chris_browns_mural_upsets_l_a_neighbors/feed/ 10 Has the Onion gotten too mean? http://www.salon.com/2013/05/09/has_the_onion_gotten_mean/ http://www.salon.com/2013/05/09/has_the_onion_gotten_mean/#comments Thu, 09 May 2013 22:00:00 +0000 http://www.railrode.net/?p=13293915 It started on Oscar night. That's when the Onion, the online humor publication, tweeted about 9-year-old Academy Award nominee Quvenzhané Wallis, using a vulgar anatomical term.

The tweet sparked a controversy that practically overshadowed Wallis' achievement (she had been the youngest best actress competitor ever), on a night that was full of coarse humor at women's expense, as when Oscar host Seth MacFarlane rhapsodized about female attendees' "boobs" in his opening number. After years as a pitch-perfect and fiercely intelligent comedic voice with just the right amount of moral outrage, the Onion seemed, for a moment, like just another crass, knuckle-dragging comic. The company's CEO even apologized for the tweet, an astounding step for a satirical publication. The writers published a self-mocking piece: "[T]he last five or six days in particular constitute a veritable high watermark for the company."

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]]> http://www.salon.com/2013/05/09/has_the_onion_gotten_mean/feed/ 67 Did the Onion go too far with its Chris Brown story? http://www.salon.com/2013/05/07/did_the_onion_go_too_far_with_its_chris_brown_story/ http://www.salon.com/2013/05/07/did_the_onion_go_too_far_with_its_chris_brown_story/#comments Tue, 07 May 2013 20:45:00 +0000 http://www.railrode.net/?p=13292011 Just as the Internet was regaining some lost faith in The Onion, the fake news site has riled everyone up again with a graphic post making fun of rapper Chris Brown's apparent heartbreak over losing girlfriend Rihanna, whom he physically abused during their on-again-off-again relationship.

From the Onion's story:

“It’s hard knowing that there’s some other guy out there who gets to beat her senseless. In fact, for all I know, there might be someone out there assaulting her right now. And let me tell you, that guy is the luckiest guy in the world.” A saddened Brown added that, should the couple not reconcile, he remains confident that the special someone he was meant to beat to death is still out there for him, and when he finds her, he’ll waste no time in slapping her around.

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]]> http://www.salon.com/2013/05/07/did_the_onion_go_too_far_with_its_chris_brown_story/feed/ 83 Chris Brown’s “apology song” to Rihanna: A brief history of the pair http://www.salon.com/2013/03/26/chris_browns_apology_song_to_rihanna_a_brief_history_of_the_pair/ http://www.salon.com/2013/03/26/chris_browns_apology_song_to_rihanna_a_brief_history_of_the_pair/#comments Tue, 26 Mar 2013 17:45:00 +0000 http://www.railrode.net/?p=13252290 Chris Brown has apparently recorded an "apology song" to Rihanna. In the rapper Tyga's song "F--- for the Road," the R&B singer addresses an unnamed love interest: "I know I make mistakes, I know I f–ked up, but my heart beats for you, baby."

Brown is among the music industry's most popular and resilient stars -- and his public, at least, has largely forgiven him for his beating of Rihanna in February 2009. The pair has slowly circled one another in the intervening four years, as Brown's star has risen and as Rihanna has sent her fans mixed signals about her feelings about Brown. Herewith, a timeline of the pair's very public saga of abuse and squeamish forgiveness.

February 2009

Chris Brown is arrested for beating Rihanna in a domestic violence incident in his car after a pre-Grammys party. Both artists canceled their appearances at the awards ceremony. A photograph of Rihanna's battered face surfaced online shortly thereafter. Other musicians cautiously avoid condemning Brown publicly, with T.I. (a Rihanna collaborator on the song "Live Your Life") saying of Brown, "I told him this too shall pass."

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]]> http://www.salon.com/2013/03/26/chris_browns_apology_song_to_rihanna_a_brief_history_of_the_pair/feed/ 8 “Law & Order: SVU”: Dick Wolf has fatherly advice for Rihanna http://www.salon.com/2013/02/28/rihanna_and_chris_brown_get_the_law_order_treatment/ http://www.salon.com/2013/02/28/rihanna_and_chris_brown_get_the_law_order_treatment/#comments Thu, 28 Feb 2013 15:12:00 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=13214572 Last night, “Law & Order: SVU” aired a ham-handed, ridiculous-and-then-bleak episode based on the Rihanna and Chris Brown domestic violence saga. "SVU,” like all the “Law & Order” franchises, regularly uses plots “ripped from the headlines.” As with movies based on cartoons, TV shows and other movies, there’s a built-in audience for this kind of thing, for the restaging of a story we’re already familiar with. (I haven’t seen an episode of "SVU" in some years, but I watched this one.) There is also a built-in voyeurism: The show fleshes out a tale we only know from tabloids and social media. It takes a real-life soap opera and turns it into a more regularly formatted one. It dials up the entertainment value on any salacious, disturbing, riveting true-life crime, crimes we don’t much like to discuss in terms of entertainment value, even as they sell magazines and fill endless hours of cable news.

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]]> http://www.salon.com/2013/02/28/rihanna_and_chris_brown_get_the_law_order_treatment/feed/ 1 Little Disappointments: Adele to Raphael http://www.salon.com/2013/02/16/little_disappointments_adele_to_raphael_2/ http://www.salon.com/2013/02/16/little_disappointments_adele_to_raphael_2/#comments Sat, 16 Feb 2013 15:00:00 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=13203670 We spend most of the week at Salon exploring the day’s big events and outrages, the fiery, boiling cauldron that rests on the front burner of the news.

But life’s incidental urgencies, the bummers in a minor key, often play as meaningful, if momentary, role in our days. So we’re giving our little disappointments their own Saturday column. And we hope you’ll send us your own, as well.

[slide_show id=13203564]

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]]> http://www.salon.com/2013/02/16/little_disappointments_adele_to_raphael_2/feed/ 0 Little Disappointments: Adele to Raphael http://www.salon.com/2013/02/16/little_disappointments_adele_to_raphael/ http://www.salon.com/2013/02/16/little_disappointments_adele_to_raphael/#comments Sat, 16 Feb 2013 14:58:00 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=13203564 http://www.salon.com/2013/02/16/little_disappointments_adele_to_raphael/feed/ 0 Chris Brown in car accident day before Grammy Awards http://www.salon.com/2013/02/11/chris_brown_in_car_accident_day_before_grammy_awards/ http://www.salon.com/2013/02/11/chris_brown_in_car_accident_day_before_grammy_awards/#comments Mon, 11 Feb 2013 13:52:00 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=13197476 BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — Police in Beverly Hills say Chris Brown escaped injury after crashing his Porsche into a wall while being chased by paparazzi.

Lt. Lincoln Hoshino said the collision occurred around noon Saturday. Brown told police that he lost control of his black Porsche during the chase.

Hoshino said police will investigate the incident. He said he didn't know whether the paparazzi in the pursuing vehicles have been identified.

A call to Brown's lawyer was not immediately returned.

The crash came a day before the Grammy Awards, where Brown is up for best urban contemporary album.

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]]> http://www.salon.com/2013/02/11/chris_brown_in_car_accident_day_before_grammy_awards/feed/ 0 Salon’s 2013 Grammy Awards liveblog http://www.salon.com/2013/02/11/salons_2013_grammy_awards_liveblog/ http://www.salon.com/2013/02/11/salons_2013_grammy_awards_liveblog/#comments Mon, 11 Feb 2013 00:55:00 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=13195018 [liveblog id=63]

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]]> http://www.salon.com/2013/02/11/salons_2013_grammy_awards_liveblog/feed/ 0 The Grammy Awards: Who won? http://www.salon.com/2013/02/11/the_55th_grammy_awards_the_winners/ http://www.salon.com/2013/02/11/the_55th_grammy_awards_the_winners/#comments Mon, 11 Feb 2013 00:30:00 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=13194823 RECORD OF THE YEAR

Lonely Boy - The Black Keys

Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) - Kelly Clarkson

We Are Young - Fun. featuring Janelle Monáe

WINNER: Somebody That I Used to Know - Gotye Featuring Kimbra

Thinkin Bout You - Frank Ocean

We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together - Taylor Swift

 

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

El Camino - The Black Keys

Some Nights - Fun.

WINNER: Babel - Mumford & Sons

Channel Orange - Frank Ocean

Blunderbuss - Jack White

 

SONG OF THE YEAR

The A Team - Ed Sheeran, songwriter (Ed Sheeran)

Adorn - Miguel Pimentel, songwriter (Miguel)

Call Me Maybe - Tavish Crowe, Carly Rae Jepsen & Josh Ramsay, songwriters (Carly Rae Jepsen)

Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) - Jörgen Elofsson, David Gamson, Greg Kurstin & Ali Tamposi, songwriters (Kelly Clarkson)

WINNER: We Are Young - Jack Antonoff, Jeff Bhasker, Andrew Dost & Nate Ruess, songwriters (Fun. featuring Janelle Monáe)

 

BEST NEW ARTIST

Alabama Shakes

WINNER: Fun.

Hunter Hayes

The Lumineers

Frank Ocean

 

BEST POP SOLO PERFORMANCE

WINNER: Set Fire To The Rain [live] - Adele

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]]> http://www.salon.com/2013/02/11/the_55th_grammy_awards_the_winners/feed/ 0 “Frank Ocean makes the decisions where Frank Ocean is concerned” http://www.salon.com/2013/02/07/frank_ocean_i_dont_think_its_a_good_practice_for_me_to_trust_journalists/ http://www.salon.com/2013/02/07/frank_ocean_i_dont_think_its_a_good_practice_for_me_to_trust_journalists/#comments Thu, 07 Feb 2013 21:30:00 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=13193433 Frank Ocean catapulted himself out of obscurity this year to become one of the most talked-about recording artists — in part because of a revelation of same-sex heartache in the liner notes of his breakout album, "Channel Orange," which he posted on his Tumblr a couple of weeks before its July release, and in part due to his public spats with the notoriously combative Chris "Breezy" Brown. Now the 25-year-old soulful singer-songwriter, whose lyrical candor, evocative storytelling ability, and musical dexterity have earned him hyperbolic comparisons to an incredible, if strange array of talent — Stevie Wonder, Prince, Joan Didion, J.D. Salinger — is being honored at this Sunday's Grammy Awards with six nominations, including best new artist, record of the year and album of the year. And he very well might clean up. Though Ocean, whose real name is Christopher Breaux (he changed it in 2010), tends to be guarded around reporters — you might say stingy and not a little prickly — he did grant the New York Times Magazine's Jeff Himmelman an interview, who extracted what there was to extract from the exacting, arguably megalomaniacal R&B star. Here is what he got:

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]]> http://www.salon.com/2013/02/07/frank_ocean_i_dont_think_its_a_good_practice_for_me_to_trust_journalists/feed/ 0 Chris Brown: Still on probation, has another hearing in two months http://www.salon.com/2013/02/07/chris_brown_still_on_probation_has_another_hearing_in_two_months/ http://www.salon.com/2013/02/07/chris_brown_still_on_probation_has_another_hearing_in_two_months/#comments Thu, 07 Feb 2013 14:00:00 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=13193324 Despite facing mounting pressure from the media, spurred by the recent alleged assault of singer Frank Ocean and a 19-page report from the prosecution saying Chris Brown faked his community service, a Los Angeles County judge has concluded that there is not enough information to pass a verdict on the fate of rapper. Instead, Brown will remain on probation and return to court for another hearing in two months.

Brown, who appeared in James Brandlin's courtroom yesterday, was first put on probation for a period of five years, along with six months of community service, for the grisly assault of his on-again-off-again girlfriend, pop singer Rihanna. In a disturbing twist of fate, Rihanna appeared in court with the rapper to show her support--four years later, almost down to the day of the attack--even blowing him kisses. His lawyer, Mark Geragos, said that Rihanna "thinks it's utterly ridiculous what they're doing to him, as do I."

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]]> http://www.salon.com/2013/02/07/chris_brown_still_on_probation_has_another_hearing_in_two_months/feed/ 0 L.A. County D.A. claims Chris Brown faked his community service http://www.salon.com/2013/02/06/l_a_county_d_a_claims_chris_brown_faked_his_community_service/ http://www.salon.com/2013/02/06/l_a_county_d_a_claims_chris_brown_faked_his_community_service/#comments Wed, 06 Feb 2013 14:10:00 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=13192217 The Chris Brown saga continues, as the rapper, on probation for a 2009 felony charge in which he beat singer and on-again-off again girlfriend Rihanna, is due in court to review his progress today. And, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office, his chance of passing the hearing doesn't look good.

Prosecutors yesterday filed a motion for probation modification, a 19-page report that requests "the Court find [Brown] in violation of the terms of his probation" and to "modify the terms of his probation accordingly," asking that Brown re-do his probation term in Los Angeles County. The report analyzes "at best sloppy documentation and at worst fraudulent reporting" from the Richmond, Va. police department under whose supervision Brown supposedly completed 1,440 hours of community service. Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jack­ie Lacey told the L.A. Times that after reviewing the records, there is no "cred­ible, com­pet­ent or veri­fi­able” evid­ence to support the claim that he has satisfied the community service requirement.

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]]> http://www.salon.com/2013/02/06/l_a_county_d_a_claims_chris_brown_faked_his_community_service/feed/ 5 Breezy’s crew hurled an epithet at Ocean http://www.salon.com/2013/02/05/breezy_hurled_an_epithet_at_ocean/ http://www.salon.com/2013/02/05/breezy_hurled_an_epithet_at_ocean/#comments Tue, 05 Feb 2013 23:00:00 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=13191760 Although R&B singer Frank Ocean has since forgiven rapper Chris Brown for allegedly attacking him in a recording studio parking lot, new details continue to emerge about the highly publicized brawl. TMZ has today obtained the incident report in which Ocean told police that Brown and his entourage jumped him and called him a faggot. TMZ reports:

Ocean told police Brown tried to shake his hand, but Ocean refused, telling Brown he was in his parking spot. Ocean claimed that's when Brown punched him in the face. According to the report, Ocean said two of Brown's goons then jumped in to help Brown ... pushed him into a corner and attempted to kick him.

Ocean -- who revealed last year that he'd once had a romantic relationship with a man -- also said he believes he heard someone yell "faggot!" but he's unsure who made the statement.

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]]> http://www.salon.com/2013/02/05/breezy_hurled_an_epithet_at_ocean/feed/ 2 Frank Ocean won’t press charges against Chris Brown http://www.salon.com/2013/02/04/frank_ocean_wont_press_charges_against_chris_brown/ http://www.salon.com/2013/02/04/frank_ocean_wont_press_charges_against_chris_brown/#comments Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:00:00 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=13190158 Even though, in the words of music producer Michael Ozowuru, rapper Chris Brown allegedly "beat the living s---" out of Frank Ocean at a recording studio in L.A. last week, the R&B singer has declared that he will not be pressing charges. The announcement comes as a reversal of comments made earlier by Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Ocean explained the change of heart on his Tumblr  Saturday:

AS A CHILD I THOUGHT IF SOMEONE JUMPED ME IT WOULD RESULT IN ME MURDERING OR MUTILATING A MAN. BUT AS A MAN I AM NOT A KILLER. I’M AN ARTIST AND A MODERN PERSON. I’LL CHOOSE SANITY. NO CRIMINAL CHARGES. NO CIVIL LAWSUIT. FORGIVENESS, ALBEIT DIFFICULT, IS WISDOM. PEACE, ALBEIT TRITE, IS WHAT I WANT IN MY SHORT LIFE. PEACE.

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]]> http://www.salon.com/2013/02/04/frank_ocean_wont_press_charges_against_chris_brown/feed/ 1 Rihanna announces she’s officially back with Chris Brown http://www.salon.com/2013/01/31/rihanna_announces_shes_officially_back_with_chris_brown/ http://www.salon.com/2013/01/31/rihanna_announces_shes_officially_back_with_chris_brown/#comments Thu, 31 Jan 2013 18:37:00 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=13187154 In February 2009, Chris Brown beat his then-girlfriend Rihanna bloody before the Grammy Awards. The intervening four years have seen the pair record saucy duets and pose for stagy paparazzi pictures -- and any person with eyes might have assumed they were back together, even if it didn't quite make sense.

Now, the "Diamonds" singer has confirmed that the pair are together in a manner more direct and dramatic than a million cryptic tweets -- on the cover of Rolling Stone. "When you add up the pieces from the outside," said Rihanna, "it's not the cutest puzzle in the world. You see us walking somewhere, driving somewhere, in the studio, in the club, and you think you know."

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]]> http://www.salon.com/2013/01/31/rihanna_announces_shes_officially_back_with_chris_brown/feed/ 18 Now Chris Brown thinks he’s God’s gift http://www.salon.com/2013/01/29/now_chris_brown_thinks_hes_gods_gift/ http://www.salon.com/2013/01/29/now_chris_brown_thinks_hes_gods_gift/#comments Tue, 29 Jan 2013 16:18:00 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=13184907 Oh, did Chris Brown get in a fight again? Yawn. Does he have a ridiculously overblown sense of his own victimhood in all of it? You don't say. In fact, you could call the parking lot altercation between Brown and Frank Ocean this weekend Just Another Day in the Life of Chris Brown were it not for one thing that makes the story truly, truly special. It's the Jesus painting. BEHOLD.

Whatever went down between Breezy and Frank Ocean that led Ocean to be "desirous of prosecution" will never be anything more than another tale of Brown's legendary tantrum tossing. Since his 2009 assault on Rihanna — for which he's still on probation— Brown has pitched a fit on the set of "Good Morning America" and mixed it up at a nightclub with Drake. But did you know that the Grammy-winning convicted felon is also an artist? A sad, tortured artist, natch.

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]]> http://www.salon.com/2013/01/29/now_chris_brown_thinks_hes_gods_gift/feed/ 16 Chris Brown brawls with Frank Ocean in L.A. http://www.salon.com/2013/01/28/chris_brown_and_frank_ocean_brawl_in_l_a/ http://www.salon.com/2013/01/28/chris_brown_and_frank_ocean_brawl_in_l_a/#comments Mon, 28 Jan 2013 16:14:00 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=13183860 The R&B singers Chris Brown and Frank Ocean got in an altercation at a Los Angeles recording studio over the weekend, reports TMZ.

It's the latest violent altercation for Brown, a singer who in the years since his 2009 assault of girlfriend Rihanna has smashed a window at "Good Morning America" and got into a club-demolishing fight with rapper Drake. He's also seen his level of public adulation rise after a brief wilderness period in 2009 and 2010; Brown was practically the marquee performer at last year's Grammys and has recorded several duets with Rihanna, who may or may not be officially dating him once more.

It seems unlikely, then, that the fight with Ocean will put much of a dent in Brown's popularity, since (as of right now) there's some ambiguity as to who instigated the fight. The "sources connected with Chris" cited by TMZ claim that Ocean blocked Brown from leaving the club and "one of Frank's people attacked Chris."

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]]> http://www.salon.com/2013/01/28/chris_brown_and_frank_ocean_brawl_in_l_a/feed/ 11 Chris Brown and Rihanna spent Christmas together at a Laker’s game http://www.salon.com/2012/12/26/chris_brown_and_rihanna_spent_christmas_together_at_a_lakers_game/ http://www.salon.com/2012/12/26/chris_brown_and_rihanna_spent_christmas_together_at_a_lakers_game/#comments Wed, 26 Dec 2012 21:30:00 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=13155163 TMZ reports that Rihanna and Chris Brown are back together -- or at least look like they are. The two singers were seen cuddling at yesterday's Lakers/Knicks game for the first time in years, and left holding hands.

The relationship ended in 2009 after Brown physically assaulted Rihanna -- but as the media knows, it never really ended. Rihanna forgave the abusive Brown earlier this year, saying: "I felt like the only person they hate right now is him. It was a weird confusing space to be in, because as angry, hurt and betrayed as I was, I just felt like he made that mistake because he needed help. And who’s going to help him? Nobody’s going to say he needs help, everyone’s going to say he’s a monster without looking at the source. I was more concerned about him."

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]]> http://www.salon.com/2012/12/26/chris_brown_and_rihanna_spent_christmas_together_at_a_lakers_game/feed/ 2 Chris Brown will never learn http://www.salon.com/2012/11/26/chris_brown_will_never_learn/ http://www.salon.com/2012/11/26/chris_brown_will_never_learn/#comments Mon, 26 Nov 2012 19:45:00 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=13107604 Who's more stomach-turning: Chris Brown or his army of Twitter trolls? You know what? Don't answer that. Let's just call this one a draw.

It's been almost four years since Brown's notorious violent altercation with his then-girlfriend Rihanna and subsequent assault conviction. That's a long time, especially when you consider that Rihanna herself has made it more than clear she's back on friendly terms with him. But to those fans and supporters who say it's time to move on and put his abusive past behind him, allow us to illuminate why Brown keeps making that a tall order. There was the "Good Morning America" tantrum. There was the nightclub brawl with Drake.  And then there's what happened Sunday night on Twitter.

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