Bobby Brown, Chris Brown Are Demons.

by Staff February 25, 2012 19 Comments Brother Talk Ent. Health Music News Opinion Weekly Columns

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(ThyBlacMan.com) It seems that the mainstream media are at it again: demonizing black men, and this time the targets are Bobby Brown and Chris Brown.

Bobby Brown is a complicated figure who has admittedly earned the criticism he has gotten over the years for being the “bad boy” of R&B. With the recent death Brown’s ex-wife, music legend Whitney Houston, talk of Bobby Brown as the central reason for her demise has been front and center in the media coverage. The blame game has played out in specials, editorials and the comments section of many online posts.

I cannot count how many times I have seen “I blame Bobby Brown,” written in the comments sections of this site and others, as if Houston had no culpability in her troubles. In Houston’s last interview with media mogul Oprah Winfrey, even Houston appeared to place a lot of blame on Brown for her addictions. While Brown bears some responsibility, he can’t possibly bear all of the responsibility for the madness that was in their lives.

One had only to watch a little of the reality show Being Bobby Brown to see that the sheer and utter foolishness that marked their personal lives lay squarely at the feet of Houston and Brown. However, I am less interested in joining in the blame game than I am in examining why the media are so willing to paint Brown as the villain in the fairy tale that ended tragically.

One thing that stood out in the reality show-turned-train wreck Being Bobby Brown is that viewers were able to see that Houston and Brown actually liked each other and appeared to be friends, even as they battled their personal demons. By all accounts, Brown and Houston had a familial relationship post-divorce, so much so that Houston sang at the funeral of Brown’s father just last year.

I find it interesting that a 14-year relationship and all of its complexities would be reduced to a “bad boy meets good girl and destroys her life” narrative.

Bobby Brown isn’t the only Brown under attack. Chris Brown has been under fire since being invited to perform at the 2012 Grammy Awards earlier this month.

Finish story over at; TheRoot – Bobby Brown, Chris Brown – Black Men Demons, etc.

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19 Comments

Fidel C says:

March 1, 2012 at 7:51 pm

With Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown I think it’s all about timing and laziness. When Houston and Brown married the media was still enthralled with Whitney-as-he-nice-pop-princess image that had been created for her. When her life started to go to hell they blamed it on Brown simply because it happened after they wed. No one bothered to look into what was going on but went with the popular narrative. It also helped/hurt that Whitney was perceived as the more successful and talented of the two. But I don’t particularly care who started what in their relationship. The fact is that neither Brown nor Whitney were good for each other. The best marriages are where each partner can say no when it’s called for and it doesn’t appear that they had that kind of marriage. Bobby and Whitney liked to party and they never really got past that stage. Bobby was bad for Whitney and she was bad for him, and they couldn’t pull it together and grow up even when they became parents. We don’t know who caused the problems in their marriage, but the sad fact was that neither Bobby or Whitney was part of the solution either.

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Milagros says:

February 28, 2012 at 1:52 pm

Character Assassinations is what lonely frustrated and unsatisfied people do for ratings and in order to get comments..Noone outside of the creator knows who is a demon even those who spout from pulpits on Sundays. So my thoughts are that articles like this one deserve no props and if we decide to offer an op that we do it in love..We cannot allow anyone regardless of hue to kill another spirit at the expense of ratings ..Articles like this are for the benefit of haters so the offense cirlces the wagons seeking support and an op to divide the community..Not on my watch even tho i am not a Chris or Bobby fan they are still my bredren

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kimani21 says:

February 26, 2012 at 2:15 pm

I don’t think Chris is a demon who does he may have messed up but at least he knows it Bobby brown on the other hand is a demon from hell

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Anginnyc says:

February 26, 2012 at 1:59 pm

I’d also like to point out that no 1, including the super hyper feminists, have shown outrage about Hugh Hefner’s son battering his girlfriend last week. I haven’t any even seen any protestS about banning playboy, or it’s role in objectifying womenor whatever. Nothing. Silence. And this guy is not a teenager.

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Anginnyc says:

February 26, 2012 at 1:55 pm

Thank you so much for this article. I hope some prominent figures speak now before it’s too late. that guy putting a 1000 dollar hit out on chris brown, was the last straw for me. it could happen to a young man from any other minority group, his community would have been in an uproar, and it would have been stopped. black people tend to wait and tell someone has been killed or died, before they feel enough outrage and solidarity, to take a stand…but by then it’s too late.

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Dr. Know says:

February 26, 2012 at 1:30 pm

-“I’m not here to make excuses for either man — their shenanigans throughout the years speak volumes”

Shenanigans?! Are you fucking kidding? Shenanigans are knocking over someones garbage can, not beating the shit out of a girl. I hope chris brown winds up in jail or the gutter where an abuser like him belongs.

“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!’

“Brown resumed punching Robyn F. and she interlocked her fingers behind her head and brought her elbows forward to protect her face. She then bent over at the waist, placing her elbows and face near her lap in [an] attempt to protect her face and head from the barrage of punches being levied upon her by Brown.

“Brown continued to punch Robyn F. on her left arm and hand, causing her to suffer a contusion on her left triceps (sic) that was approximately two inches in diameter and numerous contusions on her left hand.

“Robyn F. then attempted to send a text message to her other personal assistant, Melissa Ford. Brown snatched the cellular telephone out of her hand and threw it out of the window onto an unknown street.

“Brown continued driving and Robyn F. observed his cellular telephone sitting in his lap. She picked up the cellular telephone with her left hand and before she could make a call he placed her in a head lock with his right hand and continued to drive the vehicle with his left hand.

“Brown pulled Robyn F. close to him and bit her on her left ear. She was able to feel the vehicle swerving from right to left as Brown sped away. He stopped the vehicle in front of 333 North June Street and Robyn F. turned off the car, removed the key from the ignition and sat on it.

“Brown did not know what she did with the key and began punching her in the face and arms. He then placed her in a head lock 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.

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Male Matters says:

February 26, 2012 at 12:46 pm

I realize that the mainstream media, when it comes to violence between the sexes, provides only the “violent male” feminist view. But I think the Rihanna-Brown abuse story needs to be revisited.

Here’s an example of how the big media have told the story thus far:

“[Rihanna] picked up Brown’s cellular telephone and observed a text message from a woman with whom Brown had a previous sexual relationship. A verbal argument ensued. She turned to face him and he punched her in the left eye with his right hand.” See Boston Globe report at http://tinyurl.com/6uj2x63

But the earliest newspaper reports showed what was left out of this narrative. According to them, an argument ensued, and Rihanna started slapping and kicking him. In other words, she drew first blood. (Her knowing this may be why she supposedly now wants Brown back.)

Now, I know it’s extremely difficult — if not impossible — for most media people to forget, even for a fleeting second, the image of the “ever-innocent, victimized female” and to put themselves for another fleeting second in the shoes of the “awful violent male.”

But let’s try it. Imagine, especially if you are a woman, that you’re driving about 30-40 miles per hour along the road. Suppose your front-seat passenger, a man you’re involved with, is looking through your phone. He finds a recent call from a former boyfriend.

Suppose further that instead of saying, “Pull over. We need to talk,” he starts slapping and kicking you AS YOU DRIVE, PUTTING BOTH OF YOU AT RISK.

I’m on record stating that violence is always wrong except in self-defense. But realistically speaking, what would many people do? What would a 19-year-old do, one who has never been trained to “discuss his feelings”?

What would the average person when you’re driving your car and your passenger starts slapping and kicking you? I believe that a huge number of non-politically-correct people would admit they’d lose their temper while being attacked at the very wrong time.

See “Open Letter to Senate Judiciary on the VAWA” at http://malemattersusa.wordpress.com/2012/02/02/open-letter-to-senate-judiciary-on-the-vawa/

Excerpt:

“Since women, without provocation, batter and kill children, whom they supposedly have been socialized to love, they can, without provocation, batter and kill men, whom they definitely have been socialized — by the media, feminist literature, and the Violence Against Women Act — to distrust, fear, and hate.”

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Chris says:

February 26, 2012 at 12:20 pm

Bobby Brown is a poor excuse for a man but I would not put him in the same category as Chris Brown. ANY man white or black that assaults a woman should never have a second chance at fame. In fact where I am from if a man hits a woman, and there is proof, he goes to jail. Famous men are role models for our children and I definitely don’t want my son looking up to Chris Brown or Bobby Brown.

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wrong info.. says:

February 26, 2012 at 12:19 pm

@jake where did you get your info from? People don’t even know the whole story about what happened that night but they feel the need to add in a more colorful,for lack of better word, depiction of what was said in a police report. I think a lot of people looks at chris brown as the man who comes home every night and beats his wife just because she is in the house. you and a lot of people need to realize that TEENAGE relationships are very different from an ADULT relationship. Teenagers are impulsive and act before they even think and a lot of their relationships involve fighting. if you have kids your kids will more than likely be in a relationship like this. Another thing, how can you call Miranda Lambert a class act by basically put a virtual hit out on somebody? you need to take into consideration how it would feel to be in his position. Would you hate yourself for the rest of your life because you did something that you did while angry? and how is it that she can do something out of anger and you proclaim it as a good because he is wrong? you can’t make something wrong right just because somebody else is wrong. if you killed a man because he hit your sister you’re still wrong and will be punished accordingly.

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Mike p says:

February 26, 2012 at 12:11 pm

If Chris brown were white the protestors would have been out in full force and he would have not been allowed to sing at the Grammys. Sad excuse for a man! Wake up people!!

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Jake says:

February 26, 2012 at 10:05 am

Well, the author of this article attempted to qualify the Brown abusers, while remaining astoundingly clueless as to the nature of abuse in the matrix of domination. These men desire a high profile life, and with that comes greater criticism. Abuse toward the nation’s top pop star (either Whitney in the 90s, or Rihanna in ’09) will certainly fuel a media frenzy. Brown’s bashing in the media also stems from his constant news making temper tantrums, either through throwing a chair out of Good Morning America’s window or stealing a young woman’s iphone (just last week). His erratic behavior continues to reveal itself as he is an angry young man. Regardless of whether or not Rihanna forgives her attacker (reminder: Brown punched her mouth in so hard she gagged blood, while she was gagging on her own blood, he then choked her), fans should not, women should not, but America, and yes you “the black men” realize that abuse is wrong, and like any other disorder requires treatment. Clearly Brown’s anger problems persist, but it is through the altruism of class acts such as country music’s Miranda Lambert that his sick behavior can be reprimanded. It is also hoped Rihanna realizes her position as an “empowered” black woman, and the influence she has upon an entire generation of young women. Would you allow your daughter to date to Chris Brown? I think not.

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SandeePB says:

February 26, 2012 at 8:50 am

I’m tired of Chris Brown being harrassed at every chance. I look back and see lies that have been made up to make this young man look even worse. He’s a great guy with morals and he made a mistake and owned up to it and has stayed on track. I support his every move with positivity and wish him the very best. He’s doing a great job!

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allure searles says:

February 26, 2012 at 2:08 am

Give it a rest? Really that is just ignorant there is a reason why Chris has not learn from ho’s mistakes at all three years ago he had beaten up a woman who is rihanna. And he was found guilty now I do not understand why he he could not go to jail what was the judge thinking giving him community service and have him go to anger management classes which I think was leanient he still has some anger issues it is injustice against violence against women that is not taken seriously which is unfair to all womem who has to put up with domestic abuse by violent men like Chris brown who is capable of doing such a a hanious crime that he commited and was set free there needs to be laws against domestic violence in all united states of America.

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Martha says:

February 26, 2012 at 1:40 am

AMEN. The media isnt fooling ANYBODY. And then after Chris Brown wins a award, he conveniently gets accused of phone snatching? They will never let it rest. I suggest he and Rihanna just move on and DO what makes THEM happy. You cant live your life for this judgmental and hypocritical world. The list goes on and on for the White celebrities who have gone unscathed, and yet Chris Brown is labeled the worst guy in America. No matter what they do to that young man, he will have my support. This is getting too far, and I would hate for anything to happen to him from all this media stress.

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Aja says:

February 25, 2012 at 10:32 pm

Beautiful article! Sums up everything perfectly … *applause*

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Susanne says:

February 25, 2012 at 10:19 pm

I am surprised no public figure has come out to call a spade a spade. The only articles are on black america ( men ) blogsites. So that is also of concern. I am from Canada and our national news magazine ran a terrible article about the ‘browns’ with all the assumptions, accusations, and innuendo that you point to in your article. And I am a mother with no connection to the black community. If it’s obvious to me, it’s got to be obvious to others.

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Susanne says:

February 25, 2012 at 10:03 pm

It’s only because of the hyper-demonizing of these two men, that I began to do research on the net. Re: Chris. I’m figuring he’s the bigger guy with a massive following and great talent and he’ll be fine. But re: Bobby. Since Whitney’s death, the blame game started. I wasn’t really paying attention to it as it was just fodder for ratings. But when – on national tv & global media – a father/ex-husband shows up to a funeral service with ‘his children’, and the media calls him out as bringing a ‘posse’, an ‘entourage’, leaving ‘disrespectfully’, showing up for the ‘money’, etc. that absolutely crosses the line. It’s not bad taste, it’s evil. As a mother, ex-wife, and step-parent, the whole thing was crippling to watch. That family is owed an apology. And the media has a responsibility to fix it.

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shell517nj says:

February 25, 2012 at 10:02 pm

nice article. what is happening is very troubling in deed.

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100% Amazing says:

February 25, 2012 at 9:11 pm

That why Chris Brown has to survive this invasion! We can’t let them get him too, he has to survive.

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