History Music / BobbyBrown

* AllGiveAndNoTake: ''hoooo boy'', "Don't be cruel". Not only is the girl a greedy entitled bitch, she [[KickTheDog treats him like shit as well]] hence the title.

Brown laid low for a better part of a year working on what eventually became ''Don't Be Cruel''. Working with storied hitmakers such as [=LaFace=], and Teddy Riley, the album adopted the sound of a new style of R&B: NewJackSwing. Released on June 20, 1988 (directly competing with New Edition's ''Heart Break'', which was released ''the very same day'', no less), the album proved to be Brown's breakthrough. It peaked at number one on both the Billboard pop and R&B charts for six and eleven non-consecutive weeks, respectively,[[note]] ''Don't Be Cruel'' had it's pop chart streak temporarily interrupted by Music/GunsNRoses' ''Appitite For Destruction'' in February 1989, before they knocked it off the top spot for good in March alongside Debbie Gibson's ''Electric Youth'', and the album popped in and out of the R&B chart's top spot multiple times, directly competing with releases from Freddie Jackson, Music/PublicEnemy and Music/MCHammer.[[/note]] and spawned five Top Ten pop hits, including the number-one single "My Prerogative". Brown was nominated for numerous American Music Awards, Grammys and Soul Train Awards, and was also featured in ''Film/GhostbustersII'' and it's soundtrack, giving him a sixth pop hit with "On Our Own", which was only stopped from reaching number-one by {{Music/Prince}}'s "[[Film/Batman1989 Batdance]]" and Music/RichardMarx's "Right Here". In between all of this, Brown embarked on 120 day would tour to promote his album. he quickly gained a reputation as R&B's resident bad boy, as he often simulated performing sexual acts during his live shows, which often got him in trouble with police.

The early nineties continued to be busy for Brown. He contributed vocals to Ralph Tresvant's "Stone Cold Gentleman", Glenn Medereios' "She ain't Worth It", which earned Brown his second number-one single, and Bell Biv [=DeVoe=]'s "Word To The Mutha!", which reunited all of the original New Edition members on record plus Johnny Gil, who had joined the group in 1987.

Things continued to slide down hill for Bobby in the following years. His fourth solo album ''Forever'' and it's lead single "Feeling Inside" flopped hard, resulting in him getting released from MCA Records. The turn of the millennium saw him returning to contributing guest vocals for other artists, and continuing to be tabloid fodder. After a brief time as reality stars in the show ''Being Bobby Brown'', Whitney Houston filed for divorce in 2006, which was eventually finalized in 2007, ending her fourteen year marriage to Brown.

Brown laid low for a better part of a year working on what eventually became ''Don't Be Cruel''. Working with storied hitmakers such as [=LaFace=], and Teddy Riley, the album adopted the sound of a new style of R&B: NewJackSwing. Released on June 20, 1988 (directly competing with New Edition's ''Heart Break'', which was released ''the very same day'', no less), the album proved to be Brown's breakthrough. It peaked at number one on both the Billboard pop and R&B charts for six and eleven non-consecutive weeks, respectively,[[note]] ''Don't Be Cruel'' had it's pop chart streak temporarily interrupted by Music/GunsNRoses' ''Appitite For Destruction'' in February 1989, before they knocked it off the top spot for good in March alongside Debbie Gibson's ''Electric Youth'', and the album popped in and out of the R&B chart's top spot multiple times, directly competing with releases from Freddie Jackson, Music/PublicEnemy and Music/MCHammer.[[/note]] and spawned five Top Ten pop hits, including the number-one single "My Prerogative". Brown was nominated for numerous American Music Awards, Grammys and Soul Train Awards, and was also featured in ''Film/GhostbustersII'' and it's soundtrack, giving him a sixth pop hit with "On Our Own", which was only stopped from reaching number-one by {{Music/Prince}}'s "[[{{Film/Batman}} Batdance]]" and Music/RichardMarx's "Right Here". In between all of this, Brown embarked on 120 day would tour to promote his album. he quickly gained a reputation as R&B's resident bad boy, as he often simulated performing sexual acts during his live shows, which often got him in trouble with police.

Despite the ups and downs of his career and life, Brown is still highly respected for helping pioneer the NewJackSwing sound, and helping shape ContemporaryRAndB into what it is now. Two miniseries about his life and career were released in 2017 and 2018: ''Series/TheNewEdtionStory'' and ''The Bobby Brown Story''

-->-- '''Bobby Brown''', ''[[Series/TheNewEditionStory]]''

-->-- '''Bobby Brown''', ''[[Music/NewEdition The New Edition Story]]''

Despite the ups and downs of his career and life, Brown is still highly respected for helping pioneer the NewJackSwing sound, and helping shape ContemporaryRAndB into what it is now.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bobby_brown_1989_bobby_brown_24145694_827_1280.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The King Of Stage circa 1989, before [[http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/03/04/265008CC00000578-2979692-image-m-34_1425494326077.jpg the drugs]].]]

'''Robert "Bobby" Brown''' (born February 5, 1969, Boston, MA), is an American R&B singer/songwriter, dancer and actor. He's best known for his time with Music/NewEdition, his landmark 1988 release ''Don't Be Cruel'' and a tumultuous 14 year marriage to Music/WhitneyHouston.

* TheCameo: He appeared in the music video for Bel Biv [=DeVoe=]'s hit "Poison".

** Three years after Whitney's death, Bobbi Kristina, Bobby and Whitney's only child, is ''also'' found in a bathtub unconscious. After being on life support for several months and being told nothing could be done for his daughter, Bobbi was pulled off life support in July 2015. In the next several months, Bobby would fall off the wagon again, and eventually checked himself into rehab once more.

* TraumaticHaircut: If the scene shown in''The New Edition Story'' is to be believed, Bobby's famous "WesternAnimation/Gumby" haircut happened totally by accident. Apparently, during the filming of "Every Little Step"'s music video, Bobby's barber, who was too busy flirting with the girls at the shoot, accidentally cut a chunk of his flat top off at an angle. Bobby was pissed, but he only had a few minutes before the shoot was supposed to start, so his barber hastily cut the rest of his flat top to match the slanted piece.

* TraumaticHaircut: If the scene shown in''The New Edition Story'' is to be believed, Bobby's famous "Gumby" haircut happened totally by accident. Apparently, during the filming of "Every Little Step"'s music video, Bobby's barber, who was too busy flirting with the girls at the shoot, accidentally cut a chunk of his flat top off at an angle. Bobby was pissed, but he only had a few minutes before the shoot was supposed to start, so his barber hastily cut the rest of his flat top to match the slanted piece.

* TraumaticHaircut: If the scene shown in''The New Edition Story'' is to be believed, Bobby's famous "Gumby" haircut happened totally by accident. Apparently, during the filming of "Every Little Step"'s music video, Bobby's barber, who was too busy flirting with the girls at the shoot, accidentally cut a chunk of his flat top off at an angle. Bobby was pissed, but he only had a few minutes before the shoot was supposed to start, so his DJ hastily cut the rest of his flat top to match the slanted piece.

->''"I'm the good, the bad, and the ugly of New Edition."''
-->-- '''Bobby Brown''', ''[[Music/NewEdition The New Edition Story]]''

* "The Freestyle Megamix/Every Little Hit Mix"

* "Word To The Mutha!" (A Bel Biv [=DeVoe=] release. Also the first song to reunite all the original New Editon members since 1986)

Brown laid low for a better part of a year working on what eventually became ''Don't Be Cruel''. Working with storied hitmakers such as [=LaFace=], and Teddy Riley, the album adopted the sound of a new style of R&B: NewJackSwing. Released on June 20, 1988 (directly competing with New Edition's ''Heart Break'', which was released ''the very same day'', no less), the album proved to be Brown's breakthrough. It peaked at number one on both the Billboard pop and R&B charts for six and eleven non-consecutive weeks, respectively,[[note]] ''Don't Be Cruel'' had it's pop chart streak temporarily interrupted by Music/GunsNRoses' ''Appitite For Destruction'' in February 1989, before they knocked it off the top spot for good in March alongside Debbie Gibson's ''Electric Youth'', and the album popped in and out of the R&B chart's top spot multiple times, directly competing with releases from Freddie Jackson, Music/PublicEnemy and Music/MCHammer.[[/note]] and spawned five Top Ten pop hits, including the number-one single "My Prerogative". Brown was nominated for numerous American Music Awards, Grammys and Soul Train Awards, and was also featured in ''[[{{Franchise/Ghostbusters}} Ghostbusters II]]'' and it's soundtrack, giving him a sixth pop hit with "On Our Own", which was only stopped from reaching number-one by {{Music/Prince}}'s "[[{{Film/Batman}} Batdance]]" and Music/RichardMarx's "Right Here". In between all of this, Brown embarked on 120 day would tour to promote his album. he quickly gained a reputation as R&B's resident bad boy, as he often simulated performing sexual acts during his live shows, which often got him in trouble with police.

** ''Dance! ...Ya Know It!'' (1989, a remix album featuring hits from ''Don't Be Cruel'' and ''King Of Stage'' plus the ''Ghostbusters II'' single "On Our Own")

* "[[{{Franchise/Ghostbusters}} On Our Own]]"

** He also had a minor role in ''GhostbustersII'' as the Mayor's doorman.

** ''Dance! ...Ya Know It!'' (1989, a remix album featuring hits from ''Don't Be Cruel'' and ''King Of Stage'' plus the ''Ghostbusters II'' single "On Our Own"

** ''Remixes In The Key Of B'' (1993, A remix album featuring tracks from ''Bobby'', plus some new songs and a ''Every Little Hit'' megamix of ''Don't Be Cruel'''s singles.

* Epic Rocking:

* RedBaron: "King Of Stage" Whitney Huston had also dubbed him the "Prince of R&B" and many fans know him as the "King Of New Jack Swing", a title he shares with Teddy Riley.

Brown laid low for a better part of a year working on what eventually became ''Don't Be Cruel''. Working with storied hitmakers such as [=LaFace=], and Teddy Riley, the album adopted the sound of a new style of R&B: NewJackSwing. Released on June 20, 1988 (directly competing with New Edition's ''Heart Break'', which was released ''the very same day'', no less), the album proved to be Brown's breakthrough. It peaked at number one on both the Billboard pop and R&B charts for six and eleven non-consecutive weeks, respectively,[[note]] ''Don't Be Cruel'' had it's pop chart streak temporarily interrupted by Music/GunsNRoses' ''Appitite For Destruction'' in February 1989, before they knocked it off the top spot for good in March alongside Debbie Gibson's ''Electric Youth'', and the album popped in and out of the R&B chart's top spot multiple times, directly competing with releases from Freddie Jackson, Music/PublicEnemy and Music/MCHammer.[[/note]] and spawned five Top Ten pop hits, including the number-one single "My Prerogative". Brown was nominated for numerous American Music Awards, Grammys and Soul Train Awards, and was also featured in ''[[Franchise/Ghostbusters Ghostbusters II]]'' and it's soundtrack, giving him a sixth pop hit with "On Our Own", which was only stopped from reaching number-one by {{Music/Prince}}'s "[[{{Film/Batman}} Batdance]]" and Music/RichardMarx's "Right Here". In between all of this, Brown embarked on 120 day would tour to promote his album. he quickly gained a reputation as R&B's resident bad boy, as he often simulated performing sexual acts during his live shows, which often got him in trouble with police.

* WhiteVoidRoom: The "Every Little Step" music video.

The early nineties continued to be busy for Brown. He contributed vocals to Ralph Tresvant's "Stone Cold Gentleman", Glenn Medereios' "She ain't Worth It", which earned Brown his second number-one single, and Bel Biv [=DeVoe=]'s "Word To The Mutha!", which reunited all of the original New Edition members on record plus Johnny Gil, who had joined the group in 1987.

* BreakupBreakout: Excluding splinter group Bel Biv [=DeVoe=], Bobby is the most successful member of New Editon. While all members had successful solo runs, Bobby outperformed all of them between 1988-1992.

* {{Jerkass}}: Marriage to Whitney aside, Bobby was often known for his rude behavior during his heyday and even his New Edition companions often had a hard time dealing with his attitude.