Bobby Brown facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bobby Brown
Brown in 2018
Born	Robert Barisford Brown (1969-02-05) February 5, 1969 (age 56) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation	Singer songwriter rapper dancer
Years active	1978–present
Television	Being Bobby Brown
Spouse(s)	Whitney Houston ​ ​ (m. 1992; div. 2007)​ Alicia Etheredge ​ (m. 2012)​
Children	7, including Bobbi Kristina
Musical career
Genres	R&B hip-hop dance soul new jack swing pop
Labels	MCA Geffen Bronx Bridge

Robert Barisford Brown Sr. (born February 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and dancer. He is known for helping create a music style called new jack swing, which mixes hip-hop and R&B.

Brown became famous as a founding member of the R&B/pop group New Edition. He helped create popular songs like "Candy Girl", "Cool It Now", and "Mr. Telephone Man". He left the group in 1985 to start his own music career. Later, he rejoined New Edition for their album Home Again (1996), which became a number-one hit.

Brown's first solo album, King of Stage (1986), included the number-one R&B song "Girlfriend". His second album, Don't Be Cruel (1988), was a huge success. It had five songs that reached the top 10, including the number-one hit "My Prerogative" and the Grammy Award-winning "Every Little Step". In 1989, Brown sang two songs for the Ghostbusters II movie soundtrack. His next album, Bobby (1992), sold millions of copies. It featured popular songs like "Humpin' Around", "Get Away", and "Good Enough". Brown has also acted in movies, such as A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996) and Two Can Play That Game (2001).

In 1992, Brown married singer Whitney Houston. They had a daughter named Bobbi Kristina Brown. They also starred in the 2005 reality TV show Being Bobby Brown. Houston and Brown divorced in 2007.

Early Life and Musical Inspiration

Brown was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He was one of eight children. His mother, Carole Elizabeth, was a teacher, and his father, Herbert James Brown, worked in construction. Brown grew up in the Roxbury area of Boston.

When Brown was three years old, he saw his childhood hero, James Brown, perform in Boston. This show made him dream of becoming a professional singer. Brown joined his church choir, where he improved his singing skills. Other musicians who inspired Brown include Rick James, Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, and Prince.

Music Career Highlights

Starting with New Edition

New Edition began in 1980. It was first called "The Bricks". Brown, along with his friends Michael Bivins and Ricky Bell, started the group. Ralph Tresvant joined them, and later Ronnie DeVoe completed the group, making it five members.

After performing in talent shows, they signed with Streetwise Records. Their first album, Candy Girl, came out in 1983. The song "Candy Girl" was their first number-one hit on the R&B charts. It also became a hit in the UK and New Zealand. Brown sang lead on the song "Jealous Girl", which was also popular. The group became very famous with their second album, New Edition, in 1984. This album included pop hits like "Cool It Now" and "Mr. Telephone Man".

Brown left New Edition in early 1986. He felt the group was not paid fairly for their success. There were also reports that Brown wanted to perform more on his own.

Bobby Brown's Solo Success

After leaving New Edition, Brown signed a solo contract with MCA Records. His first solo album, King of Stage, was released in 1986. It featured the number-one R&B song "Girlfriend".

Brown then worked with top R&B producers like Babyface, Antonio "L.A." Reid, and Teddy Riley. They helped create his most successful solo album, Don't Be Cruel, released in 1988. This album became Brown's first number-one album on the Billboard 200 chart in January 1989. At 19 years old, Brown was one of the youngest male artists to have a number-one album.

Don't Be Cruel had five songs that reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100. These included the number-one hit "My Prerogative" and "Every Little Step". The album sold over twelve million copies worldwide. In February 1990, Brown won a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Every Little Step". He also won two American Music Awards and other honors for the album.

In 1989, Brown sang two songs for the Ghostbusters II soundtrack. One of these, "On Our Own", became another top-ten hit. Brown went on a world tour to promote Don't Be Cruel. In 1990, he sang "Tap into My Heart" at the 1990 MTV Awards. He also collaborated with Glenn Medeiros on the number-one hit "She Ain't Worth It". In 1991, he worked with New Edition member Ralph Tresvant on the song "Stone Cold Gentleman".

Brown's next album, Bobby, came out in 1992. It sold more than 3 million copies. It included hit singles like "Humpin' Around", "Get Away", and "Good Enough". He received another Grammy nomination for "Humpin' Around". He also won his third American Music Award in 1993. The song "Something in Common", a duet with his wife Whitney Houston, became a hit in the UK.

In 1994, a remix of "Two Can Play That Game" from the Bobby album became Brown's biggest single in the UK, reaching number 3 in 1995.

His fourth solo album, Forever, was released in 1997. Brown also worked on his wife Whitney Houston's 2002 album, Just Whitney. He helped produce "Whatchulookinat" and sang on their duet, "My Love".

In 2010, Brown sang with Macy Gray on her song "Real Love" from her album The Sellout. On June 5, 2012, Brown released his fifth album, The Masterpiece. It reached number 41 on the Billboard R&B album chart. In February 2017, Brown performed at the Valentine's Day Music Festival.

New Edition Reunions

Brown first reunited with New Edition at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards. This led to the song "Word to the Mutha!" in 1991, which included Brown and other New Edition members.

A full reunion happened in 1996 with the album Home Again. Brown sang lead on two hit singles, "Hit Me Off" and "You Don't Have to Worry".

In 2005, Brown reunited with New Edition again at the BET 25th Anniversary Special. In 2008, Brown, Ralph Tresvant, and Johnny Gill formed a group called Heads of State. At the 2009 BET Awards, all six New Edition members performed together to honor Michael Jackson. This led to more full New Edition reunions.

Brown and New Edition continue to perform together, including The Culture Tour, which started in early 2022. In 2023, they performed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

New Edition has received many honors for their work. They received the BET Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017. In 2022, they were inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame. In 2023, they joined the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame, and in 2024, they were inducted into the NAACP Hall of Fame.

Acting and Television Career

Brown first appeared in a movie with a small role in Ghostbusters II in 1989. The next year, he was in the HBO kids' show Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme. In 1995, he appeared in the film Panther and had a big role in the movie A Thin Line Between Love and Hate. Brown also had guest roles in films like Two Can Play That Game, Gang of Roses, Nora's Hair Salon, and Go for Broke.

In 2005, Brown starred in the reality television series Being Bobby Brown on the Bravo network. His wife, Whitney Houston, also appeared on the show. The show was very popular and had high ratings for Bravo. It lasted for one season and ended in 2006.

Brown also appeared in other reality shows, including Real Husbands of Hollywood, Celebrity Fit Club, and Gone Country.

In 2021, Brown competed on season five of The Masked Singer as the "Crab".

In May 2022, two shows about Brown's life began airing on A&E: Biography: Bobby Brown and Bobby Brown: Every Little Step. Brown is an executive producer for both shows.

Personal Life and Family

Brown's mother, Carole, passed away in 2011, and his father, Herbert, passed away in January 2012.

Marriages and Children

Brown first met Whitney Houston at the Soul Train Music Awards in 1989. They became friends and then started a romance. They got engaged in 1991 and married on July 18, 1992. Their daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, was born in 1993. Houston and Brown also sang together on the hit song "Something in Common".

Due to their success in music, they were recognized by Guinness World Records around 1999 as a "most successful star couple". Houston and Brown divorced on April 24, 2007. Houston received custody of their daughter.

After Houston's passing on February 11, 2012, Brown performed at a New Edition show, expressing his love for her. He attended Houston's memorial service in New Jersey. In a May 2012 interview, Brown shared that he had "14 beautiful years" with Houston.

In 2009, Brown had a son named Cassius with his partner, Alicia Etheredge. Brown and Etheredge got engaged in May 2010 and married on June 18, 2012, in Hawaii. They have since had two daughters.

Brown has seven children. His eldest son, Landon, was born in 1986. He has two children with Kim Ward: a daughter, La'Princia (born 1989), and a son, Bobby Brown Jr. (1991–2020). His only child with Whitney Houston was Bobbi Kristina Brown (1993–2015). Brown has three children with Alicia Etheredge: a son born in 2009, and daughters born in 2015 and 2016.

In January 2015, Brown's daughter Bobbi Kristina was found unconscious at her home. She was taken to the hospital and later passed away on July 26, 2015, at age 22. On November 18, 2020, Brown's son Bobby Jr., age 28, passed away at his home.

Discography

Studio albums

• King of Stage (1986)
• Don't Be Cruel (1988)
• Bobby (1992)
• Forever (1997)
• The Masterpiece (2012)

with New Edition

• Candy Girl (1983)
• New Edition (1984)
• All for Love (1985)
• Home Again (1996)

Tours

• Heartbreak Tour (1988)
• Don't Be Cruel Tour (1988–1991)
• Humpin' Around the World Tour (1992–1993)
• New Edition Reunion Tour (1996)
• Forever Tour (1997–1998)
• Heads of State Tour (2008–2014)
• RBRM Tour (2018)
• The Culture Tour (2022)
• The Legacy Tour (2023)

Filmography

Film

Television

Images for kids

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  Brown in 2018

See also

In Spanish: Bobby Brown para niños