Russell Simmons: 'Chris Brown Is Suffering'

By Zach Dionne Posted Mar 24th 2011 12:12PM

Chris Brown has gotten more buzz for his new album, 'F.A.M.E.,' than he might have ever anticipated. Unfortunately a lot of that buzz came from an outburst this week after an appearance on 'Good Morning America' -- Brown smashed a window, ripped off his shirt and left the premises.

Now hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons is jumping to Brown's defense in a long essay at GlobalGrind.com.

"Chris is suffering from the same thing as almost every young star has gone through, including the Disney kids. And, having lost control, some of these young artists, sometimes, do an unspeakable thing at a moment of time. And they pay the price," Simmons writes. "What's not fair is artists paying the price of the sins in their young lives for the rest of their lives."

"For over 25 years, I have had the privilege to watch some of the greatest living artists create the most powerful cultural movement that America has ever seen," Simmons writes, going on to name-drop Run-D.M.C., Kanye West, LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys by way of introducing Brown. His article continues:

"On Tuesday night, I sat with Chris Brown, one of the greatest performing artists of his time, during his celebration dinner for the release of his new album, 'F.A.M.E.' I know that this young man's dancing, singing and art are his prayers. Without them, he's left to deal with a cluttered world in a way that is far too complicated than he imagined when he was a 13-year-old kid with a dream of being famous. I am troubled by the people, critics and members of the media who drag Chris away from his art. His freedom is deeply rooted in his artistic expression. It is during those seconds of stillness when you're dancing that the Christ/Buddha/Allah/Moses inside of you is awakened and comes to power. This is the freedom Chris knew as a child, but as he rose to fame, finding freedom became a lot more complicated. Coming back home is a very difficult thing. Coming back to being normal, coming back to that pure place of artistry. But, when fame snatches your freedom, the ability to control your own life becomes much more difficult."

The essay goes into a deep meditation on fame. Simmons opines that the many facets of fame detract from artistic and personal freedoms. "You are being pulled away and you lose the perspective that the inside is all happiness, because the outside pulls you to work on the album's marketing and promotion, the business deals, the corporate dinners, the groupies, the rest of the world."

Simmons argues that endless shaming -- even for an act as heavy as Brown's battering of Rihanna -- is not fair. "If we insisted on that there would be no art. There would be only shame; there would be no learning, no redemption, there would be no road for millions of fans to travel the journey of the artist to enlightenment. It would negate the very purpose of art itself which is to reconcile, through a redeeming journey, the intractable contradictions in life and society. This is something I have fought for all my life."

For those keeping score, Brown apologized for his post-'GMA' outburst, speaking with BET's '106 and Park.' "I took it very, very hard," he said of his reaction. "I kept my composure throughout the whole interview ... And when I got back I just let off steam in the back. I didn't physically hurt anyone. I just wanted to release the anger inside me. I got very emotional." He added his frustration came from all the hard work he put into his album.

Simmons closes his piece with a simple plea: "I'm just saying, give this man a break. I spoke to him last night for a long time and I know how good of a young man he is."

Read the full essay at GlobalGrind >>

Russell Simmons chats with PopEater:

Tags: Chris Brown, Russell Simmons

Comments

(77)

Friday 25 March

By Weets

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I will NEVER buy another Chris Brown tune. He is so freaking talented but his anger issues and volatility make him a frightening menace to society. Why anyone (be it celebrity or other) defend this type of behavior as immature or as a result of fame, is totally in denial.

By Shanna

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I think a lot of people here need to get a life. Seriously. You don't know him. His job description is to make music. And that's what he's doing. At the end of the day, your opinion doesn't matter, and he lives his life without your approval. Self-righteous people are so yesterday.

Saturday 26 March

By Capt. Ahab

Who is Chris Brown again?

By tmnmel

Who the heck is Chris Brown?

By Rachelle

Chris Brown had to opportunity to show people that he is a changed man but he failed to do that. Now he is again the topic of negative conversation. What a shame.

By nmb

Russell Simmons couldn't have said it better.

The media has to pull back...leave Chris Brown alone.

Today's media provokes just to make news. They behave much

worse than Chris Brown...at least he is trying to change.

By LeaAndrea

What I believe is that Chris Brown like so many Black Men have entitlement issues and do not take ownership for their decisions. Many Black Mothers are spoiling their sons and throwing their daughters to the wolves. Narcissism develops and their is a lack of responsibility and real Manhood developing. These tend to be the same black woman that show up to court fighting tooth and nail for their spouses and sons clearly helping them to be "Sorry" and unaccounted for in any relationships they have. Which leads me to the Rhianna beating and how so many Black Woman bombarded the message boards in his defense.

Sunday 27 March

By mancha de platano

Repeat~ he should be suffering~ It's not over either~ what he did, made many Mothers awaer that tha man can kill their daughters~ he doesn't get it nor does Russell~ forgiven like we would do the wite man? please

That picture of u2~ makes me sic

Monday 28 March

By Lovelyone

EXACTLY!

Wednesday 30 March

By Darlene

I'm not saying Chris Brown is right in any of this. He is wrong BUT he is human. Everyone expects so much of him which is great but every time he lashes out..ur going to refer to his 1st altercation..that the public knew? Do you know about his past? Do you know about his future? NO u don't n if u said yes ur a fool! Nobody will know how it is to walk into Chris Brown shoes besides Chris Brown..I agree with Jasmine..they still play Two & Half Men even after Charlie Sheen's incident..u know why..because of these three words.. Life goes on! Forgive the boy and keep it moving! #thatisall

By Tayshawn

people are so judgmental.I love chris brown despite his wrong doings.what I think people fail to realize that he a person,he ie that boy you went to school with,he is that boy next door.hes NO different from anybody else.yes he might have f.a.m.e but hes still a person,hes still human..how many people today can honestly say they havent hit or puched the person they were with?be it male or female? how many people can honestly say they havent busted a window from being upset? give him a brake..his actions are no different form you,from me,from your brother or dad.so should his actions dictate the rest of his life? if we as people dont make mistakes in life when does growth begain?..Ill always support chris brown...who am i to look down on him! who are you to look down on him! who are any of us to judge that man? its people to day thats big in hip,hop and law that beats there women,that do drugs and we have no clue that its going on but do that gives us the right to dictate what is right or wrong? see we as people hold this celebritys in high hopes that we forget there human to...smh in shame!!! people are so quick to judge what they have no clue about...'intill we get the full picture,we'll never have a clue"....

Chris keep doing you.there are people out there that understand.dont let these people change yourview on who you are cause when its all said in done all you have is yourself at the end of the day...

By Alexis

I feel as if people are trying to discriminate him because he made a human mistake.People are trying to put him into the category as a WOMAN BEATER,really it was just one woman and it was provoked.Rihanna is going crazy herself.I think they both need help.He needs anger managment and she need life skills while she letting some of every man f*** with her.Im just saying that people need to let it go and put it to rest!!!! LEAVE EM' ALONEEEEEE!!!Go uy there album and live ur own life u noisy people!!! #TeamBreezy #F.A.M.E. #Rihanna #LOUD

Friday 01 April

By NANA60

I'm a mother of son's, and a granmother of a little prescoius girl. I also tell my son's and nephews not to strike a woman and
it tell my grandson not to strike a woman unless you're defending
yourself, and i tell my granddaughter don't hit or provoke, i've
seen my nephews and sons beaten by women, women can hit just as hard as men, lets put things into perspective, beating up on a person that's not defending themselves or helpless wrong,a lot of men that don't defend themselves end up dead too, As a mother
and grandmother of both i don't want my sons or grandsons beaten
up by a women and i don't want my granddaughter beaten up by a man, what i do say is if necessary defend your self regardless
who it is because women aren't really that helpless either, we
do know she started hitting first so from there we don't know
what transpired, i do know men not all the time is physically
stronger than women, you get a woman angry it's all some men can do to restain them, both chris and rhianna are the same size
it's not like he was Mike Tyson ,i'm sure she probably was getting the best of him, she just looked the worst, because she
doesn't strike me as helpless. Don't prodd and everyone keep their hands to themselves. I don't want mys sons and grandson to hit either and i also don't want them scared and cut either.
Women stop we don't have the corner market to hit anyone
just because were're women.We wasn't there.........

Saturday 09 April

By Jay T

What can I say about Mr Brown well He's very talented and blessed with many gifts but the fact that he showed the world his other side speaks for it self. The problem with this situation is not whether or not we forgive him its whether he can truly forgive himself. Putting your hands on anyone isn't exceptable no matter what but the fact of the matter is he hurt someone in a very bad way and people want answers why, now will this ever go away maybe ,but in the mean time he should work on conrolling his emotion more because lets be real thats what really got him into this mess, NOT Rihanna hitting him first, because a real man knows when to WALK AWAY! as for charlie sheen I really don't see too many children looking up to him.

Sunday 17 April

By Lilly

The truth of the matter is Chris Brown is not all to blame, Rhianna is to blame here too. She was the only other person who directly knew what happen that night but to save her skin Chris has to go down. Yes he was wrong to have struck Rhianna but she should have known just how far you can push a person before they explode.

Monday 11 April

By me

i agree with Jasmine something is not right in this entire matter. i think both rihanna and chris brown need some additional counseling. i think both of them were very wrong and true, chris brown should have just walked away. i have a young impressional daughter and i hope both Rihanna (all i do is sale sex) and chris with anger management issues go away and get themselves together.

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