A Complete Timeline of Chris Brown’s Controversies, From His 2009 Domestic Violence Incident with Rihanna to His 2025 Arrest

Brown and then-girlfriend Rihanna had an argument that escalated into physical violence on the part of Brown. Rihanna was left with visible facial injuries and was hospitalized; Brown was subsequently charged with felony assault and making criminal threats on March 5, 2009. He pleaded guilty to a felony on June 22 of that year and accepted a plea deal of community labor, five years of probation and domestic violence counseling.

After completing the yearlong domestic violence course in 2010, Reuters reported that Brown wrote on X in a since-deleted post, “I have enough self respect and decency to be proud of accomplishing this DV class. Boyz run from [their] mistakes. Men learn from them!!!”

June 2010: Chris Brown is denied a visa to the U.K.
Brown was planning a short tour in the U.K. and Ireland but was subsequently denied a visa to the U.K. over the assault on Rihanna.

The U.K.’s Home Office said in a statement, as reported by the BBC, “We reserve the right to refuse entry to the UK to anyone guilty of a serious criminal offense. Public safety is one of our primary concerns. Each application to enter the UK is considered on its individual merits.”

June 14, 2012: Chris Brown is involved in a New York City nightclub brawl
Eight people were injured in a brawl in an N.Y.C. nightclub involving Brown, Drake, NBA star Tony Parker and various members of the trio’s entourage.

Brown later made a diss record about Drake (a remix of Chief Keef’s “I Don’t Like”), and Brown’s attorney claimed that Drake was the instigator of the brawl, though the pair later appeared together in a comedic skit at the 2014 ESPY Awards, suggesting they had made up

Seven years after the incident, Brown and Drake parodied the brawl as a dance battle in the 2019 music video for Brown’s song “No Guidance,” featuring Drake.

October-November 2012: Chris Brown violates his restraining order
As reported by Billboard, Brown attended a Halloween party dressed as a terrorist. Rihanna was also present at the party, which was allegedly a violation of the restraining order taken out against Brown in the wake of the assault.

January 2013: Chris Brown clashes with Frank Ocean
Brown and his entourage clashed with fellow singer-songwriter Frank Ocean and his group outside a West Hollywood recording studio, reportedly over a parking space.