UB ReVisit: Bobby Brown Talks R&B and Family
He’s been called the “King of Stage” and “The King of R&B” among other illustrious monikers. However, by any title, singer, songwriter, producer, actor and performer Bobby Brown is a certified superstar! Since his solo debut in 1985, Bobby has earned himself a legion of fans internationally, selling millions of recordings globally in the process.
Bobby‘s career, on the other hand, has been anything but laid back. The impetus for life as an entertainer for the Roxbury, Massachusetts native was obviously established at the tender age of three, when Bobby’s mom pushed him on stage during the intermission of a James Brown concert in Boston.
However, it was a little more than a decade later in 1981, when Bobby formed a vocal group with four other Roxbury buddies called New Edition, that he actually began his trek toward superstardom. The kid group took second place in a local talent show and got the attention of producer Maurice Starr, who developed the act and supplied them with their first hit, “Candy Girl,” on the independent Streetwise label.
After signing to MCA in 1983, the group proceeded on a hit streak that included gold and platinum albums and the singles “Cool It Now,” “Count Me Out,” and “Mr. Telephone Man.” In 1986 Bobby embarked on a solo career with the album King Of Stage, which gave him his first #1 R&B single with “Girlfriend.” But it was the 1988 LP Don’t Be Cruel that forever altered Bobby‘s life. The LP went to #1 on the Billboard charts and generated four Top 5 singles, “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Roni,” “My Prerogative” and “Every Little Step,” which earned Brown a 1989 Best R&B Vocal Performance Grammy Award. The album pulled down a Soul Train Music award for R&B/Urban Contemporary Album of the Year, Male in 1989 and American Music Awards for Favorite Soul Album & Favorite Male Pop Vocalist in 1990, among a trophy case of other honors.
Don’t Be Cruel‘s phenomenal success (a collection of remixed versions of the singles, “Don’t Be Cruel”, “Dance …Ya Know It!” reached #9 on the Billboard pop chart) jettisoned Bobby Brown whose rep as a dynamic stage performer precedes him into a whirlwind headlining world tour, a well received cameo in the 1990 movie “Ghostbusters II” and a hit single, “On Our Own,” from the soundtrack album.
His follow-up recording was, 1992’s Bobby, which continued the his success streak with the hit singles “Humpin’ Around,” “Good Enough” and “Something In Common”, a duet with his ex-wife, the late Whitney Houston. Bobby also contributed to Ja Rule’s single, “Thug Lovin” in 2002 which won Bobby a Source Award for R&B/Rap Collaboration of the Year for 2003.
Brown returned to music in 2012 with “The Masterpiece.” Bobby has been developing a new reality television show in which he will appear with his wife Alicia Etheredge. This will follow-up on his appearances in “Gone Country,”“Celebrity Fit Club” and “Being Bobby Brown”.
The New Edition Story aired over three consecutive nights from Tuesday-Thursday, January 24-26, 2017. The mini-series attracted 29 million total viewers P2+ during premiere week. On BET alone, the miniseries grossed 15.7 million viewers 18-49 and 28.4 million total viewers P2+ in its full premiere week..
In 2018, picking up where the critically acclaimed miniseries “The New Edition Story” left off, Woody McClain reprise his role as Bobby in “The Bobby Brown Story,” and painted a picture of the young R&B legend’s struggles with stardom as a solo artist.
His biopic attracted 2.17 million total viewers. The second episode, brought in 2.3 million viewers.
Bobby currently runs The Bobbi Kristina Serenity House(“BKSH”), a nonprofit he founded with his wife Alicia Etheredge-Brown, to support victims of domestic violence.
Bobby has simply confirmed what core fans already knew, that Bobby Brown is the real thing, a true artist with a career’s worth to give.
Over the years UB has spoken to B. Brown a few times, this UB ReVisit takes quotes from our 2011 and 2012 interviews.
Bobby speaks on his thoughts on the current state of R&B, Whitney singing at his mothers funeral, he shares his thoughts on his big Matt Lauer interview.
Bobby also touches on his discography, while speaking on blogs who ran offensive stories of Bobbi Kristana.
Bobby is always a pleasure to speak with, that’s why he’s on our favorites list of interviews in the last 15 years!
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UrbanBridgez.com: Last time we spoke you mentioned working with Jazmine Sullivan, is that something you still plan on doing in the near future?
Bobby Brown: Yeah hopefully, she’s really cool I like her a lot. I’m looking forward to it.
UrbanBridgez.com: You’re currently on tour with NE and anybody that has seen a NE or Bobby concert knows you guys give a real show! What makes this tour different then any other NE tour and why should fans come out?
Bobby Brown: This tour is about bringing the brothers all back together. Us on stage man, is just so much fun. I’m just happy to be out there with the boys. We’ll be out till October, so people have to come out and check us out when we come to your city.
UrbanBridgez.com: You recently did the big interview with Matt Lauer on the Today show with your family, now that it’s all said and done, were you pleased with the outcome of it?
Bobby Brown: Yeah, I got things off my chest. He got the opportunity to ask me about certain things and current events. It was also really good for my family, you know.
UrbanBridgez.com: What if anything has Whitney’s death taught you as far as moving forward with your own life & future?
Bobby Brown: Well it really hurt me, but I’m over 7 and a half years clean. So really I just want to stay that way and work, work, work!
UrbanBridgez.com: Your kids seem to all plan to work in the entertainment business in one way or the other, do you have any fears for them considering the trials and tribulations you’ve faced in this industry?
Bobby Brown: No, they’ve been apart of it. They’re strong kids, I’m always going to be there to watch over them. To make sure that they don’t make mistakes. Long as they finish school, they can come and be apart of it (laughs).
UrbanBridgez.com: You clearly have very tough skin due to the fact that people always seem to have something negative to say about you, but yet you rarely respond and you just let them go with it. How do you do that, I think I would be snappin off left and right?
Bobby Brown: Yeah that’s my mother man. My mother always told me, just stay down to earth and don’t let what people say bother you. You know, I just hold my head up despite of everything. I know who I am, so it makes no difference to me what people think.
UrbanBridgez.com: R&B is at such a crossroad right now in regards to the direction it’s been headed in current years, what’s one of your biggest issues in the direction it’s been headed?
Bobby Brown: I think R&B is coming back man, I think it’s needed out there for the masses. Everybody needs to be talking about love and not booty shake here and booty shake there and suck you right here. I mean music just needs to go somewhere else now. I’m glad I’m apart of trying to take it somewhere else.
UrbanBridgez.com: What’s your opinion on current various successful R&B artists, now recording more pop/dance albums than R&B when it was R&B music that led to their success to begin with?
Bobby Brown: Well R&B ain’t nothing but Pop music anyway. Popular music isn’t anything but R&B music. Hey, to each it’s own. If you want to crossover, crossover. I think everybody wants their music to be heard by the masses. R&B is just the worlds music.
UrbanBridgez.com: When are we going to see you in some new films, you have played some great roles in the past?
Bobby Brown: As of right now, I don’t have any roles coming up. I’ve been looking at some scripts. I’ve been thinking about doing this or that, but as of right now I’m just concentrated on promoting this album and staying on the road doing the touring. And later on down the line I will absolutely be doing more acting.
UrbanBridgez.com: First I want to send my condolences on the recent lost of your Mother.
Bobby Brown: Thank you so much, I appreciate that!
UrbanBridgez.com: Whitney recently sang at your mother’s funeral, which I saw online. Which I thought was odd that people was recording from their cell-phones.
Bobby Brown: I thought it was hateful.
UrbanBridgez.com: Yeah that seemed just crazy. What’s the relationship like with you guys right now?
Bobby Brown: We’re friends, we have to raise a daughter. We have a little girl that we have to raise together. I mean she’s not a little girl anymore, but she’s still our baby. So our friendship is what it is, we have to raise this daughter together. What happened in the past is in the past, but what we have to do in the future is to raise this little girl, so that’s what we’re focused on.
UrbanBridgez.com: Great to hear. Tell us about the new reality show that you’re working on with your wife?
Bobby Brown: The new reality show “Better Built Bobby” is just about my life today. And the things that’s gonna make a difference from what people think about me.
UrbanBridgez.com: Speaking of artists that are influenced by you and who show you mad love, Bobby V has released his new single “Rock Witcha” a remake of your classic. Have you heard and if so what do you think?
Bobby Brown: I’m suppose to do something with him in the near future. I think it’s George Lopez (Tonight), we’re going to perform together. I appreciate anybody that covers my songs, you know. As long as you don’t butcher it like Britney Spears did.
UrbanBridgez.com: (laughs)
Bobby Brown: (laughs) I mean when something isn’t broke, don’t try to fix it. But I’m looking forward to performing with Bobby. That sounds like I’m saying I’m looking forward to performing with myself (laughs). But he’s a great kat out of Atlanta. I love all of the new kids and all of the music that they’re doing. As long as you stay true to your craft man, I’m with you!
UrbanBridgez.com: Speaking of your songs, if you had to choose your top favorite 3-5 that you’ve recorded throughout your career, what would they be?
Bobby Brown: Wow, I wouldn’t be able to (laughs). I really wouldn’t be able to because I love everything that I’ve done. Every album meant something to me at that time in my life. So I wouldn’t be able to choose, I think the next one will explain everything that I’m talking about. I’ve written for this album for the last ten years. I just really think it’s the best work I’ve ever done.
UrbanBridgez.com: Who are some of the current artists right now that you think will have longevity in this business like you have?
Bobby Brown: I think Ne-Yo, he has longevity. Usher, definitely does! Jazmine Sullivan, I love her, I mean I just love her totally! Her voice, the way she writes, we’re actually working together for this album. So something is soon to come with me and Jazmine Sullivan.
UrbanBridgez.com: Looking forward to that! What’s the biggest misconception you think people have about you?
Bobby Brown: Wow, let’s see. They think I’m crazy! Well I say I’m crazy (laughs). But let’s see I don’t think that’s the biggest misconception. I don’t know, hum. They know I like to fight, they know that. But I think the misconception is because when I’m at home, I’m very shy. When I’m outside it’s like I’m showing off. So I don’t know, that’s a good question though. Well that I’m a bad boy and I’m really not a bad boy. I’m only a bad boy on stage! Other than that, I’m a cool kat I get along with everybody, until you get on that last nerve.
UrbanBridgez.com: I’m the same way (laughs)
Bobby Brown: (laughs)
UrbanBridgez.com: From the biggest misconception to the biggest lesson, what’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned in this business?
Bobby Brown: The biggest lesson I’ve learned in this business is stay focused! You gotta stay focused on what you do. And watch your money sh*t (laughs)!
UrbanBridgez.com: Definitely! Being a former bad boy of the industry in your younger days, I wanted to get your personal thoughts on the whole Chris Brown & Rihanna situation and really just all of the after math following in regards to Chris with some still trying to hold that against him?
Bobby Brown: I think what happened with them was between them and the world shouldn’t have gotten involved in that. It meant nothing to the talents that boy has, he’s a great singer, awesome dancer. And I just think we should of all minded our own business! Their business is not ours, you know. Who knows what she did and who knows what he did?
UrbanBridgez.com: Right! Do you ever get offended or angry when blogs put stuff up about Bobbi Kris, I know you don’t care about what they say about you, but now they’re starting to post things about her?
Bobby Brown: I take it extremely offensive when they say things about my children. My children don’t have anything to do with them! I’m an artist and her mother is an artist but that doesn’t give you the right to blog about my daughter. My daughter is a beautiful girl, 17 and she’s growing up. She’s growing up great you know. We’re raising her to be the woman that she is. And the woman that she becomes – the future is thick for her. She’s an incredible talent! I mean to have pipes like her mother and to have legs like me, you can only imagine what she’s gonna be and what she’s gonna become. Y’all wait for the future, then talk about her.
