As a rule, we like to avoid covering Chris Brown on R29. He makes us feel a little ill, to be totally honest. We respect Rihanna's privacy and the fact that she has the right to make whatever decisions she wants in her personal life, so all we'll say on that note is that we hope she is safe, cared for, and that she has people around her who are looking out for her best interests. But this isn't about Rihanna. This is about Chris Brown saying horrible things about women in general. And that shouldn't go unnoticed.
This past week, Brown took it upon himself to impart some wisdom on the subject of love, dating, and womankind, when he interrupted a DJ set in Hollywood — and let's just say he doesn't have a budding career in stand-up. Or in being a stand-up guy. Or in standing up for the rights of women. He is, however, a professional, grade-A jerk. Among his words of advice were reminders to make sure your woman knows who's boss. Always make sure she knows that she doesn't own her body — you do. And if she's a "bad bitch," make sure you tell her. Great, good to know, thank you so very much for reminding us that objectifying language is still par for the course in the world inhabited by Chris Brown.
We're going to keep this short, because frankly, we won't waste our breath reading into what he said, extrapolating from it, or doing anything other than condemning it — and simply point out that this isn't unacceptable just because he has a history of domestic abuse (though that makes it particularly, poignantly troubling). It would be unacceptable coming from anyone. This site has an anonymous source saying Brown meant no disrespect to Rihanna, and that it was wrong for people to record him doing his thing in the club. We have to vehemently disagree. If "his thing" is so important he needs to get up on a stage and say it to a crowd, he ought to be called out for it. This kind of disrespectful, objectifying, and borderline-violent language is not a joke, it's not funny, and we don't need to lighten up. If you really feel like getting worked up, you can watch the video on TMZ, but we don't recommend it (not safe for work, or play).
Image: Courtesy of chrisbrownworld.com