In yet more Chris Brown news, the 23-year old singer refutes claims that he was threatened by Jay-Z over his budding “friendship” with former girlfriend Rihanna. Reportedly Jay-Z told Chris Brown that he would ‘never work in music again’ if he pulled a stunt similar to the 2009 assault against Rihanna. While Brown admits that he and the megastar rapper did have a conversation, he reported that it was not threatening in any manner.
If you’re wondering why Jay might have anything to say to Brown regarding Rihanna, here’s a quick history lesson. Jay-Z and Rihanna have a history of collaborating musically. When Rihanna signed to Def Jam Recording, Jay-Z was still the president and CEO. He has helped mentor her career and has appeared on several of her most popular tracks, including ‘Umbrella’ in 2007. During the same year, Chris Brown and Rihanna began dating publicly. Their relationship came crashing down after a nasty domestic violence incident happened in 2009.
Winning the Grammy for Best Rap/Song Collaboration for their duet on Umbrella in 2008, it’s easy to see why the business relationship between Rihanna and Jay-Z has spawned a big brother, little sister type personal relationship. And with Chris Brown being no stranger to the celebrity rumor mill and occasional outbursts of anger, some Rihanna fans may even empathize with Jay’s reported threat to Brown.
Fans may not have much need to worry, though. The 23 year old singer and new model may be pulling his act together. Brown recently signed to Wilhelmina models in hopes to land endorsements with fashion and beauty brands. This new gig as a model may do wonders to help him re-brand his image. A spokesperson for Wilhelmina commented on Brown’s marketability saying, “Chris Brown is a . . . multifaceted artist with a unique take on style, and we are excited to translate and extend his brand.”
It’s yet to be seen if this new move proves positive for Chris Brown’s image but with the alleged “talking to” that Jay gave him looming over his head, he might be more inclined to get his act together; both professionally and personally.
