Chris Brown says he's still being punished for assaulting Rihanna 15 years ago. He's wrong.

Content warning: This story includes descriptions of domestic violence that may be distressing to some readers.

It's been 15 years since multi-platinum hip-hop artist, Chris Brown violently attacked his then girlfriend, Rihanna before the 2009 Grammy Awards, thrusting domestic violence into the mainstream spotlight. 

Photos of the assault quickly emerged, showing a severely beaten Rihanna, with cuts on her lip, swollen eyes and multiple bruises on her face. 

After being charged with felony domestic assault, Brown pleaded guilty to one count of felony assault in a plea deal, avoiding jail time in exchange for community service, counseling, a restraining order and probation. At the time, Brown was 17 years old, and already had two multi-platinum albums to his name. 

Watch: That time Rihanna ripped Snapchat over domestic violence "joke". Post continues below.

In his 2017 documentary Chris Brown: Welcome to My Life, Brown explained the assault this way:

"... I really hit her, with a closed fist, I punched her," he said. 

"She spit blood in my face — and it raised me even more ... She grabbed my nuts, and I bit her arm. 

"That's going to haunt me forever."

He's been ranting about that fact ever since, consistently complaining to anyone who'll listen, that he's still being punished for his past "mistakes". 

Brown's most recent online tantrum came last week via a series of Instagram stories, after he claims his invitation to participate in the NBA's All-Star celebrity game was withdrawn due to concerns from sponsors.  

"I was asked by the NBA to play in the all-star game this year! Only for them to call later and say they couldn't do IT because of their sponsors," Brown wrote. "At this point, I'm sick of people bothering me and I'm tired of living in the f**king past," he wrote. 

And, he got madder. 

"I DON'T WANT TO BE ACCEPTED FROM NONE OF THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA AND FAKE CELEBRITIES," Brown wrote in all caps. 

"I AM KING IN MY OWN LANE YOUR FAVE AIN'T GOT S**T ON ME AND THEY KNOW IT. AIN'T FINNA TAP DANCE FOR APPROVAL. YOU WILL BEG FORGIVENESS OF ME THAT I DO KNOW.

"I POSTED THE EMAILS SO YALL COULD SEE. The NBA still was tryna get me to come and sit courtside… NOT F**KING HAPPENING."

Last year, he made a similar rant, again via Instagram stories. 

"If y'all still hate me for a mistake I made as a 17-year-old please kiss my whole entire a**," Brown said. "I'm f**king 33. I'm so tired of y'all running with this narrative... All y'all can suck my d**k disrespectfully."

So much remorse from a man who, in the 15 years since the brutal attack, has been accused of violence and assault multiple times, including against women. 

In 2017, his former partner, Karrueche Tran was granted a five year restraining order against him. Brown had allegedly become aggressive when she chose not to return gifts he gave her during their relationship. She also claimed he threatened to kill her. 

In 2021, Brown was accused of attacking another woman at his Los Angeles home, and in 2022 a civil suit was filed by a woman who claimed Brown had raped her on a yacht in Miami in December 2020.

He's been accused of several other acts of violence and assault over the years too, so it would make sense if he was suffering some of the consequences that one would expect to suffer if they'd been repetitively accused of violence, particularly against women.

Here's the thing though — he isn't.

As it stands, Brown is the twelfth-best selling digital singles artist in the United States with sales of 94.5 million, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

In fact, since he viciously beat Rihanna while navigating a moving vehicle, Brown has released eight studio albums and one collaborative album. Six of those studio albums peaked at number 1 in the US R&B/HipHop charts, while the other two peaked at number 2. 

His fourth studio album, F.A.M.E, which was released just two years after the assault, became his first album to reach number one on the US Billboard 200. It was certified triple platinum in the United States, platinum in Australia and gold in Ireland. 

His fifth studio album, Fortune, also shot to number one of the US Billboard 200, following its 2012 release. 

His 2017 album, Heartbreak on a Full Moon, was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America, making Brown the first R&B male artist to go gold within a week since Usher's mind blowing album, Confessions, back in 2004. 

Two years later, he released Indigo, which debuted at number one, and he's since gone on to release another two very successful albums. 

Of course, Brown is far from alone in his ability to enjoy an illustrious career, despite his violence against women. Which is, of course, in stark contrast to the consequences faced by most female artists who misstep; women who simply have to align themselves with the wrong political party or inadvertently use an offensive word, to have their careers cancelled. 

But 15 years after we collectively reeled at the sight of Rihanna's bloodied face, Brown continues to release album after multi-platinum album, while also continuing to have public tantrums about how hard done by he is. 

The worst part? He'll keep doing it because he can. Despite his actions, his subsequent lack of remorse and accountability, and the contempt he shows anyone who still has feelings about it via his angry rants, Brown hasn't, and will never, really suffer any significant consequences.

He might not get to play in the All-Stars game this year, but no doubt, he'll continue to sell hundreds of thousands of records.

And that, is the real travesty.

If this has raised any issues for you, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service. 

Mamamia is a charity partner of RizeUp Australia, a Queensland-based organisation that helps women and families move on after the devastation of domestic violence. If you would like to support their mission to deliver life-changing and practical support to these families when they need it most, you can donate here.

Feature Image: Getty.