F.A.M.E., which stands for “Forgiving All My Enemies,” is the fourth studio album by American singer Chris Brown. It was released on March 18, 2011, and was recorded under Jive Records. This album comes after his third one, “Graffiti,” which he released in 2009. Notably, F.A.M.E. is also his final album with Jive Records.
On F.A.M.E., Chris Brown collaborated with various record producers and songwriters, including Kevin McCall, H Money, Timbaland, The Underdogs, Diplo, and Benny Benassi, among others. The album features guest appearances from artists like Lil Wayne, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Wiz Khalifa, Game, Justin Bieber, and Big Sean. It spawned eight singles, including “Deuces,” “No BS,” “Yeah 3x,” “Look at Me Now,” “Beautiful People,” “She Ain’t You,” “Next to You,” and “Wet the Bed.”
Leading up to the album, Chris Brown also worked on three mixtapes: “In My Zone,” “Fan of a Fan,” and “In My Zone 2.” The album’s visual style incorporates colorful pop-art graffiti imagery, designed by Brown himself, Courtney Walter, and contemporary artist Ron English. F.A.M.E. explores various musical genres such as R&B, pop, hip hop, dancehall, soft rock, and Europop, with lyrics focusing on finding positivity in life.
The album received mixed reviews from music critics, with praise for the production but criticism for the content. Brown’s performances garnered a mixed response as well. Notably, F.A.M.E. earned three Grammy Award nominations at the 54th Grammy Awards, winning Best R&B Album, marking Brown’s first Grammy Award. It also won Top R&B Album at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards and Album of the Year at the 2011 Soul Train Music Awards.
F.A.M.E. made an impressive debut, reaching number one on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 270,000 copies. It became Brown’s first number-one album in the United States and his fourth consecutive top ten album following “Graffiti.” Several singles, including “Yeah 3x,” “Look at Me Now,” and “Beautiful People,” achieved commercial success worldwide. “Look at Me Now” even topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts in the United States. The album is certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), marking Brown’s third multi-platinum selling album after “Exclusive.”
To promote the album, Brown embarked on his F.A.M.E. Tour in Australia and North America.
Background and Recording:
Before releasing F.A.M.E., Chris Brown’s third album, “Graffiti,” faced criticism and lower commercial success. This was partly due to controversies surrounding his 2009 domestic violence scandal with his then-girlfriend Rihanna. In response, Brown released three free mixtapes in 2010: “In My Zone,” “Fan of a Fan” (a collaborative mixtape with Tyga), and “In My Zone 2.” These mixtapes introduced a new writing style with more mature themes, blending R&B with hip-hop. Notably, he started working with new producers during this time, most notably Kevin McCall. Meanwhile, the groundwork for the F.A.M.E. album began.