“I am not a Role Model, I am Fearless!” - Chris Brown

Chris Brown who recently dominated headlines again for all the wrong reasons features in Urban Ink magazine as he discussed his career, his daughter Royalty, what propels him and why he sees himself as a rebel.

Read excerpts from his interview below:


On what propels him:

Well, it’s easy: fearlessness. It’s not arrogance; it’s fearlessness. People dog themselves before they give themselves an opportunity to fail. So I think they let other people’s insecurities bring their doubts down. I don’t let that stop anything I’m doing. It’s never worked out for me in the past, so I think that listening to myself and focusing on what I needed to do puts me in that
category. So if I wanted to rap or if I wanted to yodel, I think I would have just done it anyway with the confidence of me saying, “I’m gonna do it.” People usually have a lack of confidence due to insecurities. Once again, it’s not arrogance. It’s just being very aware and fearless of doing things or willing to try.

On the concept behind his numerous tattoos:

Usually, it just comes from us partying or being in some exciting environment. Mostly it’s just having fun. For me, I don’t try to focus too much on particulars when getting a tattoo. Granted sometimes it has a deep meaning, like a milestone, and sometimes it’s just a stepping-stone in my life. I’ll look at a tattoo and say, “Oh, I remember where I was at when I got this tattoo.” Those moments are captured within the tattoos. I believe overthinking is probably what most people do, so I just try to let it flow. I use that same philosophy when I am getting my own artwork tattooed on me. I give my tattoo artist a lot of freedom.

Everyone always remembers their first tattoo. My first tattoo was a Jesus with musical notes. Basically signifying that God gave me the gift to sing. I was 13, but my mom didn’t know I got it. When she saw it, she went crazy, like, “What are you doing?” I showed her. I said, “It’s Jesus, mama, look.” So she kind of cooled down, but I still got in trouble.

The latest ink I’ve got is probably my head.

On his reputation as being a rebel:

I would just say that I would rather be an inspiration and not a role model. Make your own decisions. You don’t have to rebel just to rebel. You don’t have to accept just to accept. If you want to get a tattoo, if you think that’s your thing, then that’s cool. I personally think that now, not having a tattoo is kind of like a statement in itself. Our generation is gonna be old, tatted, and we’re gonna look so dope. So, it’s a choice. When my fans can say, “I want to get tatted or I don’t want to get tatted.” I don’t look at them any differently.

On his daughter, Royalty:

When I look at her, I see myself. I see a better version of myself. I just see her future. There’s no need to go backwards. At the end of the day, you learn that life is all about choices. Life is about responsibility and, actually, life is about love. Seeing my daughter embodies everything that I need to feel a sense of fulfillment and believe in myself. Being able to have her in my life, it’s just been amazing.