Chris Brown is the epitome of a versatile artist. Renowned for his silky-smooth vocals, he effortlessly captivates audiences with his special brand of soul. His voice possesses a unique blend of power, emotion, and range, allowing him to deliver heartfelt ballads and electrifying R&B tunes with equal finesse. His ability to convey raw emotion through his singing resonates deeply with listeners and establishes him as a standout vocalist in the music industry.
However, what truly sets the star apart is his remarkable skill as a rapper. Beyond his vocal prowess, he showcases an impressive command of rhythm and flow when he takes to the mic. His rap verses are characterized by their intricate wordplay, clever rhymes, and dynamic delivery. Whether he's laying down smooth verses on a Hip Hop track or effortlessly switching between singing and rapping on the same song, Brown demonstrates a combination of skill sets that few artists can match.
REVOLT collected 13 instances where his bars matched or even succeeded his best melodies. Check them out below.
1. Weakest Link: “You doin' bad, you a b**ch and your music trash, Fashion Week, they sat me next to your lame a**, I was truly mad/ All I kept thinkin' 'bout was breakin' your face, but I gave you a pass, you lucky I ain't wanna f**k the money up, boy, I would've broke you in half...”
Might as well start this list off with a bang. Brown and Quavo have been at varying odds throughout their careers. Above, Breezy fired off one heck of a shot to his Migos competitor with bars that addressed everything from mutual love interests to being “bodied by a singin' n**ga.” Whew.
2. Started From The Bottom (Freestyle): “Who a low life? N**ga, get it straight, all this ice in your face/ All this money, I don't need to save, how you talkin' money to a f**kin' bank?”
Once upon a time, relations between Brown and Drake weren’t the best. Nonetheless, the Virginia talent paid a visit to Funk Flex to rap some crazy bars over the OVO head honcho’s Nothing Was The Same standout.
3. Till I Die: “This Virginia, straight from the country, right there with my kinfolk/ Golds in my mouth and they put 26s on Benzos, dirt roads, Backwoods, they got weed, but I've been dope...”
Taken from his Fortune LP, the artist teamed up with Blog Era captains Wiz Khalifa and Big Sean for the infectious “Till I Die.” Even with the Hip Hop firepower, the talent had little issue holding his own with a short-but-effective opening verse.
4. Real Hip Hop S**t: “I stand alone, f**k that gang bang s**t, they Nintendo blowin' n**gas 'cause this game ain't s**t/ Uh, it's relevant that I'm better than these veterans, they sleepin' on me like I been givin' them sedatives...”
It’s all in the title. Taking a full break from singing, Brown surprised the masses with Boy In Detention, a full-on rap mixtape with a wealth of assists from Tyga, Khalifa, Big K.R.I.T., Justin Bieber, and more. Above, he goes in on the first installment of his “Real Hip Hop S**t” series with some assistance from Kevin McCall.
5. Look At Me Now: “Yellow model chick, yellow bottle sippin', yellow Lamborghini, yellow top missin'/ Yeah, yeah, that s**t look like a toupée, I get what you get in 10 years in two days/ Ladies love me, I'm on my Cool J, if you get what I get, what would you say?”
One of the biggest hits of his career was “Look At Me Now,” a high-energy collaboration with Lil Wayne and a spotlight-stealing Busta Rhymes. On the F.A.M.E. standout, he opened the track with an iconic intro -- “I don't see how you can hate from outside of the club, you can't even get in!” -- before delivering two short verses at different speeds. Add in a short melody and this track is one of the biggest examples of his versatility on a microphone.
6. I Don’t Die: “Why you wanna hate on progress? Why you wanna keep me in the projects? N**ga, why you wanna eat off my checks? That's some weird ass s**t, you suspect...”
While their Angels & Demons album never came to fruition, Brown and Joyner Lucas have made magic on more than a few cuts. Above, the VA rep brings the syrupy vocals out for the song’s hook before delivering a rapid final verse to steal the show.
7. Holla At Me: “Magazine covers, mag-neem rubbers, I mean Magnum, I don't f**k with stragglers/ N**gas want drama, Gangsta Grillz, bastards, did you check the caption? Lights, camera, action...”
Before Fan of a Fan: The Album, Brown and Tyga blessed the world with Fan of a Fan, a Hip Hop-oriented mixtape with assists from Lil Wayne, Bow Wow, and Kevin McCall. One of the project’s most notable offerings, “Holla At Me,” saw Breezy rapping two out of three verses about as effortlessly as he would hit runs on a tearjerking ballad.
8. B**ches N Marijuana: “You see the Lambo' parked in the trap, that's me, n**ga, I own it while you livin' on a lease, n**ga/ I'm known to keep my b**ches on a leash, n**ga I smoke it by the pound, what you talkin' 'bout?”
Even with ScHoolboy Q on the record, Breezy had little issue providing listeners with boastful, clever rhymes about his rockstar lifestyle. Taken from Fan of a Fan: The Album, this is another example of the talent delivering both hard-hitting raps and infectious harmonies, effectively taking over the entire song in the process.
9. Studio (Freestyle): “Man, I ain't got time to play, I need it now, not a minute late/ Now she blowin' up my line on the cellular, she wanna lock a brother down on the regular/ Talkin' crazy to me like she own it, but I don't trust her as far as I can throw her...”
While promoting the album X, the star paid a visit to Power 106’s “The Liftoff” and, after arguably out-singing BJ The Chicago Kid on his own hook, delivered an impressive freestyle over ScHoolboy Q’s hit single “Studio.”
10. Rona Raps/Stay Home Freestyle: “This damn virus got me stuck home, hope it skips me and my fam and get the f**k on/ When it’s over, ladies, I’m tryna get my f**k on, spraying raid and disinfectant like it’s cologne...”
Credit to Guapdad 4000 for providing a creative outlet for artists and fans during a world-stopping event. For the second installment of his “Rona Raps” series, the Oakland talent linked up (virtually) with Brown for a couple of clever and humorous bars over Q-Tip's “Vivrant Thing.” Even in uncertain times, Breezy is ready to amaze and entertain.
11. Ain't S**t Changed: “You know, boy, I'm gettin' paid, what you say? Money on the way, b**ches actin' fake in my face, wantin' to save it/ OG, smokin' OG, them b**ches on me, lonely, I'm big league playin' for the majors...”
Here’s a deep cut. On his House In The Hills EP, Cal Scruby managed to snag an assist from the VA native for the creeping, bass heavy “Ain’t S**t Changed.” Taking the middle verse, the artist spit sharp, non-filler rhymes about his financial successes and street background.
12. R.I.P. (Remix): “OHB, my n**gas out here ballin', and all you fake a** artists, y'all n**gas out here drawin'/ Okay, now dearly departed, I bought a plane, I departed, and if you started from the bottom, gon' and come out the closet...”
Originally appearing on Jeezy’s It’s Tha World mixtape, “R.I.P.” was a collaboration alongside 2 Chainz. Not long after, the CTE bossman upgraded the runaway hit with assists from YG, Kendrick Lamar, and Brown, who provided the song’s closing verse – a feat within itself given the firepower that preceded him. His appearance is also well-known for one of many jabs to Drake during their less-than-friendly period.
13. No Romeo No Juliet: “P.I.M.P., who the shotta dem? I'm the girl dem sugar, watch 'em follow him/ Have the homies come through, 500, that be the block...”
After connecting with Breezy on the remix to “I’m The Man,” 50 Cent reunited with the Virginia artist on a fresh cut titled “No Romeo No Juliet.” In addition to providing some R&B adlibs, Brown made sure to deliver one of the hardest rap verses of his career. The street-oriented subject matter certainly made sense -- he was standing next to G-Unit's finest, after all.