Musician Chris Brown can now prepare for his world tour after being released from a London jail on a $6.7 million bail. He was arrested on May 15 and charged with “grievous bodily harm,” according to the BBC.
Bail granted after initial denial
The 36-year-old singer was arrested in connection with a 2023 nightclub incident in London. Authorities allege Brown beat and injured a music producer with a bottle during the altercation.
Brown was initially denied bail on Friday, May 16. However, a Southwark Crown Court judge reversed the decision during a hearing on Wednesday, May 21. The judge approved bail on the condition that Brown immediately pay £5 million, or $6.7 million, which serves as a financial guarantee that he will appear in court. The judge allowed Brown to travel internationally as long as it was for the purpose of his tour.
Social media response
Shortly after his release, Brown posted on his Instagram Story, “From the cage to the stage!”
Brown was originally scheduled to appear in court on June 13. However, that date would have conflicted with the opening of his Breezy Bowl World Tour.
Brown’s global tour is set to begin June 8 in the Netherlands. According to his website, stops include Portugal, Canada and the United Kingdom before wrapping up in the United States in October.
A history of legal issues
Brown has had multiple prior run-ins with the law, both internationally and in the United States.
In 2009, he was charged with felony assault following a domestic violence incident involving then-girlfriend Rihanna. The case made global headlines after she was hospitalized with facial injuries.
In 2012, Brown was involved in a nightclub altercation that injured multiple people, including NBA player Tony Parker. The dispute was reportedly between Brown and rapper Drake.
Later that year, he violated a restraining order by attending a Halloween party where Rihanna was present.
In October 2013, Brown was arrested and charged with felony assault in Washington, D.C., after an altercation with two men. He pleaded guilty the following year after entering rehab, where he was diagnosed with PTSD and bipolar disorder.
More recent allegations
Additional incidents have surfaced over the years. Brown was ordered to stay away from his ex-girlfriend Karrueche Tran, and in 2018, he was sued for alleged sexual assault.
He has also faced multiple rape accusations, including a 2024 claim by a woman who alleges she was assaulted by Brown on Sean “Diddy” Combs’ yacht that was revealed in the “Chris Brown: A History of Violence” documentary.
Brown later sued Warner Bros. Discovery in January, claiming it was “full of lies and deception,” according to Variety. There are no updates in this suit, but he is seeking $500 million in damages, citing libel and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Next court appearance
According to The Sun, the producer allegedly assaulted by Brown was hospitalized after the incident and required crutches upon discharge. He claims Brown struck him in the head with a bottle, then punched and kicked him while he was on the ground.
Brown, along with rapper HoodyBaby — who is also facing charges related to the assault — is scheduled to appear in court on June 20, just one day before Brown’s scheduled show in London.
