February 10, 2009
Brown, Rihanna Cancel Gigs
The Chris Brown scandal continues today, with reported victim Rihanna pulling out of a Malaysian concert and Brown withdrawing from NBA All-Star events.
"Chris Brown has withdrawn from NBA All-Star events," an NBA rep confirmed to "Extra." The singer was scheduled to participate in All-Star festivities, as well as play in a celebrity basketball game.
Rihanna, confirmed in various reports as the victim in the alleged incident Sunday morning, has postponed a Friday concert in Malaysia -- the next stop on her "Good Girl Gone Bad" tour. Malaysia's Pineapple Concerts confirmed to the AP that the singer's show had to be rescheduled "in light of recent events involving Rihanna."
The L.A. Times is reporting that Rihanna -- whose real name is Robyn Fenty -- is cooperating with police in a battery investigation of Brown. Sources tell the paper that Rihanna told police that Chris hurt her after the couple left Clive Davis' Pre-Grammy party together -- and that their altercation left the singer with bruises and a scratch on her face. Other sources claim Rihanna suffered a serious contusion, swelling, a split lip, bite marks and a bloody nose.
"Extra" uncovered a lost interview in which Brown discussed a history of domestic abuse in his family -- and in late 2007, Brown went on the "Tyra Banks Show" and talked about how watching his mother be a victim of physical abuse changed him. "Basically, towards women -- I treat them differently. I don't want to put a woman through the same things that person put my mom through... it just changed me."
Rihanna is expected to travel to her home in Barbados to be with her family. X17 tells "Extra" Chris was spotted with his entourage hopping a private jet in Van Nuys, California. The agency suspected the pop star might be en route to Las Vegas, but they boarded a Gulfstream IV, a plane they say is too large for the 45-minute flight from the L.A. to Las Vegas.
Brown is scheduled to be arraigned March 5.