Chris Brown and Riveting Entertainment premiered the eye-opening Welcome to My Life documentary at L.A. Live amid stars and avid admirers. There was palpable excitement in the theater as folks rushed in for what promised to be an in-depth look into the controversial star’s life.
I was floored by this movie. It not only documents Brown’s rise to superstardom, but also shows him recounting moment to moment what went down during some of his most notorious run-ins with the law.
He comes off honest and truly remorseful, an artist battling demons that won’t let up. As he delved into the details of his most infamous fight – when he left Rihanna scarred and crying after a Grammy party – I found myself warming up to him despite his dark behavior that night.
I’ve always admired Brown for his undeniable talent, but here he adds a layer of humanity and openness we haven’t seen since the outset of his career.
Talking heads Usher, Rita Ora, J.Lo, Jamie Foxx, DJ Khaled and Mary J. Blige paint Brown as both mercurially talented and endlessly conflicted.
Ora has particularly kind words for him, describing the singer as compassionate and generous, while Usher, tucked into a family-size restaurant booth, comes off as brotherly and genuinely sympathetic to the complexities of young fame.
A gaggle of A-listers attended the premiere, including Diddy, Tyga, Jhene Aiko, OT Genasis, Terrence J and Kid Ink. Brown stood up in the theater to thank all who’d come to support his film. For tonight there was closure, release and excitement for what’s to come in what’s still an exciting young career.