Posted on Fri, Aug. 25, 2006

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Chris Brown finds success doing it his way

By DAMON C. WILLIAMS

There's a fresh face leading the wave of young R&B heartthrobs, and Chris Brown will show why he's the new leader of this pack when he preforms alongside Ne-Yo, Lil' Wayne, Dem Franchise Boyzand Juelz Santana this weekend.

"Man, people should expect a lot of energy from this show," Brown told the Daily News earlier this week. "There will be great excitement... and not just from me, but from everyone."

Headlining a national tour might be overwhelming for most 17-year-olds, but Brown, from the small town of Tappahannock, Va., should be accustomed to the spotlight by now. Already, he's penned hits such as the Scott Storch-produced "Run It!," which propelled his 2005 self-titled debut to platinum status.

Label home Jive Records has ensured Brown's success by surrounding him with veteran music talents. Producers and songwriters Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Fox have joined the Philly production team of Dre & Vidal in producing a comfortable, top-selling sound for Brown to thrive on.

Not bad for a kid who grew up idolizing Michael Jackson and Sam Cooke.

Brown hasn't been able to duck the comparisons - though favorable - to Usher, Trey Songz and tourmate Ne-Yo, but he said he'd much rather create a category that's all his own.

"I just try to be myself," Brown said. "I know Usher is a great artist, and they compare me to him a lot... . At the end of the day, I'm 17, and I'm a young dude, and I have a lot of respect for him.

"But I just want to be looked at and recognized as my own person and being unique. A unique artist in the game."

But there's at least in one other way Brown is emulating Usher, who recently made his Broadway debut as Billy Flynn in the Bob Fosse musical "Chicago."

Brown is trying out his acting (and dancing) chops, too, playing the lead in the upcoming film, "Steppin'." It's about a young street dancer who heads from Los Angeles to college in Atlanta, where he's recruited by competing fraternities hot for his stepping skills.

"I want to give everyone a chance to see what I can do," said Brown, who's also working on his follow-up album. "It's just my hunger for the game."