On May 5,1989 Christopher Maurice Brown was born to Joyce Hawkins and Clint Brown. Brown, one of two children, was born and raised in the small town of Tappahannock, Virginia, the son of Joyce Hawkins and Clinton Brown. Brown was influenced by the artists his parents played on the home radio, such as Michael Jackson and Sam Cooke. A dancer since the age of two, Brown was not aware of his vocal talents until the age of eleven. Before becoming a vocalist, he was interested in becoming a rapper. At thirteen, Brown was discovered by a local production team who visited his father's gas station searching for new talent. Since then, he began his recording career and moved to New York, staying there for two years.