Anish Vij
Chris Brown has been criticised for grabbing the neck of Love Island's Natalia Zoppa during his famous on-stage lap dance.
Earlier this week, as a part of his sold out European Tour, the singer's Manchester gig saw him use his 'signature move' on the 2020 Islander. Watch below:
The 33-year-old R&B star, who holds an abusive past, has been slammed for putting his hand around the neck of Zoppa as she sat in the chair and sang along to the song.
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Brown's reputation was immediately tarnished 14 years ago when he physically assaulted his then girlfriend Rihanna after a pre-Grammys event on 8 February, 2009.
Rihanna, then 20, was left with visible injuries to her face and was hospitalised as a result.
Brown, aged 19 at the time, plead guilty and accepted a deal of 1,400 hours of community service, five years' probation and domestic violence counselling.
Although Rihanna has seemingly forgiven Brown for the incident, the 'Forever' singer has faced a number of misdemeanours since.
Most recently, Brown was sued by a woman identified as 'Jane Doe' who filed a $20 million lawsuit against him in January 2022, alleging that he drugged and raped her in December 2020 on a yacht in Miami.
However, a judge later dismissed the case.
Last month, Brown went on a rant on Instagram of how he's 'so tired of y’all running with this narrative'.
"If y’all still hate me for a mistake I made as a 17-year-old (19-year-old) please kiss my whole entire a*s,” he wrote on his Instagram stories.
Despite his call for people to leave him alone, it seems as if viewers have taken offence to a video earlier this week, which shows the singer briefly holding Zoppa's neck while performing his lap dance - something extremely popular amongst Brown fans.
Commenting on the viral clip, one person thought: "This is so unpleasant to watch. Even the fact that she’s on a stage with him doesn’t stop her obvious discomfort - as she puts her hand up to his as it encircles her throat."
Another added: "Maybe I should mind my own business but, why would you want Chris Brown of all people putting his hands on your throat after what he did to Rihanna."
While someone else said: "This is so disturbing. A man with a history of DV, sitting a fan on stage, grabbing her around the neck then thrusting in her face.
"She may be a Love Island star but she doesn't look comfortable with it. Why do women pay to go and watch him?"
UNILAD has contacted Chris Brown's representatives for comment.