Bobby Brown is an R&B singer from Boston known for helping bring new jack swing into the pop mainstream. With its mix of classic soul, synth-funk, hip-hop rhythms, and rap breaks, his sound helped define late-1980s and early-1990s R&B, especially through the blockbuster success of Don’t Be Cruel.
Brown first began singing with schoolmates in 1978 before rising to teen fame with New Edition. He left the group in 1986 to pursue a solo career, released King of Stage in 1987, and broke through the following year with Don’t Be Cruel, which produced hits including “My Prerogative,” “Every Little Step,” “Roni,” and “Rock Wit’cha.”
