S. Samuel
R&B singer Chris Brown has asked his fans to help get his music played on the radio by calling into stations and requesting his records.
Chris explained his situation during a SayNow broadcast.
“I ain’t never really did this but right now I need all of my fans help,” he explained. “A lot of radio stations aren’t playing my records. They are not being that supportive and I wouldn’t expect them to. It’s on the fans and what you guys do in your power to bring me back. That’s all I need is you guys and nothing else will do that except for the fans…I don’t know what else to say. It’s nothing else that I can do. I’m doing everything that I need to do. I’m doing me as a person and I’m a better guy…It’s on ya’ll. My singing and my music I do it for you guys and everything else but it won’t be possible if I’m not relevant on the radio and it wouldn’t be possible for me to be an artist if I don’t have the support. I can’t be an underground mixtape artist. That’s where we are. I just want all my fans to help me. I love ya’ll. Peace.” (Necole Bitchie)
Last December during the promotion of his Graffiti album, Brown accused retailers of blackballing him.
“JUST WAS AT WALMART IN wallingford CT,844 north colony.. the didnt even have my album in the back… not on shelves, saw for myself,” he wrote Saturday (December 12) night. “we talked to the managers and the didnt even know anything. wow!!! but they had alicia keys album ready for release for this tuesday comin. the manager told me that when there are new releases its mandatory to put em on the shelves.. BUT NO SIGN OF #GRAFFITI. BS no disprespect to alicia at all.. just givin an example to whos album is loaded and ready to go next week.” (Chris Brown’s Twitter)
Prior to that Tweet, the singer said he was being intentionally targeted by retailers.
“im tired of this sh*t. major stores r blackballing my cd. not stockin the shelves and lying to costumers. what the f*ck do i gotta do…,” he wrote Friday (December 11). “WTF… yeah i said it and i aint retracting sh*t im not biting my tongue about sh*t else… the industry can kiss my a** thx again to my real fans. u dont go unnoticed .love yall.” (Chris Brown’s Twitter)
However, retailers later responded to the accusations.
A survey and store visits find that Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Trans World, Newbury Comics are all carrying the Brown record and sources say that his album received widespread distribution and promotion by his label, Jive Records, and his distributor, Sony Music Entertainment. Jive shipped over 400,000 units of “Graffiti,” and also had it positioned in prime stores space at all key accounts, according to sources. In fact, sources suggest that Jive may have overshipped his record, as sales are slow. “Not only am I carrying it, I am over carrying it, because it isn’t selling,” says the head of purchasing at one large chain. “I wish I could return it.” He says the album’s first week sales only reached 40% of expectations. At 27-unit Newbury Comics, Carl Mello head of purchasing, echoes that sentiment. “We have it; it’s not selling much.” (Billboard)
