Chris Brown can officially add “doctor” to their CV. On Saturday, May 23, 2026, the “Gimme That” singer revealed that he received an honorary doctorate in visual and performing arts from Harvest Christian University. The father-of-four posted photos of the special moment online, boasting about his latest achievement. However, some social media users weren’t as enthusiastic about the star as a few flooded various social forums to criticize the 37-year-old.
Chris Brown received an honorary doctorate from a Christian university in May 2026
Brown received an honorary Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Visual and Performing Arts from Harvest Christian University in May 2026.
The singer posted photos of himself in his academic regalia online, captioning the films: “I DID ONE THING!”
Other images allowed her supporters to take a closer look at the certificate, which acknowledges that Brown met the requirements for the honor.
According to ABS-CBN, Harvest Christian University awards honorary doctorates to those who “have made a significant impact in their field, particularly in music, entertainment and humanitarian work.”
According to the institution, honorary degrees recognize a person’s achievements and “influence beyond the classroom, honoring those whose life’s work embodies the values and mission of the university.”
Chris Brown has been in the game since the early 2000s
Brown rose to fame in the early 2000s with his self-titled album “Chris Brown,” which featured the singles “Run It!” », “Say Goodbye” and “Poppin”. The project reached number two on the Billboard 200 and, to date, has sold over 4 million copies.
In the years since, Brown has released chart-topping albums, including “FAME” and “Fortune,” and received two Grammys for Best R&B Album in 2012 and 2025. Additionally, Brown has also become one of the highest-grossing touring artists of all time, with his most recent tour grossing nearly $300 million.
While impressive, Brown’s career has also been clouded by controversy since 2009, when Brown pleaded guilty to felony assault after a domestic violence argument between him and his then-girlfriend, Rihanna.
Additionally, Brown was allegedly involved in several physical altercations with his peers, including Drake and Frank Ocean, and was arrested in 2013 after punching a man in the face outside a Washington hotel.
Although Brown has still found success despite his legal woes and other disputes, his personal problems have certainly been hanging over his head since the mid-2000s. This seems to be one of the reasons why some are furious with Harvest Christian University for honoring the singer with such a prestigious title.
“LOL, imagine giving an honorary doctorate to a convicted felon, whose images of the crime – a woman being beaten – are all over the internet,” someone wrote about this moment on Reddit. “It looks a lot like Christ.”
Another user wrote: “Disgusting” and a third said: “An abuser and an honorary degree = no one cares.” »
On Instagram, the reaction was much the same, as one user wrote: “Defund Honorary Degrees!” »
Someone else added: “Good for him, but I’m not calling him Dr. Chris Brown. Much love and respect to our black academics who truly earned their doctorates and are pursuing theirs.”
Brown’s latest album received a low rating in a music review publication
According to a previous report from The Blast, Brown recently made headlines after dragging Pitchfork, a respected music publication, for giving his latest album, “Brown,” a 1.3/10 rating.
The outlet’s review quickly went viral, likely because the lead author who wrote the article called the 27-track project “real shit.”
Brown fired back, saying, “F–k that! We’re fucking kicking them. We’re not giving up. I’m going to keep my foot on their neck, and we’re not stopping. Did you hear me?”
Brown Shade has another singer in the process
In his statement, Brown told critics he was not concerned about their opinions of his music. “If you’re not my fan, I don’t want you listening to my shit. Go listen to fucking Zara Larsson or someone.”
Larsson has expressed disdain for Brown for years, according to The Blast. Earlier this year, she revealed that he was one of the artists she had blocked on Spotify.
“There are so many artists I’ve blocked on Spotify, and all of them are abusers,” the “Pretty Ugly” singer said. “You definitely won’t find a Chris Brown song.”