Small-town dreams can go a long way-just ask Chris Brown, the first male solo artist to ever have a single ("Run It!") shoot to the top of the Billboard chart upon its release. There's something about Brown's singing and cool personality that makes him a magnet for R&B fans. His self-titled debut album became a Top Ten hit-and all this happened at the age of 16.

Chris Brown's success story is an amazing one, although many artists in the rap, hip-hop and R&B genres are finding early success these days. But the difference is that Brown is no flash-in-the-pan hot name. He has the talent and the songwriting ability to attract fans and keep them pleased for years to come. So far, this has been the case on his two albums. His second, Exclusive, suggests what his fans already know, that there's something setting Chris Brown apart, and you can hear it if you just listen.

Growing up in Tappahannock, Virginia, a small town with a population of only 2,000, Brown was inspired by the music of Sam Cooke, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson.

Nowadays, his music spans a broad range of subject matter and involves the collaboration of many different talents in the hip-hop and R&B industry. He's worked with the Black Eyed Peas will.i.am, T-Pain, Sean Garret, the Underdogs, Adonis and Bryan-Michael Cox. The subjects of his songs have changed and grown more mature with time. On his second album, "Fallen Angel" stands out in particular, a tune about a girl who's been bad-mouthed for who she was in the past and recognizing the good that's in her, though not everyone sees it.

Brown hasn't just stopped at recording music. He's been appearing in film and television, including The O.C., One on One, Stomp the Yard and This Christmas. This has only increased his exposure and turned people on to his amazing voice and song-writing skill.

The music of Chris Brown continues to evolve, and with each release he has new emotions being bottled up on his records. And with each release, more and more people are tuning in to this amazing artist who still has plenty of years -and great music-ahead of him.