You may not have heard of Chris Brown before, but with the news of his arrest on Sunday evening on alleged assault charges, the young singer is gaining new notoriety for all the wrong reasons.

Brown, 19, began his career at the age of 16 when he released his debut album Chris Brown in 2005. The double Platinum album featured the hit single Run It, which topped the Billboard Hot 100.

The accomplishment made Brown, who cultivated a squeaky clean image, the first male artist to have his debut single top the charts.

His second album entitled Exclusive was released in 2007 and featured such hit singles as With You and Kiss Kiss. Brown later released a deluxe version of the album entitled The Forever Edition, which contained the single Forever, which reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and was also featured in Doublemint gum advertisements.

Brown has also appeared in films including 2007’s Stomp the Yard and This Christmas.

Rumors of his relationship with pop superstar Rihanna – who sold the most digital song downloads of 2008 – began more than a year ago. While the two rarely discuss their relationship, they have been photographed embracing numerous times and have performed several times together on stage.

Brown’s career seemed promising, with his music and dancing style drawing comparisons to Michael Jackson and Usher.

But his arrest Sunday stemming from an alleged domestic dispute, could prove to be a major setback for his career, which boasted a substantial female fan base.