The American Music Awards, which have been running annually since 1974, occupy an illustrious spot within the American music industry. The AMAs sit within the Big Three music awards shows in the US, alongside the Grammys and the Billboard Music Awards. And so, it is little wonder that the cancellation of singer Chris Brown’s performance just a few days before the 2022 awards quickly became a big talking point. Infamy has cloaked the 33-year-old songwriter for over a decade as accounts of his violence towards women have regularly made headlines, alongside a variety of legal troubles. And yet, as someone who is understood as having been ‘cancelled’, Chris Brown remains visible and supported, if his online following is anything to go by. In this episode, while we unravel the singer’s past, we’ll be asking crucial questions: was Chris Brown ever truly ‘cancelled’? This episode contains discussion about assault and sexual abuse, please be mindful of your own well-being. Pause and take breaks as often as you need to. This episode was written by Paula Akpan.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices