ID Channel Sets Documentary on Chris Brown’s ‘History of Violence’

Chris Brown is the next celebrity to face scrutiny under Investigation Discovery’s lens. 

This week the cable network announced a new documentary titled Chris Brown: A History of Violence, focusing on the singer’s 2009 assault of then-girlfriend Rihanna, as well as more recent incidents involving the chart-topping R&B singer.

According to the official description, the film goes “all the way back to his troubled childhood, explores the lasting impact of the cycle of abuse, and poses the question: how does a man with such a violent public record maintain his superstar status?”

Brown previously released a statement expressing his plans to take legal action in response to allegations against him.

“No more dragging me through the mud. Me and my team are taking legal action on this situation. You don’t play with people’s lives like that,” he wrote on his Instagram Stories.

But ID doesn’t seem concerned. The network said in a press release that Chris Brown: A History of Violence will include interviews with domestic violence experts and cultural commentary with “thoughtful reflections into each survivor’s experience and the psychological destruction in the aftermath of their abuse.”

The documentary is part of ID’s “No Excuse for Abuse” campaign. Throughout October, which is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the cable channel will shed light on intimate partner violence with resources and programming initiatives.

Right after Chris Brown: A History of Violence, Sunny Hostin will host a special to expand on the discussion.

“I have always prioritized being a fierce defender of women and children,” Hostin said in a statement. “Domestic violence is a very close, personal issue to me as I reflect on my past as a prosecutor of these types of cases, and in my role as a mother and public figure whose actions inform and help shape the next generation.”

“ID is dedicated to empowering viewers with the knowledge and tools necessary to identify all forms of domestic violence, find support if needed, and become part of the solution,” added Jason Sarlanis, President of ID. “Please join the conversation on social by using #NoExcuseforAbuse.”

The Chris Brown film will be joining ID’s previous doc, Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, which was released in March of this year and focused on the toxic experiences of child actors on hit Nickelodeon shows from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Produced for ID by Ample Entertainment,  Chris Brown: A History of Violence will premiere on Sunday, Oct. 27 at 9 pm ET/PT on ID.

You can watch the official trailer here.