Brown, one of two children, was born and raised in the small town of Tappahannock, Virginia, the son of Joyce Hawkins and Clinton Brown. Brown was influenced by the artists his parents played on the home radio, such as Michael Jackson, Donny Hathaway, Otis Redding and Sam Cooke. A dancer since the age of two, Brown was not aware of his vocal talents until the age of eleven. Before becoming a vocalist, he was interested in becoming a rapper.

At thirteen, Brown was discovered by a local production team who visited his father's gas station searching for new talent. Since then, he began his recording career and moved to New York, staying there for two years. Brown's local production team organized an audition before Def Jam Vice President Tina Davis, who currently works as his manager. At the age of 15, Brown was then sent to perform for L.A. Reid and was subsequently signed in 2004 to Jive Records. By early 2005, Brown began work for his debut album, working with the likes of Sco