Chris Brown

When your mother tells you singing would bring better success with the ladies than playing basketball, you'd better take heed. In the case of new R&B sensation Chris Brown, a one-time point-guard on the varsity high school team in his hometown of Tappahannock, Virginia (population: 2,000), listening to his mom's career-steering advice has paid immediate dividends. The sixteen-year-old crooner snagged a record deal with Jive, has a growing presence on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Chart (the hit "Run It" reached No. 1) and is embarking on a brief US tour to promote the single — thus becoming the object of affection for countless teenage girls around the country.