One thing you can’t take from Chris Brown is his innate ability to entertain and present his art in its purest form. The Virginia-bred artist is crazy talented!

The work ethic is evident. Just turn on the radio. His name accompanies a vast amount of tunes circulating the airwaves – and that’s just featured projects and writing credits.

When he’s rocking his music, the crooner is still topping the charts and touring nearly every month. It doesn’t end with music either; the visuals that complement his lyrics have grown to include progressive storylines and dance-infused action.

Gearing up for the release of his 7th studio album titled Royalty (available Dec. 18), Chris set out to do an intimate three-city tour stripped of cameos from some of his biggest collaborators such as 50 Cent, Rick Ross and Lil’ Wayne. Sans a theme-infused stage setting, the creative hit Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom Sunday Dec. 13 with his energy, a four-person dance squad and his catalogue of nothing but fan favorites. And boy was it poppin’ (pun intended)!

So feel however you want about the man, but these are three things that you can’t deny about Christopher Brown, the artist.

1. The Art

Chris’ art just may be his saving grace. From his talents as a painter, producer, director, songwriter and dancer, he is a master of many trades. It’s clear that creativity is his best language, and he doesn’t just leave it all on the stage. Even before he made it to the arena, he posted an Instagram photo of him in one of his elements – drawing. When he did make it to the stadium, his performance was show stopping. Let’s face it. The dude’s body is like liquid. He glided, pumped and pop locked across the floor all night long. He appeared to be having a ball while performing, and it was just as much fun watching him in his zone.

2. The Hits

He may only be 26 years old, but his massive sea of content surpasses that of some of the most seasoned artists. During his 18-set performance, he weaved in and out of his older and current jams and reminded the crowd just how much work he’s put in since his 2005 debut. First, he entertained us with newer tunes and featured tracks including “Fine By Me” and “Only.” Then he brought out the energetic and charismatic heartthrob we first fell in love with by singing “Run It” and “Yo.” Fast-forwarding back to his adult years, it got grown and sexy as he belted out “Take You Down” and “Back To Sleep.” No matter your fancy, whether it be techno or hip-hop, Breezy will always have you covered.

3. The Gratitude 

Before the man of the evening made his entrance, “We want Chris” chants and a killer Michael Jackson playlist swarmed the air of the dapper-designed venue. His homage to the King of Pop showed us that he will always honor the greats that came before him, and the roaring cheers proved that the unwavering love from #TeamBreezy is a sure thing. Chris made note to humbly thank those who’ve supported his career through the good and bad, but even with little words, it was clear he was solely in his element of simply just sharing his art with the people.

Catch him if you can. Chris has two more stops on Royalty Live. See the dates here.