“Did she have to pay extra for the Rihanna special”- Netizens react to Chris Brown's viral $1,200 fan meet-and-greet photo

A recent photo of singer Chris Brown posing with a fan at a $1,200 meet-and-greet has gone viral on social media, drawing widespread attention and mixed reactions. The photo, taken on June 15, 2025, during Chris Brown's Breezy Bowl XX Tour at Co-op Live in Manchester, shows the singer with fan Nicola Paparazzo sitting on his lap, both gazing intensely at each other.

This VIP experience is said to be approximately $1,200, as reported by The Shade Room and The Sun, offering personalized photos, early entry to the Venue, and exclusive merchandise, which was quickly sold out due to its high demand.

Although some fans claimed that this experience was a memorable event, several others were complaining about how expensive it was, and sparked up controversial opinions about celebrity responsibility and fan culture.

Fans further referenced Rihanna, pointing out Chris Brown’s 2009 felony assault of then-girlfriend Rihanna, a case that remains a substantial part of his public legacy. According to court records, in June 2009, Brown pleaded guilty to felony assault and was sentenced to five years' probation, six months (or a maximum of 1,400 hours) of community labor, and one year of domestic violence counseling.

One commentator sarcastically asked,

"Did she have to pay extra for the Rihanna special"

"That's a steep price for a photo with a controversial celeb", an X user commented.

"He sees Rihanna in her", another X user added.

"Chris is giving her the rihanna special", a netizen wrote.

Other individuals claimed that such a cost of $1,200 was worth it due to the amount of personal interaction and the rarity of such event.

"WORTH IT", a fan commented.

"Woooooah she used her money well", another fan added.

"That meet-and-greet photo is definitely making waves online. So cool to see fans getting up close and personal." an individual reflected.

Despite online responses, Chris Brown remains a polarizing figure, and the 1200-dollar photo is simply another demonstration of the ongoing divide.

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Chris Brown kicks off Breezy Bowl XX Tour

The highly anticipated Breezy Bowl XX Tour began on June 8, 2025, with a stadium-scale tour performance in the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam, followed by stadium performances in Europe and North America, commemorating 20 years of his music career.

The European leg included several sold-out arena concerts in such cities as Hamburg, Manchester, London, and Paris, which evidence his enduring appeal with audiences.

American Artist Chris Brown Performs In South Africa - Source: Getty

The supporting acts were Bryson Tiller on all dates and Summer Walker on North American dates. They headlined several nights at Co-op Live in Manchester (June 15, 16, 24, and July 3), all of which sold out, with a VIP experience contributing to the high fan demand.

One of the most notable highlights of the tour was the reintroduction of VIP meet-and-greet packages, which were offered at about $1,200–$1,250 per person. These high-end packages gave the fans the first access to the venues, limited edition merchandise, and photo shoots. About 20 VIP packages were available per city, and they were sold out practically instantly.

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Fan Nicola Paparazzo shares VIP photos with Chris Brown

On Friday, June 20, 2025, Nicola Paparazzo posted the now-viral, incendiary moment with brown on Instagram in which he is seen wrapping his hand around Paparazzo's neck and glaring at each other.

Nicola even mentioned that Brown sketched a cartoon on her body during the session, which the model later turned into a permanent tattoo, as she recounted on Instagram, describing the experience as "amazing." Nicola excitedly wrote,

“Was amazing to meet you @chrisbrownofficial thank you for being so nice and for taking the extra time to draw my little cartoon dude for me.”

There was a large amount of attention paid online due to the intimate nature of the photo.