September 15, 2012 10:09

Chris Brown album sold in HMV with 'This Man Beats Women' warning stickers

Advisory stickers appear on controversial singer's 'Fortune' album in London stores

Shoppers at HMV stores have reported that copies of Chris Brown's new album, 'Fortune', have been defaced with advisory labels warning people not to buy the LP because he "beats women".

Brown separated from his ex-girlfriend Rihanna after he assaulted her in February 2009 before a pre-Grammys party. The pair sparked controversy after they teamed up for a remix of Rihanna's track 'Birthday Cake' earlier this year, however, and their relationship has become the source of much speculation amidst rumours that they may be about to rekindle their romance.

The stickers, which bear the message "WARNING: Do not buy this album! This man beats women!" are thought to have been placed on the albums by anti-domestic violence campaigners. They were first spotted in a Cambridge branch of HMV, and the first photo was tweeted by Cambridge University Student Union Women's Campaign, though the organisation - whose stated aim is to "represent women students in Cambridge and campaign for gender equality" - are remaining coy about their involvement in the stunt.

Someone's been busy in Cambridge! Respect to whoever did this in HMV today! twitter.com/CUSUwomen/stat…
— Women's Campaign (@CUSUwomen) September 12, 2012

A spokesperson for HMV denied any responsibility for the stickers, telling E! News: "It was very much an isolated incident and nothing to do with HMV or representing our views. It would appear a member of the public popped into one of our stores yesterday and stickered a handful of CDs.

"These were spotted and quickly removed, but, before we could act, the individual concerned must have taken a photo and sent it to the media. To our knowledge there are no further stickers in our stores now."

Earlier this week, a representative for Brown was forced to defend the singer from widespread criticism following reports that his new tattoo is a reference to the bruised face of his ex-girlfriend Rihanna. The singer endured a huge online backlash after people pointed out that the tattoo bears a striking resemblance to a face with the same injuries that he inflicted upon the 'Talk That Talk' singer, but his representative said: "His tattoo is a sugar skull (associated with the Mexican celebration of the Day of the Dead) and a MAC cosmetics design he saw. It is not Rihanna or an abused woman as erroneously reported."

Brown and Rihanna were recently photographed kissing and hugging at the MTV Video Music Awards. Rihanna recently told US chat show host Oprah Winfrey that she still has feelings for her ex. "I think he is the love of my life," she said. "He was my first love. Now we're very close friends. And that's not anything we're going to try to change."

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