Bobby Brown thinks people should respect Chris Brown.

Both singers have bad boy reputations, but Bobby thinks the public should put their views on Chris' personal life aside, and admire him for his talent.

Speaking about Chris' battle to turn around his image after his conviction for assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna in 2009, leaving her badly bruised, Bobby told MTV: ''Chris Brown is incredible. He's an incredible dancer, incredible singer. I respect him a lot because he's held his head up throughout everything that he's been through.

''He's only been through a little bit, but the boy is talented and you can't take talent away. Talent is given from God, you can't learn what he does. He's a bona fide entertainer and he should be respected.''

Bobby - who alongside his late wife, Whitney Houston, spiralled into drug addiction in the 90s - thinks Chris, 23, who is no relation, will eventually be forgiven, and has a long career ahead of him.

He added: ''He's still young and he's got a long way to go. I'm 30 years deep into this entertainment thing and I could see him 30 years from now, still doing what he does -- flipping and singing and dancing.

''And now he's getting ready to do a movie, so he's covering the spectrum of entertainment.''

Bobby is releasing his fifth solo album, 'The Masterpiece' on June 5.