Chris Brown

Seventeen year old Chris Brown is all grown up and he no longer wants to be that sweet sixteen year old. "I'm looking at some serious roles that would take me out of the kiddie ? well, not kiddie ? but the sweet Chris Brown that everybody knows," the singer says of his budding film career. "It would be more of a life-challenging Chris Brown, like how 50 Cent's story was [in 'Get Rich or Die Tryin' '], more along the lines of playing a role like that."

According to MTV.com, Brown has been reading scripts and tossing around some of his own ideas, but for now he's happy to talk up his acting debut, in the dance movie tentatively titled "Steppin'." The film, which co-stars Brown's friend Ne-Yo, is due in early 2007.

"It's not like it's a wack movie where you just waiting to see the dancing ? you really are interested from top to bottom in the story," Brown said. "I was amped. I was on the set like, 'What y'all need me to do? What lines y'all need me to say? I'm ready!' "

The title of the movie may end up changing due to a similarly titled dance flick called "Step Up," which is due in August. Coincidently, that movie's soundtrack features Brown's next single, the break-up ballad "Say Goodbye," for which he just shot a video.

Brown is about to embark on his Up Close & Personal Tour, featuring co-headliner Ne-Yo and supporting acts Lil? Wayne, Juelz Santana and Dem Franchize Boyz. He plans to make his second album early next year with the first single dropping in January.

"I'm gonna talk a little bit more on subjects, but I'm gonna have fun with it as well," Brown says about the album.

His wish list of producers includes Kanye West, Will.I.Am, Pharrell, Timbaland and Swizz Beatz. "And Scott Storch, of course," Brown added. " 'Cause he got me the first time and the third time [singles 'Run It!' and 'Gimme That'], so I gotta keep rockin' with him."