"Rumor has it."

"And unnamed source close to the situation said..."

"According to reports made by someone close to Rihanna..."

Etc, etc etc.

As the Chris Brown/Rhianna fiasco continues to be molded and shaped by numerous unnamed sources and those supposedly close to the situation, the general public has been inundated with enough speculation to form their own truths regarding the matter. Unfortunately for both Brown and Rihanna, the public opinion based on mere speculation without any word coming from those actually involved in the situationcan be quitedamaging to both artists public image. Case in point, Brown losing endorsements and being rejected by radio as well as some blaming Rihanna for pushing Brown over the edge.

Let’s take a look at what we do know and what – to this point – is mere speculation.

The Facts:

Chris Brown andan unidentified woman – which multiple reports lead to be Rihanna - were in a physical altercation as the two were riding together in a rented Lamborghini after Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy party late Saturday night/early Sunday morning. A police statement that was released Sunday afternoon stated that Brown and an unidentified womanwere arguing while driving. The couple pulled over in the Hancock Park neighborhood, where the argument escalated to a physical altercation. The altercation left the victim (Rihanna) visibly hurt and Brown fled the scene before cops arrived. Brown would turn himself in to police after being booked only on suspicion of making a criminal threat and would subsequently be released after posting $50k bail. Both he and Rihanna would not participate in the Grammy awards Sunday night andfurthered the claimthat Rihanna was indeed the unidentified woman. Publicists for both artists have remained mum on the subject.

The Rumors:

Chris Brown and Rihanna had a volatile relationship in the past that came to a head on that fateful night. Some rumors cited that the argument started over one giving the other an STD, while other rumors have stated that a “booty call” text message to Brown from an unidentified woman (the women that have been named to this point are Paris Hilton, Leona Lewis and Keisha Chante) began the fight. Neither claim has been substantiated.

Sources have said that Brown was jealous of Rihanna spending time with Timbaland at a pre-Grammy party while others have claimed that Rihanna has had issues with Brown’s fidelity over the past few months. Another rumor has spread that Rihanna has often been physical with Brown and has slapped him in public on numerous occasions

Multiple unnamed sources “close to the situation” have outlined drastically different sequences of events for what took place between Brown and Rihanna on that night. Some have said that after receiving the text, Rihanna hit Brown while driving and Brown fought back and struck Rihanna. Others have said that Brown and Rihanna were in a heated argument and Brown hit and choked Rihanna until she lost consciousness.

A third - and more detailed - story finds Rihanna telling Brown to take her home after the argument. During the drive, Rihanna supposedly faked a call to someone and asked to “make sure the cops are there,” which drove Chris into a rage and found him threatening the pop star’s life. After striking Rihanna with his fists, she somehow managed to take the keys out of the ignition and throw them out of the window. After the scuffle came to the end, a homeowner in the area called 911 and Brown fled the scene before the cops would arrive.

The injuries that Rihanna has supposedly sustained read like a laundry list of injuries sustained in a world title fight: Black eye, contusions on both sides of the face, busted/broken nose, busted lip, bite marks on the arms and fingers.

So What Do We Really Know?

At this current point and time, there is no validity to any of the claims and the more rumors that circulate without a merit of truth, the more damaging to both of these young artists’ careers.

Everyone wants to feel like they are close to the situation and know something that somebody else doesn’t. Sadly, this has led to some pretty outrageous rumors that have only tossed gasoline on a story that has been a four alarmblaze since it first hit the internet last Sunday.

Although this story has become a juicy tidbit of news over the past week, domestic violence is nothing to scoff at until we understand the true nature of what happened on that evening in the rented Lamborghini. The only two people that know exactly what happened – Chris Brown and Rihanna – are ironically the only two who have had absolutely nothing to say up to this point.

Without either of them speaking publically, passing judgment on what happened is exactly what this article is all about – pure speculation.