If Chris Brown did indeed hit Rihanna early Sunday morning, it may not have been the first time.
According to TMZ.com, the pop star told cops that her R&B singer boyfriend had a history of abusing her before a weekend attack that reportedly left her bruised and bloodied, and the violence was getting progressively worse. Us Weekly magazine also quoted unnamed sources close to Rihanna who claim this isn't the first time Brown's beaten and bruised her.
While representatives for Brown and Rihanna refuse to release details about the alleged altercation that reportedly landed her in the hospital and earned him a felony domestic abuse charge, rumors are swirling about what could have precipitated the fight.
One of the latest: Brown,19, was flirting with British singer Leona Lewis, and Rihanna, 20, flew into a rage.
According to the British paper the Daily Mirror, Brown was speaking to Lewis at a pre-Grammy party in Los Angeles hours before the late-night attack. While the conversation was innocent, it "set Rihanna off," according to an anonymous source quoted by the paper.
Other reports claim Rihanna got upset over a text message.
"He got a booty call. He got a text," an unnamed source told the New York Daily News. "Rihanna saw it and she got upset. They started to argue. She got out of the car. He wanted her to get back in, so he grabbed her. She pulled away. That's when she's told people he hit her."
Meanwhile, despite the abuse allegations against him, Brown was up for a trophy at the NAACP's annual awards ceremony tonight, as was Rihanna.
In the end, however, neither Brown nor Rihanna attended the awards and neither won. Jamie Foxx beat Brown for outstanding male artist, an award Brown won last year, and Beyonce beat Rihanna in the outstanding female artist category.
The NAACP did not immediately reply to ABCNews.com's request for comment before the ceremony.
Advertisers and radio stations have already backed away from the R&B singer. His "Got Milk" ad campaign will end this week.