New York ? These days, Chris Brown is just trying to stay focused and humble. But when you’re a 16-year-old R&B singer with the hottest single in the country, it’s not easy.

Especially when that single, the catchy-club bouncer “Run It,” has ruled the charts for several weeks. And your self-titled debut album premieres at No. 2. And you’re about to embark on a tour with platinum acts like Ciara and Bow Wow. And you’ve become an instant heartthrob, with teenage girls following you around the country screaming your name.

“It’s getting hard to stay focused with all these lovely ladies out here,” chuckles Brown. “(But) I still want to be the best.”

Brown is the latest young male R&B singer making a statement on the charts. Mario had one of the biggest hits of the year with “Let Me Love You,” while Omarion made girls swoon with hits like “O.” And Marques Houston had one of BET’s most requested videos of the year with “Naked.”

But Brown has set himself apart from the pack with “Run It,” an infectious tune that tempts a girl on the dance floor. It has been perched at the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart for the past three weeks.

“When you look at how quickly that song grew on the charts, it was a one-listen (thing),” says Amy Doyle, senior vice president of music and talent and MTV and MTV2, where Brown has become a fixture. “When you have that kind of connection out of the gate, it only gets bigger from there.”

He’s already being compared to music’s biggest stars. Brown’s frenetic dance moves have been compared to Usher’s, while his strong, semi-high voice recalls a young Michael Jackson.

Singer Chris Brown, 16, is already running things in the music world. He's got the hottest single in the country, Run

Brown signed earlier this year with Jive, home to Ciara, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and others. The label matched Brown with top producers like Scott Storch, who’s responsible for “Run It.” Brown had input on the album and even co-wrote a few tracks.

“They really was down to earth with me,” Brown said. “They wasn’t like, ‘Oh, this is just a little kid coming in here singing, we’re going to give him whatever.’ They really believed in me.”