Recording artist Chris Brown has begun his 180-day community labor sentence in Richmond, Va., for beating up his ex-girlfriend, singer Rihanna.

Brown, 20, was sentenced in August to six months of community labor and a year of domestic violence counseling after pleading guilty June 22 to felony assault. He was also placed on probation for five years and ordered to stay away from Rihanna, 21, for five years.

Usmagazine.com said Brown was seen wearing a bright orange vest, picking up garbage and cleaning police horse stables Wednesday.

"On my way to community service," he said via Twitter earlier in the day.