AFP - R&B singer Chris Brown was praised by a Los Angeles judge on Thursday for making "extremely favorable" progress following his sentence for assaulting ex-girlfriend Rihanna.

Brown, 20, must now return to court in February for another hearing before Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg, who sentenced the singer to 180 days of community labor in August.

Brown has already completed 100 hours of community labor and undergone seven sessions of a domestic violence counseling program, his lawyer Mark Geragos lawyer told the court.

"It's an extremely favorable progress report," Schnegg said after reviewing a document detailing Brown's case since his August 25 sentencing.

Brown was sentenced to five years probation, a year-long domestic violence program and 180 days of community labor after pleading guilty to assaulting Rihanna on the eve of the Grammy Awards in February this year.

The incident shocked the music world and left Rihanna nursing cuts and bruises to her face, forcing her to cancel a performance at the awards show.

Affidavits in the case alleged Brown slammed Rihanna's head against the window of a car the couple were traveling in before punching and biting her.