Chris Brown and Rihanna were once madly in love, but a 2009 assault brought their young romance to a screeching halt. Brown was arrested and charged with felony assault not long after he put the Barbadian superstar in the hospital. He ultimately accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to five years of probation, community labor and domestic violence counseling.
But over the years, Rihanna and Brown have been working on their friendship and are trying to put the past behind them. This week, Oprah Winfrey decided to re-release a 2012 interview with Rihanna for an episode of Oprah Winfrey’s Supersoul Coversations podcast in which RiRi opened up about their special bond.
“We’ve been working on our friendship again,” she said. “Now we’re very very close friends. We’ve built up a trust again, and that’s — we love each other and we probably always will. And that’s not something we’re ever going to change. That’s not something you can shut off, if you’ve ever been in love.”
She added, “I think he was the love of my life. He was the first love. And I see that he loved me the same way… it’s not even about us being together. I truly love him. So the main thing for me is that he’s at peace. I’m not at peace if he’s a little unhappy, or he’s still lonely.”
Naturally, Oprah wanted to know if they’d considered getting back together to which Rihanna said, “He’s in a relationship of his own. I’m single but we have maintained a very close friendship ever since the restraining order has been dropped. We’ve just worked on it, little by little, and it has not been easy. It’s not easy.”
Rihanna then admitted she witnessed her father being abusive to her mother and only when she was able to mend her relationship with her dad was she able to forgive Brown.
“I repaired my relationship with my dad,” she said. “I was so angry with him, and I was just angry about a lot of things from my childhood and I couldn’t separate him as a husband from him as a father. I thought I hated Chris and I realized it was love that was tarnished. It looked like hate because it was ugly, angry, it was inflamed, it was tainted. And I realized that what it was is I had to forgive him because I cared about him still. And the minute I let go of that, I started living again.”
Interestingly enough, following the brutal assault — which left her face bloodied and bruised — she was most concerned about what would happen to Brown.
“I was hurt most, nobody felt what I felt,” she explained. “It happened to me…I felt protective. I felt the only person they hate right now is him. It was a weird confusing space to be in because as angry as I was, and hurt and betrayed, I felt like he made that mistake because he needed help, and who’s going to help him? I was more concerned about him.”
Both artists have continued to find massive success with their individual careers, although Brown’s has been marred by consistent legal troubles, including similar allegations of abuse as well as sexual assault claims.
In a 2017 documentary called Chris Brown: Welcome To My Life, Brown went into graphic detail about the February night he lost control.
“I remember she tried to kick me, but then I really hit her, with a closed fist, like I punched her,” Brown said. “I busted her lip. When I saw it, I was in shock. I was like, ‘Fuck, why the hell did I hit her?’ From there, she just spit in my face … like spit blood in my face and it enraged me even more. It was a real on fight in the car.”
Chris Brown Goes Into Graphic Detail About Night He Beat Rihanna
Brown said he tried to de-escalate the situation, but claimed Rihanna was trying to toss his cell phone out of the car window. “She grabbed my neck and when she do that, I actually bite her arm as I’m driving. It’s just like a petty fight.”
Towards the end of the interview, he confessed they were both crying as he swore to her he was telling the truth about a past lover. After taking his keys, she got out of his Lamborghini and screamed, “He’s trying to kill me.”
Brown eventually turned himself in to the Los Angeles Police Department.
No self respect whatsoever. And then they cry when they’re called hoes.
Yeah bro it’s easy to judge from the outside, you must live life with high morals and never make mistakes? It’s different when you go through it. It’s not something you can just walk away from when feelings are involved. Try to understand. She still wants this dude even with all the money and guys she can have. That says a lot about there relationship. I’m not defending brown, he was definitely wrong. Don’t judge from the outside.
Nah, you’re definitely defending brown and all men who abuse women. Just admit it, you hit your woman too.
Stockholm-syndrome is real and these poor women are scarred and somehow blame themselves, which is why they go back to their abuser
My reply was meant for . but this site is buggy with replies..
Wow. He beat Karrueche too so he clearly hasn’t grown. Hope not too many young girls listen to this interview.
“Im seeing good people down and out, and these days a good guy seems out of style.”
Oh also the police report documented that no she did not attack him. Same how c tha god is r#pist, budden is serial abuser, Tory lanez us serial abuser. Receipts r available. Journalists r severely lacking
People need to move on with their lives and let Chris and Rhianna be. The media’s habits of bringing up old stories are all part of a very calculated plan to tarnish Chris’s image. Assuming that they are on a moral high horse as law abiding citizens, their hypocrisy is alarming given the fact that Chris has served time for that incident and even Double Jeopardy is not allowed at law.
Theyre soul mates/twin flames…soul mates still love each other even after experiencing each others demonic sides.. People don’t realize that Love (evol) has evil sides too… You can love someone to death literally if not careful
Another bit_ ch that needs to go away for good is Oprah. She sure loves to be surrounded by tortured women. Just look at her relationship with John of God and the horror show that was. Her pimping out young starlets to Weinstein. Her all girls schools in Africa, something is definitely wrong with Oprah. She needs to be fully exposed.
Two pop stars on a so called hiphop site. Fuck off.
People show who they are when they go “You’ve never made a mistake in your life?”.
Yes, I’ve made mistakes. It’s just my mistakes don’t involve beating the fuck out of someone half my size and weight Man or woman.
Men and women fight hard sometimes. Usually the end result is the woman getting her ass kicked. Thatz Life. If they love each other, they should get back together.
Surprised Marisa Mendez didn’t write this trash article of Rihanna saying something 8 years ago
Oprah probably tr ying to set him up, do a documentary and get him jailed. That’s what she’s been into lately with black males.
Cuz she knew it was her fault for beating him up while he was driving over sum text messages from girls!she had no right to hit him so she got her ass kicked in self defense period!
Nah men it’s called manning up and get a grip on your emotions I’ve been in some heated ass arguments never have I let myself to that extent. Chris needed to check his emotions.. oh but she kicked me…
why would oprah suddenly release an 8-year old interview with that content? don’t really care but im more curious like wtf is her agenda with this lol so random
Ya shes an evil bitch