Chris Brown: Jail gave me focus

Chris Brown had time to "focus on what matters" while behind bars.

The 25-year-old Deuces star spent 234 days in jail and rehab over the past year.

He was released from custody on June 2 and in a new interview with Billboard fully released on Friday, Chris explains how being locked away helped him mature.

"A guard wakes you up; you eat. You stay in your cell most of the time, basically 24 hours a day," he detailed in the magazine's latest issue. "Maybe on Mondays you go to the roof inside of a cage and have a phone call. It's isolation. You have time to focus on what matters, on what to do and what not to do."

Chris is currently promoting his sixth studio album, X, which is scheduled for release September 15.

But the star reveals he spent very little time generating ideas for new music in jail.

"You know, jail isn't a place of many creative spirits," Chris explained. "But as far as my creativity, I put it on hold until I got out. Jail is more of a regimen and a structure. I'm more of a free spirit when it comes to creating music, painting and art."

Ultimately the Loyal singer says he took away a lot of humility from his experience behind bars.

Chris is noticing he appreciates the little things in life much more.

"My maturity level has risen as far as my realising what's important," he said. "Realising that I'm human like everyone else. At the end of the day, it's just a humbling experience.

"You're more appreciative of everything else that's on the outside. A burger tastes 1,000 times better when you're out."