Chris Brown: 'Love Is Something I Am Still Learning'

You might not know it from the recent spree of Instagram photos showing him and Rihanna exchanging pricey gifts, sharing hugs and catching cat naps, or from his profane Twitter feud with a female comedian last weekend, but Chris Brown says he's trying to keep his love life private and his Twitter voice quiet lately.

In excerpts released from a cover story interview in the December/January issue of XXL magazine, the singer touched on a number of hot topics, from yet another denial of a romantic relationship with ex-girlfriend Rihanna, to his beef with Drake (allegedly over Rihanna) and his sometimes impulsive social media past. "One thing people often want me to talk about is my public love life," he said in what is touted as his first major interview in two years. "When it comes to my love life, the perception seems as though I am a player. But that's not true ... Love is something I am still learning. It's just an obstacle that I haven't yet mastered. I think that's my biggest hurdle in life."

Though he admits to being too quick to hit "send" in the past in the XXL story, Brown clearly still has impulse issues as evidenced by his profane Twitter feud last weekend with comedian Jenny Johnson.


"I haven't been as mature and thought out in the past, so, me growing now, it's showing my progression," said Brown of his difficulty in the past with keeping his cool
 on social media. "I used to use my Twitter account to vent, but now I mostly use it for marketing and promotions. Even if the media asks me something, if it's cool then it's, 'What's up?' But if it's anything that's too negative, I don't care to respond."

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Clearly speaking before the verbal joust with Johnson that resulted in him deleting his Twitter account, Brown further hinted at a newfound maturity in the piece, claiming that he's learned how to hold his tongue when insulted. "In the beginning, I used to be hot. I'm normal," he said. "I'm human, so if anybody says something that's a lie, I'm numb to it. I've smartened up."

After keeping his silence on the June club brawl between his crew and Drake's that has resulted in a string of lawsuits (but no criminal charges for either man), Brown said little to explain the origin of the beef.

"A lot of people wanna know about the whole situation with me, Drake and Meek Mill," he said. "At the end of the day, I'm me, they're them. They rap, I sing. Totally different caliber. I rap, I play around on mixtapes. But our words don't collide as much as you'd think."

Bottom line, said Brown? He uses his painting and music as an outlet to get through the confusion of his life. "I try to promote positivity and love," he said.