cb-today

As part of his overhauled image, Chris Brown sat down with Matt Lauer for a candid interview on the “Today” show. Unlike past visits, no question was off limits. Lauer grilled him on his 2009 assault on Rihanna, their on-again relationship, and how he plans to move forward.

“I’ve been humbled by the whole experience, from me losing everything to me having to regain public opinion or whatever it is,” said the 23-year-old singer. “Most importantly, knowing what I did was totally wrong and having to kind of deal with myself and forgive myself in the same breath, and being able to apologize to Rihanna and being able to be that man that can be a man.”

He isn’t concerned about winning over his critics.

“Everybody’s entitled to their opinion. For me, it’s just a learning process,” he explained. “I have to just take it one day at a time and I can’t make everybody like me. It’s just about me being positive. Everything that I’m doing with my music is hopefully to inspire the world and inspire people that have been in my situation or anyone that’s trying to learn from it.”

His family and Team Breezy come first.

“For me, it’s about proving myself to my fans. I think my fans have been the number one support for me,” he said. “The naysayers are gonna have their opinions. I’m not gonna focus my life on trying to please those people. The only thing I can do is please my family, please myself, and please [Rihanna].”

He also participated in a flash mob to his new single “Fine China,” which is now available on iTunes.