Rihanna: Making New Music Helped Me Heal
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Nine months after being brutally beaten by ex-boyfriend Chris Brown, Rihanna says making her new album, Rated R, helped her heal.
"I can tell you that making this album was my recovery. It's the way I vented and expressed myself," the singer, 21, told MSNBC of her comeback disc, out Nov. 23.
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In an interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer Thursday, Rihanna confirmed that Brown, 20, held her in a headlock twice and bit her on the ear and fingers the night before the Grammys. Brown was sentenced to five years of probation, six months of community service and one year of domestic violence counseling for his actions.
"I stayed. I even went back after he beat me, which was wrong," Rihanna told Sawyer. "But again...I'm a human being and people put me on a very unrealistic pedestal. And all these expectations, I'm not perfect."
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About one month after the February attack, Rihanna was back at work prepping Rated R, and says putting her emotions into song has been cathartic.
"It's a really fearless album," she said. "A lot of people are saying things like, it's dark, but it's a very honest album and I made it in a very truthful way. I let my guard down and telling my story and being a little more vulnerable and expressing myself. I really vented in my music. I go through a lot of different music and moods in the album. You definitely will learn a lot about what's going through my head."
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And while Rihanna finds it tough to pick a favorite song off the album -- its first single, "Roulette" debuted Oct. 20 -- there is one very telling track, she says.
"It's called 'Photographs,'" she tells MSNBC. "It's about a breakup, and the only thing you have to show for the relationship is some pictures."
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13Sick of her to. Quit using your beating to promote sh*t. IT made me stronger please. If u were so strong why did u go back to him after getting your A*S beat. If someone did that to me I wouldnt be going back to him. He will do it again stupid
in promoting her new album it is obvious questions will be asked about the beating, it makes alot of sense to bite the bullet and talk about the incident and get it over and done with........even if she is talking about it to promote her album so what she was the one that was praying for her life while he beat her......he already spoke about it many times.....she is now telling her side...we all saw the pictures, dealing with that kind of drama must have been very hard give the girl a break.......was it correct for him to do what he did to her......is it right for any human to do something so cruel to another human.......she was mature enough to wish him the best......we need to give them both a chance to move on......
there are both sides to every story and if he beat her up like shes said he did then shame on her for staying with chris for that long period of time i dont think a woman should be hit but i dont think he did that that bad like shes claming he did. i really think chris brown is a nice kid or a young man and his mother should be proud. sorry.
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stop acting like you played no part in this there are 2 sides to every story and plenty of men are sitting in jail because of women like you who lie and deny play the pitiful lil victim save that for your tv appearances those of us who are not afraid to admit we have 'turned some corners'know better we know we can call the brothers 'brown(sheriff)and blue(lapd)shed some tears have a scratch and the man is going to jail bravo for your performance.Chris should have stayed on the porch with the puppies and left your old dog self alone thats what he gets for not listening to his Mama!!!!
I LOVE RIHANNA AND CHRIS BROWN IS NOT NICE TO HIS GIRL RIHANNA LOVE DESSY YOUR 1# FAN RIHANNA
Rihanna is really lucky to come out alive after this horrible ordeal.There are a lot of women who have been killed after discovering that their significant half have been caught in infidelity.This should be a wakeup call for those of us who goes into relationships blindly.Thank you riri please remain strong and be careful about any future relationship.
wow this is such a waste of a story shes only speaking out to make everyone buy her album. yea he made a mistake everyone makes mistakes im sure shes made sum too she acts as if she died shes clearly fine.
Isn't it something, she is just now speaking out when her next album is coming out soon and so soon when Chris Brown is to start touring again.
I wish she would shut up about this already! She's only speaking out now because her album is coming out in 2 weeks! Chris made a big mistake... okay we've established that so can everybody move on?
Headlock? biting? really freaky. A real man would never beat up a woman.
You're a sweet girl and it a shame you went through such a terrifying experience. Be strong but careful in the future and good luck to you with your undertakings. Women have to better with experience and you are becoming a better woman.
You're a sweet girl and it a shame you went through such a terrifying experience. Be strong but careful in the future and good luck to you with your undertakings. Women have to better with experience and you are becoming a better woman.