Chris Brown Is a Changed Man, Says Chris Brown on Today

Chris Brown promoted his new single on Today while wearing a shirt on which peace signs and hearts were interlinked. Matt Lauer acknowledged that Breezy claims to be a changed man, and asked the singer: “How are you different?”

“I’ve been humbled by the whole experience,” Chris said. “From me losing everything, you know, to me having to regain public opinion or whatever it is, but most importantly, you know, knowing that what I did was totally wrong, you know, and having to deal with myself and forgive myself in the same breath and you know, being able to apologize to Rihanna and being able to be that man that can be a man.”

Matt pressed him, pointing out that of course he’s going to say he’s changed when he was new music to sell — also mentioning spats with Frank Ocean and Drake, as well as the Instagram stuff. Chris uttered a weird, stuttery laugh and insisted that he is different and said something incredibly true: “I can’t make everybody like me.”

Chris did seem a lot more mature, relaxed and less defensive than he did in 2011 when he spoke with Robin Roberts and was “visibly agitated.” (After that visit, he smashed a window.) This time around, Chris said:

Me losing everything, you know, to me having to regain public opinion or whatever it is, but most importantly, you know, knowing that what I did was totally wrong, you know, and having to deal with myself and forgive myself in the same breath and you know, being able to apologize to Rihanna and being able to be that man that can be a man.

Matt also said: “People in this country, it seems, love to build someone up…”