Rihanna [photos] says she didn't think for a second that collaborating with ex-boyfriend Chris Brown on 'Birthday Cake' then with 'Turn Up the Music' would surprise people.
"It never occurred to me how this was going to be a problem," the singer tells Esquire in a heated interview.
"I thought people were gonna be surprised that we finally did a record together, but I didn't see how people could think it was a bad thing, you know?"
"In my mind, it was just music. I could never see anything wrong with making music."
The pair released the remixes for Rihanna's 24th birthday, three years after Brown infamously assaulted her.
As for rumors that Rihanna and Brown are hooking up behind the scenes.
"It was a completely professional environment," Rihanna explains. "I mean, if I went back to him then that's a whole different discussion."
"If I ever do, then that's something that y'all have to talk to me about when -- if -- that ever happens. Until then, look at it for what it is. I think a lot of people jumped to an assumption that was incorrect and they ended up looking stupid."
She then says her private life shouldn't be anyone's business anyway.
"There's a lot of shit y'all can't get over. Y'all holding your breath on a lot of stuff that doesn't matter," she says.
"When you realize who you live for, and who's important to please, a lot of people will actually start living. I am never going to get caught up in that."
"I'm gonna look back on my life and say that I enjoyed it — and I lived it for me and God. This is turning into a tacky interview. What do you really want to talk about? I'm not here to talk about messy s--t."
