{blackbabes} Rihanna 'a fan' of Chris Brown

Rihanna felt "too much anger" against ex-boyfriend Chris Brown after he assaulted her in 2009 - but she's overcome her issues with the star to support his career.

The Umbrella hitmaker was left bloodied and bruised after Brown beat her during a furious argument following a pre-Grammy Awards party.

They subsequently split and Brown, who was left with an assault conviction, suffered a nosedive in popularity after the incident.

Rihanna admits she harboured a lot of anger towards her former partner after the shocking assault, but after re-assessing her life she decided to adopt a more positive outlook.

She tells Esquire magazine, "It was too much anger. (It) was taking up too much of my time. I'm really excited to see the breakthrough he's had in his career.

"It's incredible to see how he pulled out the way he did. Even when the world seemed like it was against him, you know? I really like the music he's putting out. I'm a fan of his stuff. I've always been a fan.

"I would never wish anything horrible for him. Never. I never have."