Rihanna performs on her 777 Tour. (Photo by Simone Joyner/Getty Images)

Rihanna, 23, struggled to follow the advice of friends and fans. They urged her to quit Chris Brown after their infamous 2009 blow up.

She was left battered and unconscious on the eve of would have been a spectacular Grammy Awards ceremony for them. Brown ultimately pleaded guilty to criminal battery and is still on probation for the attack.

Her struggle seemed to end after her August interview with Oprah Winfrey. She opened up about her feelings for the R&B singer for the first time since the beat down. She left no question about her feelings and has moved, since, to make him a part of her life, again.

The rumors and innuendo have slowly given way to public displays of affection, reports about not-so-secret hookups and a budding collaboration on music. There’s no question the two together are bigger than the sum of their parts, if for the wrong reasons.

Despite the obvious joy she feels about the reconciliation, many view them as another train wreck in progress. Rihanna has still exhibited signs of neediness, temper and jealousy that drove them apart. Brown hasn’t changed much either.

He still has anger management issues and a pimp attitude about women. His reluctance to make a clean break with girlfriend Karrueche Tran, and his bizarre video about loving her and Rihanna at the same time is a portrait in narcissism and mental instability.

Yet, they make beautiful music together. The tracklist for her new album, Unapologetic, revealed a collaboration with Brown and she teased her duet with him today (Nov. 7). The album will be released Nov. 19. Brown’s one of many collaborators, but all eyes are now on them.

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