Bobby Brown has spoken out, telling Matt Lauer he was "hurt" by suggestions that he played a role in Whitney Houston's demise.
"I was hurt. I was hurt... because, you know, me being off of narcotics for the last seven years, I felt that she was... I didn't know she was struggling with it still," Brown told Lauer in a new sitdown interviewing, airing Wednesday on "Today." "But at the same time... listen, it's a hard fight. It's a hard fight to... maintain sobriety that way."
PLAY IT NOW: Bobby Brown Breaks His Silence On Whitney Houston’s Death
Lauer asked Brown if he thought Houston's cocaine use shortly before her death (the coroner's reported indicated she had the narcotic in her system at the time of her death in February) led to the pop star's death, and the recovering addict said he believed it did.
"From what I feel and... how I saw her, the last time I saw her, it had to be that particular day... It had to be that one, because that's all it takes... One hit, you know, and... it could definitely take your life away from you," Brown said. "And - unfortunately -- that was it."
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Many fans blamed Houston's early descent into drug addiction on her relationship with Brown, and the singer said those thoughts are still upsetting.
"It makes me feel terrible. But... I know differently. I think if anyone ever knew us, if anybody ever spent time around us instead of time lookin' through the bubble -- they would know how we felt about each other, they would know how happy we were together... And the reality show gave us a wakeup, because... we looked at the bubble and saw ourselves," Brown said, referring to "Being Bobby Brown." "We [were] able to see what other people were saying about us... We [were] able to see that our drug use had affected our relationship, had affected the love that we felt for each other."
Pushed more by Lauer over the rumor, Brown said, "No, that's not true. I didn't get high before I met Whitney."
VIEW THE PHOTOS: A Look Back: Whitney Houston — Her Life In Pictures
"I smoked weed, I drank the beer, but no, I wasn't the one that got Whitney on drugs at all," he added.
Asked if drugs were a part of Houston's life before their relationship, Brown claimed that they were.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Whitney Houston’s Final Public Appearance — February 9, 2012
"It's just -- it's just unexplainable -- how one could, you know, [say that I] got her addicted to drugs. I'm not the reason she's gone," he said.
"And it's not revisionist history? It's not a chance of, after the fact, setting the record straight in Bobby Brown's way?" Lauer asked.
"No. I can honestly say that I love that woman with everything that I am... And I believe she loved me the same way," he replied. "We wouldn't have been able to make the most beautiful girl in the world without love. And that's the truth."
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