Chris Brown** says he's more mature now than he was in the past -- but when it comes to love, he still has a lot to learn.

The 23-year-old singer, who recently rekindled his friendship with Rihanna, opens up in the December/January issue of XXL magazine about how he's moving on from his past mistakes.

"In the beginning, I used to be hot," Brown explained. "I'm normal. I'm human, so if anybody says something that's a lie, I'm numb to it. I've smartened up."

"I haven't been as mature and thought out in the past, so, me growing now, it's showing my progression," he added. "I used to use my Twitter account to vent, but now I mostly use it for marketing and promotions. Even if the media asks me something, if it's cool then it's, 'What's up?' But if it's anything that's too negative, I don't care to respond." (After this interview occurred, the "Don't Wake Me Up" singer deleted his Twitter account on Nov. 25 following an explicit Twitter war with comedian Jenny Johnson.)

Despite the controversy surrounding their on-and-off relationship, Brown has been getting increasingly cozy with Rihanna, 24, again. The twosome celebrated Thanksgiving together in Berlin and shared an intimate Instagram pic of themselves hugging Thursday.

"One thing people often want me to talk about is my public love life. When it comes to my love life, the perception seems as though I am a player. But that's not true," Brown told XXL. "Love is something I am still learning. It's just an obstacle that I haven't yet mastered. I think that's my biggest hurdle in life."

This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Chris Brown: "Love Is Something I Am Still Learning"