 On February 8 , 2009 , Rihanna was reported to have been involved in an altercation with her boyfriend , Chris Brown . He allegedly punched Rihanna and threatened to kill her . Brown turned himself in to the police and pleaded guilty to <unk> assault during the trial . August Brown called the murder ballad theme an apparent " warning " to Chris Brown and a response to his song " <unk> " ( 2010 ) , which <unk> an ex @-@ lover . Kitty Empire of The Guardian wrote that Brown 's assault on Rihanna gives the song lyrical context , and sings it with a " <unk> menace " tone . When asked by <unk> about how he reacted to listeners of the song saying that it <unk> violence , Sham dismissed the accusations : 
