Speaking to Ellen DeGeneres in 2011, Rihanna admitted that being labeled the 'sexiest woman alive' can make her 'intimidating' to men — but she was looking for guys who step up into a traditionally masculine role.'
'I like men who are more aggressive but mysterious,' she said. 'But I like a man to be very sure. I like them to be sure of themselves and know that you're the man, I'm the lady, and the only way for us to make this work is if we play our roles. I can't really be the man for you.'
She seems to have found quite a few men who've fit the bill over the years.
Rihanna dated Chris Brown from 2008 to 2009, then again from 2012 to 2013
Chris Brown
Rihanna's relationship with the singer is one of her most well-remembered.
The pair met in 2005 but weren't officially linked as together until 2008, when they were seen together at the Grammys and kissing at her 21st birthday party.
But in 2009, fans were shocked when news leaked that Chris had beaten Rihanna, and leaked police photos showed her with black eyes and bruises. He was arrested and charged with felony battery, to which he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years probation.
'I needed that wake-up call in my life,' Rihanna later tole Marie Claire UK. 'I needed a turning point, and that’s what God was giving to me. All [of] this terrible stuff they say to you, it breaks you down.'
Rihanna filed a restraining order at the time, but she eventually forgave him, dropping the restraining order in 2011 and getting back together with him in 2012 — when she described their relationship as 'true love' in 2012.
'It took me a long time. I was angry for a long time. I was resentful, I held a grudge. I was dark. I was angry. It was coming out in my music and my clothes and my attitude. I didn’t like that feeling. It was heavy,' she said.
They split again in 2013.
Rihanna had a year-long relationship with LA Dodgers star Matt Kemp for the length of 2010
Matt Kemp
While split from Chris Brown, Rihanna had a year-long relationship with LA Dodgers star Matt Kemp for the length of 2010.
She gushed about the relationship in several interviews, telling Marie Claire UK: 'I feel like I smile for real this time. The smiles come from inside, and it exudes in everything I do. People feel my energy is different. When I smile they can tell that it’s pure bliss and not just a cover up.'
But after splitting in December of that year, she told Vogue: 'I just let it go. I don’t ever want to have to depend on a relationship. I think it’s a really special thing to find love. It’s beautiful. Nothing can match it, but I want to make sure I find other things in life that I love — besides love.'
Rihanna and Drake met in 2005 and famously dated on and off over the years (pictured in 2016)
Drake
Rihanna and Drake met in 2005 and famously dated on and off over the years as they worked together on songs including Work, Take Care, and What's My Name.
During that time, Drake repeatedly gushed about Rihanna to different news outlet, describing her as his 'ultimate fantasy.'
In 2016, he introduced her at the VMAs with effusive praise, saying: 'We love the videos, which change their artistic vision from year to year. But most
