TODAY to Air First Bobby Brown Interview Since Houston's Death, 5/2 & 3

In an exclusive interview, Matt Lauer sits down with singer Bobby Brown in his first interview since the death of Whitney Houston. In the candid, no-holds-barred sit-down, Brown tells Lauer, "I'm not the reason she's gone." Lauer also talks exclusively to three oF Brown's children who were close to Houston, Landon, Bobby Jr. and La'Princia, and Brown's fiancée, Alicia. The interviews will air on NBC's "Today" in two parts, Wednesday, May 2 and Thursday, May 3.

Brown, who says he's "very much clean and sober from narcotics," talks to Lauer about the last time he saw Houston, how he found out about her death, and why he gets blamed for her drug use. He talks about his relationship with their daughter, Bobbi Kristina, and he addresses the recent rumors and controversy surrounding her personal life. He also discusses his side of the story regarding Houston's funeral and why he left the service early. Speaking publicly for the first time, three oF Brown's children and his fiancée tell Lauer how they feel about the media's portrayal oF Brown.

Read excerpts from Matt Lauer's "Today" show interview with Bobby Brown, airing Wednesday, May 2, and Thursday, May 3 below:

Matt Lauer:

You had actually seen her about a week or so before she died. You were having dinner with your daughter, Bobbi Kristina. And Whitney came to the restaurant.

Bobby Brown:

Yes.

Matt Lauer:

So tell me how she appeared at that time. What was her demeanor? What was her emotional state?

Bobby Brown:

She had this-- this glow about her that was just, you know, incredible. You know, and I'm-- I'm saying to myself, you know, "She must be-- she must be doing' really well," because she looked really well.

Matt Lauer:

Did you get the sense on that night, the week before she died, that she was happy in her life? That she was in a good place?

Bobby Brown:

Yes, I did. Yes, I did. Because-- because of the way that she was, her demeanor, her-- how she, you know, was joking around with, you know, Bobbi Kris and myself at the table. It was just, you know, she just looked like she was in a good place.

*****

Matt Lauer:

According to the coroner's report, Bobby, there was cocaine in her system. There was white powder found in a variety of places throughout her hotel room. There were some other prescription drugs found, although not in excessive amounts.

Bobby Brown:

Uh-huh (AFFIRM).

Matt Lauer:

But when you heard the word "cocaine," that that was a likely contributor to her death, how did you respond?

Bobby Brown:

I was hurt. I was hurt… because, you know, me being off of narcotics for the last seven years-- I felt that she was, you know, I didn’t know she was struggling with it still. But at the same time, you know-- listen, it's a hard fight. It's a hard fight to, you know, maintain sobriety that way.

Matt Lauer:

You think it was this particular day of cocaine use that killed her, or was this that her body simply couldn't take the wear and tear anymore?

Bobby Brown:

From what I feel and you know, how I saw her, the last time I saw her, it had to be that particular day. You know, it had to be that one, because that's all it takes… One hit, you know, and you know, it could definitely take your life away from you. And-- unfortunately-- that was it.

******

Matt Lauer:

After Whitney passed away, Bobby, if I heard it once, I heard it a hundred times, and I know you heard it too. Fans, people who say they were close to Whitney, say her life went downhill when she met Bobby Brown. How do you respond to it? And how does it make you feel when you hear it?

Bobby Brown:

It makes me feel terrible. But you know, 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 saw each other in-- we looked at the bubble and saw ourselves. We was able to see what other people were saying about us, you know? We was able to see that our drug use had affected our relationship, had affected the love that we felt for each other.

Matt Lauer:

But why do you think you got the blame? I was reading some blogs after her death. One said, "Bobby Brown killed Whitney," not in the literal way, but in the figurative way. Others said, "Bobby Brown is responsible for getting her hooked on drugs." Everyone seems to point the finger at you.

Bobby Brown:

No. No.

Matt Lauer:

And they say Whitney was more of an innocent victim in this.

Bobby Brown:

No, that's not true. I didn't get high before I met Whitney.

Matt Lauer:

On narcotics?

Bobby Brown:

On narcotics, no. No, I-- I—I smoked weed, I drank the beer, but no, I wasn't the one that got Whitney on drugs at all

Matt Lauer:

So this was a part of her life before you and she got together?

Bobby Brown:

Way-- way before. Yeah... 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.

…..

Matt Lauer:

And it's not revisionist history? It's not a chance of after the fact, setting the record straight in Bobby Brown's way?

Bobby Brown:

No. I can-- I can honestly say that-- I love that woman with-- with everything that I am… And I believe she loved me the same way. We wouldn't have been able to make the most beautiful girl in the world-- without love. And that's the truth.

******

Matt Lauer:

It's my understanding you all really wanted to be here today and talk about your dad and some of the things that have gone on. Why is it so important?

LA'PRINCIA:

I honestly feel like my dad's a great person. He's been my best friend, like, my whole life. If I ever have a problem with anything, I know I can always go to him. Likewise, if he ever needs to talk to somebody, he knows he can always call me and I'll be there for him.

Matt Lauer:

Yeah? The rest of you? Is that the reason you're here?

BOBBY JR:

Yes. Definitely

Matt Lauer:

Because you don't feel that the public has--

LA'PRINCIA:

Oh, they definitely do not have the right perception on him.

Matt Lauer:

What do you think the public perception of this man on the end is, Bobby?

BOBBY JR:

No matter what he does, they just view him that way. They don't-- like, never really give him a chance.

LANDON:

I feel like my father's always had the bad boy image. So, you know, they just keep followin' that, you know? Anything that they can take a negative from the situation, they blow it out of proportion and blame him.

LA'PRINCIA:

They don't see the good part of him that we see every single day…. Everyone makes mistakes in life. Everyone goes through their ups and downs. You can't be judged forever about one event in your life or-- just the bad decisions you've made, you can't always be judged just by that.

Matt Lauer:

You think any of, as you put it, bad boy image, Landon, is any of it deserved?

LANDON:

I think the bad boy image is just a part of the performance, stage performance, stage presence.