13 Quintessential Bieber Quotes From 'Complex'

After reading through Justin Bieber's cover story interview for Complex, I just have one question: what do you mean, Biebz? The 21-year old pop star has been rehabilitating his image in 2015, hallmarked by moments like his decision to appear on the Comedy Central roast, asking for audience forgiveness on Ellen, being polite, and releasing videos like his acoustic version of "What Do You Mean" that reveal his softer side. But the Complex Mag interview sounds kind of like the old Bieber, or maybe the new Bieber or the new old Bieber? It seems like no matter what Justin Bieber does, he cannot escape himself, and the interview is full of quotes that exemplify the Bieberness of Bieber.

The October/November cover story features long, lengthy meditations on love, scandal, and public image from the 21-year old, who has been on a mission to make a new mature, sensitive man out of himself. And he had a lot to say. To say that Bieber is open and candid in the story would be an understatement — it's basically a journal entry, and it seems like no matter what, there's just that essential Bieber paradox: on the one hand, he seems aware of who he is and what he's doing, and on the other, he still seems like a kid figuring it out. Here are the 13 most essentially Bieber quotes from the interview.

13. He Realizes The Monkey Was A Bad Idea

"I’ve made myself so unrelatable the past year with all the stuff that I was doing. Not even bad stuff sometimes, just outrageous stuff. Like, you got a monkey, what are you doing?"

12. He Redefines Love

"Love is a choice. Love is not a feeling." I think a few dudes named Webster and Oxford would disagree with Bieber here, but you know what, "love" is an abstract idea, so Bieber has the right to define however he wants.

11. He's Sorry He's Not Sorry

But I thought his whole thing was trying to prove that he actually was sorry? But Bieber seems to flip-flop: even though he seems like he is trying to atone, he is also not: "It’s been a cool journey, an awesome learning experience. I wouldn’t take back anything. I wouldn’t do anything over again. I would do it all the same way. I’m not going to say I’m sorry for the things that I’ve done because I think that it allows me to tell a story." YOLO?

10. He Knows He Was Playing With Fire

Acknowledging all the rebelling, Bieber displays insightful awareness that he got off pretty lucky: "I was doing anything. I was doing so many things that I shouldn’t even be on the planet still."

9. He's Still Talkin' About The Haters

I'll let this one speak for itself: "I think that also got me in trouble when I was young, because people don’t like when people are good at stuff. They just hate on it, and that has a lot to do with my hate in general. You see a dude who’s successful and he’s doing what he loves and people don’t take too well to that sometimes. I’d probably be the same way if I was in Canada, seeing this kid driving around in all these fancy cars and shit."

8. He Slips In A Kanye Endorsement

Kanye likes Bieber, and the pint-sized pop star inspires Yeezy, y'all. So be nice to him: "I’ll play a song, and he’ll be like, 'Man this reminds me of like...a blacklight sunset,' or something."

7. He Has a Lot To Say About Religion

Which might be the most mind-boggling part about this interview. "I just wanna honestly live like Jesus. Not be Jesus — I could never — I don’t want that to come across weird." You read right: Justin Bieber wants to live like Jesus Christ. Let that settle in.

6. Peeing In The Bucket Wasn't A Big Deal

Because, according to Biebz, rockstars like Ozzy Osbourne do it, and everyone thinks they're awesome for it. "Dude, what is bratty about pissing in a bucket? I had to go piss — we all have to pee. The bathroom was like on the other side, and the dude in the club was like, 'Just pee here.' He told me I could and it wasn’t like I was being disrespectful." Well, at least he had permission.

5. He Said Jail Was Cold

But apparently he made a few friends when he spent a night in the slammer: "It’s freezing; it’s uncomfortable; there are people in there you just don’t want to be around. I had people who were yelling at me. They were saying, 'Bieber! We fuck with you, bro! We love you! Aye! Keep your head up, bro!'"

4. Selena Will Stay With Him Forever

Bieber opens up about his tumultuous lost love Selena Gomez, and this one hurts the most: "You get scarred from certain things," he said about how their breakup still affects him.

4. He Insults Others In The Music Industry

Whoopsies! This interview got very candid, and Bieber made a little slip-up when he threw shade at others in the music industry right now: "I’ll hear songs on the radio, and I’m not really a fan of what’s going on right now in music. I’ll hear it and go, 'Ugh, why is this being played so much right now?' I have such great music that I want to share with the world."

2. But He Does Want To Be A Better Man

Bieber does really seem like he is trying. And 21 is a tough age to try to come into yourself, especially in the public eye, and that's what this campaign for a new image has been about, and he's done with faking it (for real this time): "I’m tired of putting on a mask and a show for these people. I’m just gonna be myself and if they don’t like it, they don’t like it. I move on."

1. He's Got His Eyes On The Prize

Even though Biebz has a lot more introspection and self-reflecting to do, he still has a goal clear in his mind: "Now I'm just focussed on winning and doing the best I can."

Oh, Biebz. I can't wait to see what you do next. Best of luck in your endeavors.

Images: Getty