When Common and Drake threw some shots at one another back in 2011 and early 2012, it seemed to be one of two things -- or a combination of them: Com was looking to create some buzz around his new album, The Dreamer/The Believer; and Drake's association with Common's ex, Serena Williams, was rubbing him the wrong way.

Now, Common is opening up about the beef.

"For me, I think it was an emotional thing," the Chicago native told VladTV. "Meaning, I was feeling like, at that time, I think it was the Drake-Serena situation -- I ain't know what was going on with that. And I ain't know if he was throwing things, shots at me. You know, this my ex, and we kinda, you know, going our separate ways. Unfortunately, the war might have been over a girl, even though at the time I never said that."

"But it wasn't totally that," he added. "It was more or less kind of like, man, do you respect me? 'Cause I actually like you as an artist; that's what I was thinking about Drake. Then it eventually became where I think he was like, Look, man, I feel you disrespecting me, too."

Eventually, the two crossed paths, talked it out like adults, and put their issues in the past. They even partied together.

"I look back on it and say I'm glad it never escalated to a physical thing," Common, who will be dropping his new album, Nobody's Smiling, later this month, concluded. "Now, it's nothing but love."