Rihanna goes toe to toe with the interviewer for her Esquire U.K. cover story, featured in the July issue. The interview was conducted not long it seems after she released “Cake,” featuring Chris Brown. The questions are hard-hitting yet to be expected given the timing, and while Rihanna is irritated, her answers are thoughtful and compelling. An excerpt is below:
Esquire: Some people felt [the collaboration with Chris Brown] sent the wrong message. Rihanna: [Angrily] What was that? What message would that be? Esquire: You’d gone back to someone who put you in the hospital. Rihanna: [Getting angry] Oh really? Did I? Esquire: Well… yes. Rihanna: Did I? Did I? Did I? Esquire: You went and recorded with him, yes. Rihanna: Okay. In a completely professional environment. And on a complete professional note. I mean, if I went back to him [as a girlfriend], then that’s a whole different discussion. And if I ever do, then that’s something that y’all have to talk to me about when – if – that ever happens. Until then, look at it for what it is. I think a lot of people jumped to an assumption that was incorrect and they ended up looking stupid. Esquire: The assumption you were dating again? Rihanna: Because of a song. How stupid. If I was together with every collaborator I worked with… f-ck my life. Esquire: Still, the lyrics didn’t do much to dispel that impression. His opening line is “Girl I want to fuck you right now/been a long time/I’ve been missing your body”. You reply: “Remember how you did it/If you still want to kiss it/Then come and get it”. Rihanna: That was the tone before he was even on the record. You think it was going to be about hopscotch or jump rope?
Leaving a messed-up relationship isn’t easy, there are reasons both sides stay–in large part because there is no such thing as a perfect relationship and who is to judge. However, most of us get to make that leaving decision in our own time. It must be painful for celebrities like Rihanna who deal with so much fakery in their day-to-day lives (and in her case from a very young age) to be forced to quit the realness of the emotional connection that comes within an intimate relationship, just because the public won’t have it any other way. It’s like your last private refuge is stripped from you and you become completely public property.
Very random but this clip from Twilight I love. It’s a scene in which Rosalie explains to Bella how the path she’s taken is mistaken. It’s fun to watch if only to ponder the idea of choice and making “bad” decisions. It’s lept to mind lately when reading the non-stop rumors of Rihanna reuniting with that ex of hers and even more chatter he’s going to participate on her next single, “Birthday Cake.” Youth should include a good amount of “choosing wrong” and the pain and pleasure that comes from falling, but damned if this one isn’t a stomach turner for all of us on the outside looking in if it turns out to be true.
Earlier today, I put up a post that was a shot of Rihanna and Chris together for the first time since their first meltdown (yes, that’s the link, I’m not reposting the images here ’cause at this point I’m over the drama). Because of the level of controversy it was causing the post was taken down, but I just want to make it known that Samia and I have been posting on this site for quite some time now and here and there we have always featured some celebrity stuff that doesn’t quite seem fashion related (including “Guess the Celebrity Rack,” our always very popular posts featuring gratuitous shots of KimK’s booty, not to mention, one on an 18K gold vibrator, which drew record high levels of traffic). At any given moment, there are half a dozen celebs whose choices fascinate us and that includes decisions they make that aren’t always clearly fashion-related, and that is because style is informed by, gee-what-a-shocker, a lot of stuff that happens during life away from the runway or design room. When I said earlier today I had no opinion about the Rihanna/Chris fiasco, I meant it. It’s a complicated situation and if you ask a million people what they think, you get a million opinions. I just happen to not have one, but figured our readers who, like us, find RihRih’s every move interesting would want to know about the images. This is supposed to be a cutting-edge, streetwear-inspired fashion blog and we will continue to–on occassion–post shit that some people find annoying, offensive or just wrong for a fashion blog. You want smooth, p.r.-tested fashion, I’m sure you know where to find it.
It’s adorable how Chris seems to have brought out a more kiddish side of Rihanna and in these images she looks relaxed and cute in her Nike sweats and sneakers, but RihRih is no newbie to the world of sneakers (which is part of why we lover her style, natch!). Long before she hooked up with Chris (publically anyway) we had images of her sporting a pair of dark denim straight legs with a pair of Nike Vandals.
^^That gold chain she’s wearing is probably solid 14K, but it looks a lot like one American Apparel is selling on its site. (You’ll have to click to the right to see the kicks she’s wearing.)
RihRih & Chris have been spending some quality time together lately. Looking at all the images of them on UltimateRihanna, I can’t help but think that they’re a more stylish and beautiful version of Mr. & Mrs. Carter. It’s like someone took the words to "Upgrade You" to heart and the end result was these two.
^^She in her Lou-Bs; he in his Nikes. So cute.
On the flip, check out Rih’s flourescent animal print bikini and some cuddling action, too!
09 April 2008, 21.46 | Posted in Uncategorized | No comments »
It was supposed to be a surprise party for Melissa Forde, but judging from the images that came out of the party, it was really a celebration of RhiRhi’s new tattoo. (Which makes sense ’cause I’m sorry, but who is Melissa Forde anyway??)
You know who (see him and a couple of others on the other side) followed in after RhiRhi arrived. Are those two so modeling the out-in-public side of their relationship after early days of Bee and Jay-Z or what?
Rhi-Rhi showed up with both style guns blazing at the recent Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice awards this past weekend. Give her stylist props. She had the challenge of keeping Rhianna looking appropriately casual while at the same time not letting her fall back into a too-relaxed and teeny-bopper look. (Meahwhile, how bad did I feel for Rhianna’s man, Chris Brown, who somehow got roped into wearing a hideous, bright orange Nickelodeon hoodie and looked miserable doing so. By the end of the night Rhi-Rhi was probably so not feeling him. Like, ummm, I’m feeling sort of tired tonight, baby…do you mind if I just go home? By myself?)
^^These pants are gonna be controversial ’cause they’re highwaisted AND baggy, but that’s okay. Better she skate along the edge that wear the same old stupid straight legs. Those boring-ass style choices are best left to Auntie Beyonce.
^^I have shoes that I describe as my “three-hour heels,” as in after wearing them for three hours, my feet are DONE. These I’d guess are more like 45-minute heels.
^^A close up on the punk rock cuffs and a green mani, which, ehh, I don’t like. I feel like with all the cool-ass nail art options she could have done something a little more imaginative.
After the fold, there are a couple more images of Cameron Diaz’s clutch and Ashlee Simpson’s shoes, both of which have something in common.
