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Black girls rock! acceptance speech

4:14 6 Apr 2016

I’m sitting here SOBBING. BET’s Black girls rock! aired last night and I just watched Rihanna’s acceptance speech for her Rock star award. It’s the most heartfelt and natural speech I’ve ever seen her give. And when praising her speech, the context in which it is being delivered can’t be ignored. What a difference an including space can make. She’s always sassy, sharp and genuine but too many times have I seen that not being received as it should by those listening (or not listening). Here, she’s celebrated and respected in a way that leaves me all fuzzy inside.

Like when she says ”and you know, role model is not the title they like to give me, you know” and the audience starts screaming and clapping for her… Like ok, I’m crying again. It’s so obvious the they is not present in this room. That the they is society, the industry, Lena Dunham or whatever white privilege is speaking on behalf of their own agenda. To not have they present or in a minority means to be recognized. That’s what a community does, it sees and validates you, and I just feel like she should have been validated a thousand times before instead of being asked the same tiring questions on why she doesn’t take responsibility with setting an example for her young fans. Because honestly, she always has.

But racism and classism still affects public as well as private spaces and that is of course beyond depressing. So remember to keep your inclusiveness close and whenever you feel like the walls are closing in on you – find a separatist room that will tear them down and surround you with the acceptance you deserve. It does miracles. It allows you to be yourself and that is half the battle.

Bonus: Hillary Rodham Clinton getting the opposite reception from the audience, including Rihanna (who’s sitting front row with her assistent Jennifer).

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/Alex

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Rihanna talks sisterhood and why there haven’t been any Rihplies lately

9:54 5 Apr 2016

There’s an AWT Special moments from Philly on the way but let’s break this backstage video shot by 247paps.tv down a little first. Because 1) look at her and 2) KILL ME BECAUSE THIS DOWN TO EARTH LITTLE BABY ANGEL IS THE MOST HUMBLE MEGA STAR ON THE PLANET.

Here we go, from the beginning:

1.

0:03: Talking to Nyla (the young fan in the video) about her new sibling. Rihanna knows that Nyla was pretty disappointed after her mom’s ultra sound didn’t show any penis attached to the fetus. How Rih knows this? Thanks to Nyla’s aunt (who Rihanna follows) sharing these videos on Instagram:

 

When having a sibling goes wrong ????????? #Nylalynn video 2

A video posted by ?Shawntè? (@fre3ticketsdeeznutz) on

She having a complete melt down. Going on hour #3. ?????????? #Nylalynn video 4

A video posted by ?Shawntè? (@fre3ticketsdeeznutz) on

 

Well, the baby arrived and of course Nyla did a 180 and is currently as proud as can be.

 

Now she be sweating her lol #nylalynn #nialei ??

A video posted by ?Shawntè? (@fre3ticketsdeeznutz) on

Trust Rihanna to not only acknowledge Nyla’s struggle but to keep up with what’s happened post delivery as well. At the meeting after the show in Philadelphia, she asks her:

”You want she now?! Or I can get she? Can I keep her?”

BECAUSE SHE INTERACTS WITH HER FANBASE LIKE THAT. SHE KNOWS US.

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2.

0:26: On being called sis by the navy…

”I like sis! It make me feel as, as I’m one of ya’ll.”

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3.

1:47: On why we haven’t been getting any rihplies lately.

”I reply sometimes! You all just want me to clap back.”

– We do want you to clap back!

”No. Too many clap backers…”

– But you taught ‘em.

”Now it’s like, now I can’t take it. I hate to see somebody… It’s just not right.”

– You need something new.

”No I just, not like that, I just… I don’t even have time to read that shit furthermore reply. You know I hate when people let people know they saw that shit. You aint see that? You got time to see that? No!”

Here’s to hoping she’ll change her mind though, ‘cause we all love her replies, don’t we?

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/Alex

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Fan fantasies: ANTI

8:36 1 Apr 2016

With two videos out and one on the way I thought I’d share with you how I saw and felt the songs when they first were released. This is a common thing for fans to do, elaborating and developing their own creative material based on their fave’s work. Fanfiction, basically, even if that’s normally performed in the written form. But if you see it as made up fantasies of what might have happened, or could happen, in regards of your idol or the characters in your favorite book I’d say this fits right in.

These are my fantasies of what the songs off of ANTI look like. I will try to put down a little explanation too, but you’ll have to keep an open mind cause explaining an abstract feeling is pretty much impossible.

Consideration became an immediate favorite for me. I love how quirky it is (for a Rihanna tune) and that she brought SZA on the album. I basically just see a bunch of limbs in front of me, moving, bending and escaping from whatever it is they’re attached to (body, movement, structure, others).

I needed ANTI to understand James Joint. It was together with the other songs, as a whole, that it hit me what an amazing and soothing track this is. I was once into learning how to lucid dream. James Joint makes me want to start trying again.

Key words: Freedom, longing, wanting to escape. Kiss it better is the feeling of a roadtrip, first kiss, last kiss, bungy jumping and getting in between fresh linens all at once.

Well, ok. My first edit was a compilation of Amber Rose and Blac Chyna twerking masterfully, but that seemed a little too obvious for Work so I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and waited. Suddenly a bunch of flexed muscles appeared and thus… ^

Running away, thinking about running away, thinking about fucking up, recovering from fucking up, enjoying the feeling but still searching for more. Desperado is all feels and smoke and unlawfulness.

To be honest I wasn’t feeling Woo at first. I thought it was misplaced and didn’t understand why she choose to include it on the album. So when I started looking for footage to go with it, I was lost. Until the avalanche came. And hit me. And the song hit me. And I realized it’s just a giant slap in the face. It’s a damn force that run you over, take you over, destroy you, transform you and all you can do is let it. I now LOVE Woo.

Aaaaah, Needed me…. I needed IT. This song. From her. Savage being the key word, it’s the SCUM track of the album.

Liquid. Stuff dripping. Sex. Yeah, I said it is steamy, just like every other song she collaborated with Bibi Bourelly on.

A friend of mine had just experienced her first BDSM party and was telling me about that at the time of me making this video, so that might have affected the outcome… But yeah, I see a person who just found something new and exciting at the same time as her inner voice is opposing with a bunch of annoying questions of wether or not this new thing is healthy or just another form of a path already taken, the Same ol’ mistakes. At the end it doesn’t matter though cause it feels good. So good.

Bring your tissues cause Never ending is here. In my mind, this is about aging. In a very heart breaking kind of way. Losing your memory, losing control of your body, losing the ability to move, to interact…

”I can’t feel my body now
I’m separate from here and now”

”A lost connection, oh come back to me
So I can feel alive again
A soul and body try to mend”

”Ghost in the mirror
I knew your face once, but now it’s unclear”

Just imagine wishing to hold on longer, knowing it’s not far left. Wanting to fall in love one last time. Gah, it breaks my heart.

”To be in love again, to be in love again, to be in love again…”

Imagined visuals for Love on the brain is pretty self explanatory…

I really wanted to have Amy Winehouse and only Amy Winehouse but couldn’t pull it off and thus dislike the result. Higher deserves better, but yeah, black and white, feeeeeelings and one too many texts.

I DEMAND to see a ballerina perform Close to you. In my dreams it’s Misty Copeland, the first black woman to become a principal dancer for the American Ballet Theatre, doing it.

Goodnight Gotham is too abstract to put into words. It’s a feeling, a movement, a vision. And I love it that way.

Pose: edgy, in your face, full of itself, cocky.

Confident, sexy, in demand. An image of Rihanna would have been enough because Sex with me is so much her, but I wanted to add Halle Berry, Tasha Jefferson, Beyoncé, Emma Pillsbury and Marlene Dietrich too.

/Alex

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Needed Me and Kiss It Better become singles

12:14 30 Mar 2016

Who’s on her worst behavior dropping not one but TWO singles tomorrow? 

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The songs preparing for chart slayment are Kiss It Better at the Top40/Pop Radios and Needed Me, releasing at the Rhythm and Urban Radio Stations. Last time she sent two singles to radio at the same time was back in 2013 with Pour It Up and Stay, even though the PIU video came months later.

Artwork for Needed Me and Kiss It Better.

tumblr_o4touoQfUu1rveoj6o1_1280tumblr_o4tovxRp9o1rveoj6o1_1280Trust Rih to do a double release after fans have been speculating on the next single for weeks. I think most people thought Kiss It Better was headed for a mid summer release so hearing we’re getting it tomorrow (!!) came as somewhat of a surprise. But that’s what the ANTI era is all about. We shouldn’t expect to be able to figure out her moves ahead of time, even if it’s fun playing the guessing game.

And not only are we gonna be watching the songs climb the charts, there’s been videos shot for both tunes as well. For Needed Me, Rih teamed up with Spring breakers’ director Harmony Korine in Miami. Spring Breakers being my favorite movie of all time I can’t even explain how excited I am for ze epic collaboration to us. These photos alone are enough to bust open an artery:

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No official release date have been set for Needed me but we know Kiss It Better video is dropping on Thursday! Here are some teaser images gifted to us by $he herself:

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And some provided by the amazing space called the world wide web….

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/Alex

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Bitch Better Have My Money video review

9:42 26 Mar 2016

Let’s bring back this masterpiece since the song is turning 1 year today.

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‘Bitch Better Have My Money’ directed by Rihanna & Megaforce. Photography by Benoît Debie & edited by Douglas Crise. Starring Danish ‘Hannibal’ actor Mads Mikkelsen and ‘The Dark Knight’ actor Eric Roberts.

Rih worked with some big people on this. The cinematographer, Benoît Debie, also filmed Enter the Void (2009) and Spring Breakers (2012). The editor, Douglas Crise, also edited Birdman (2014), Ocean’s Eleven (2001), Traffic (2000) and 21 Gram (2003).

BBHMM shows Rihanna and her friends (Sita Abellán & Sanam) kidnapping, torturing and intoxicating a rich, elegant woman. ”Your wife in the backseat of my brand new foreign car”. Rih’s literally telling us that his wife is in the back. Instead of being this crazy ex girlfriend, Rihanna is going crazy on her accountant to get her money back. Rihanna uses the kidnapped wife as leverage to get her money back from the accountant AKA The Bitch. But when he continues not to bite, Rihanna ends up killing him with knives labeled ”Fucked Up My Credit”.

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Feminist or not feminist? That’s the question social media discussed after the controversial video’s release. The video puts Rihanna, a black woman, in control which leads to white feminists calling it ANTI-feminist. People say the video isn’t feminist because of the torture of the white rich privileged woman. Let’s do a quick history lesson: white women have abused black women for centuries based on them being black women, and are yet somehow considered feminists.

In fact, BBHMM is quite a profound piece of intersectional feminist art. It’s a story about a black woman taking revenge on the white man stealing from her and the white woman living off of the white man’s theft. It’s basically a post colonial revenge fantasy. All of the violence is directed upward, towards those with power. The abused is taking revenge on her abusers. Very important.

Rih basically shows us that one does not fuck with Rihanna. She is showing us that she as a black woman can take control of a white privileged man. She makes her career choices for herself with the understanding that she’s now in the position to do so. The video bears resemblance to the works of Quentin Tarantino, Kill Bill for example. Tarantino, a white man, directed his film. Rihanna, a black woman, directed her video. There’s no difference, yet one of them are met with completely different attitudes in terms of the actions taking place in their art.

But here’s the thing: a black woman directed BBHMM. A black woman also plays the main character, a badass woman with no fear of men with power. That’s some real shit.

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”But what about the glamorizing of violence towards women?”

Never has it been clearer what a hard time white women have identifying with black women. The question in itself implies that the white woman is the one we should feel for and identify with, even though Rih plays the main character. Even though the white couple have indeed abused HER, but that violence isn’t as comfortable talking about. To do so, we have to take into consideration the factors that have brought the Western World into the economic welfare it enjoys today. How we have built our societies on theft, exploitation and slavery. To watch this video without acknowledging it’s historical significance will lead to the kind of incomplete analysis that has you asking the question above, but we know better right? Right.

To the visuals of the video; OUTSTANDING. The cinematography works perfectly fine in each scene. Each scene is thoughtfully picked out and same goes for the editing. It pays off with a crew of talented people. BBHMM is basically a short movie with character changing, acting, script, great visuals and a plot twist. Let’s treat it like that and nothing else. And shoutout to the iconic shot at the end. Let Rihanna be great.

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/Ebba and Alex

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