Rihanna

Seth As Oscar Host: My Thoughts So Far

He's good. Funny and relaxed. Smiles at his own jokes, which deflates them of any real harm. Loved the Ron Jeremy reference, laughed at the Rihanna/Chris Brown joke, like the crack about Meryl not being nominated.

Vintage Shots Of Shirtless Men

Were guys' bodies hotter when they did actual manual labor rather than just work out at the local gym while listening to Rihanna songs? I'm not sure, but check out these old-school images and see if maybe we were all born too late.

Eight Quotes From Rihanna's Rolling Stone Cover That Attempt To Explain Her Relationship With Chris Brown

Rihanna is gracing the cover of the March 2013 issue of Rolling Stone. In the story she addresses, for the first time, whatever the hell it is she and part-time pop star/part-time parking lot thug Chris Brown have together. We all know what brought us to this point; so no need to walk down memory la ... More >>

Pazz & Jop: The Confounding, Inexplicable Splendor of Rapper Future

Space is the place

The Top 5.33 Hip-Hop Songs Of The Week

The "b word" has been a staple of hip-hop for decades, although there's some linguistic shading as far as its use: women that aren't particularly awesome are called "bitches"; really awesome women are "bad bitches"; respected dignitaries like moms are "ladies" and "females"—unless they're the ... More >>

Who Should Tom Cruise's Next Wife Be? Some Suggestions

Just in case there are going to be a whole bunch of casting calls and auditions, the kids over at datalounge.com have some ideas of who should be hand-picked to play this, the most glamorous role since Scarlett O'Hara: Rihanna Nicki Minaj Taylor Swift

What's With People Who Add "The" In Front Of Everything?

You know, the type that, in all seriousness, will ask you: "Have you seen that show The Spider-Man?" Or "Do you watch The Glee?

Scissor Sisters+Rye Rye

Emeli Sande

Rihanna In Battleship: How Does She Do?

Battleship is a long, headache-inducing blend of cliches and explosions, about a fleet of ships out to save the world while making money at the box office. One of the more notable things about it is that Rihanna makes her film debut as Petty Officer Cora 'Weps' Raikes, a kickass, sarcastic, but ba ... More >>

Is Rihanna The Next Whitney Houston?

That's what Star magazine so tastefully asks on their cover. Yes, there have been murmurings. Last week, Rihanna didn't feel well, but she went to the big Costume Institute at the Met anyway. She still felt terrible, but strangely kept partying after the event like there was no tomorrow. And as ... More >>

Asshattery In 140 Characters Or Less: Which Musicians Are The Biggest Klouchebags?

If you're on the Internet you might have heard of Klout, a pseudo-scientific way for measuring the slippery ideal of "online influence." Taking into consideration a variety of factors, it has (despite its often being utterly gameable and as a result off the mark) turned into a way for people online ... More >>

Coldplay

Rihanna And Chris Brown Find Headlines In A Hopeless Place

Last night, Rihanna and Chris Brown leaked two collaborations, a remix of her dessert-fetish track "Birthday Cake" and a rework of his Generic Club Banger No. 86 "Turn Up The Music." The releases inspired much rending of garments and gnashing of teeth, but how do they fit into the pantheon of trollg ... More >>

Oddsmaker: Do Beyoncé And André 3000 Have Enough Swagu To Beat Kanye And His Dozens Of Friends At The Grammys?

​The Grammys created the awkwardly named Best Rap/Sung Collaboration category ten years ago, around the time Ja Rule's various "thug love" duets were dominating the airwaves. The award recognized a growing sector of popular music that didn't quite fit into the preexisting rap, R&B or pop song ... More >>

The Year Ravers and Pop Fans Learned to (File) Share

The 11 Most Infuriating Songs Of 2011, No. 5: Rihanna, "S&M"

The Song: Rihanna, "S&M" The Crimes: Dressing a bloodless ode to kink up by saying it's actually about the media? Na na na na na na, come on, girl. Pop stars need their personas as much as they need the songs that take them to the top of the charts—and lest you think that need exists in a va ... More >>

Underwhelmed And Overstimulated, Part II: PJ Harvey, Jessie J, And The Post-Pop Character Landscape

​ Sound of the City's year-end roundtable, with contributions from Tom Ewing, Eric Harvey, Maura Johnston, Nick Murray, and Katherine St. Asaph, continues. Follow along here. Thanks Maura! And hello Nick, Katherine and Eric. Post-megasales megastars? Beyoncé and Gaga fit the bill, for certa ... More >>

100 & Single: Rihanna's Post-Millennial Strategy For Setting Chart Records

​Pop-chart record-keeping can be as contentious as baseball's, and we've got quite the steroids-style asterisk forming atop Billboard's Hot 100. On the most recent chart, the most pervasive radio star of the last half-decade brushed past a couple of legends into the hall of fame. And like Barr ... More >>

Rihanna Chooses Life In The Self-Consciously Edgy Video For "We Found Love"

​Yesterday the video for "We Found Love," the first single off Rihanna's sixth (!) album Talk That Talk, landed online, and it's definitely taking the '90s revival to heretofore-unseen mainstream levels: Ri wears Docs and washed-out denim as the housey, repetitive song swirls around her; the l ... More >>

The American Music Awards Nominations: Hey, Did You Know Adele Sold A Lot Of Albums This Year?

Have you bought your copy yet? (Give it time.) ​You can have your Grammys and your Mercury Prizes and your Polaris Prizes and whatever other musical prizes honor things like "talent" and "artistry"—the most honest awards show in pop music, though, is undoubtedly the American Music Awards ... More >>

Rihanna Goes Back To The Club With Calvin Harris On "We Found Love"

Rihanna, looking for love in another hopeless place.​ Earlier this morning, a radio rip of "We Found Love," the lead single off Rihanna's forthcoming (sixth!) album, made its way on to the internet. But 20 seconds into the track, when that first Ibiza build-up begins to anticipate the inevitab ... More >>

Live: Rihanna Can't Stop Touching Herself

​ Rihanna w/J. Cole Izod Center Thursday, July 21 Better than: Being outside in weather that makes you feel like you're perpetually trapped in the car with hot air blowing on you while you wait "just a few minutes while the engine gets going" for the AC to kick in. A friend of mine recently ... More >>

The Worst Thing About The New Generation Of "Raunch Pop" Is The Way It Makes Sex Utterly Boring

​Rihanna's sex-drenched "S&M" and its brightly hued, LaChappelle-biting video were predictably controversial when they were given the promo push here a few months back, and now it's provoking a storm on the other side of the pond, with the British regulatory agency OFCOM deeming the video too ... More >>

"American Idol": Say Goodbye To Paul McDonald

Michael Becker/FOX​So Paul McDonald went home this week. Not that shocking! The only real surprise is that it finally reverses the gross and troubling trend of only female contestants getting bounced. (The one time a male contestant was voted off after top 12 week happened when the judges save ... More >>

Rosie O'Donnell Responds To My Chris Brown Blog

​The one in which I quoted her radio remarks saying that Chris Brown may be getting some racist treatment in the media. For those who didn't see the comment she left on that particular blog, I print it here in full. "here is what i think michael musto yes chris brown and rihanna had a viole ... More >>

Chris Brown Goes Into A Violent Rage!

​TMZ has the story that Chris Brown, who's on probation for the felony beating of Rihanna, is up to his old tricks, though at least it's just objects that he's beating now. Here's what went down: On this morning's Good Morning America, Robin Roberts kept asking Chris about the Rihanna situat ... More >>

Have Any Famous Friends on Facebook?

​ Part of the fun of having all those faux-friendships on Facebook is that you can constantly tell people stuff like, "My friend Rihanna said..." Naturally, you don't add that you've never actually met the woman! So here's my query: Do you have any famous FB friends, and did you go after th ... More >>

Rihanna's "S&M" Video: NYC Sex-Shop Employees (Including A Former Dominatrix) Weigh In

Delicious and nutritious ​ There comes a time in a foreign country's life when it has to stand up and say, "No, Rihanna, we do not want to see you deep-throat that banana." That time was last week, when 11 countries banned the pop star's new bubblegum-colored, bondage-laden music video for h ... More >>

Rihanna Gal Pal Revealed! Exclusive!

​Remember when everyone was buzzing about Rihanna hanging with a blonde woman in Barbados for the holidays, the blonde really hanging, boobaliciously speaking? Well, the press presumptuously reported that the woman was Rihanna's bodyguard--and truly, she does like like if anyone could keep Ch ... More >>

The 5 Most Awkward Interactions Between Kanye West and Rihanna in the New Interview

​Alright, alright, we know, but it's Kanye's Week, or Kanye's World, even, and we're just living it, so forgive us if our mind is a bit preoccupied with the guy right now. (We are far from the only ones.) And, when not tearing down the Bowery Ballroom, invoking the ire of the Twittersphere, do ... More >>

'Good Peoples Presents Hudson Mohawke, Rustie & Mike Slott'

Last Night: Rihanna Incites Children, Self to Violence at Her Sold-Out Show at Madison Square Garden

Rihanna Madison Square Garden Thursday, August 12 During her lone moment of banter last night, Rihanna took deep breath, sat down on the edge of the stage and said, "Thank you for making my dream come true." Which sounds kind of boilerplate. It is. But she wasn't just referring to selling out Mad ... More >>

Watch Jay-Z Perform at Nike's World Basketball Party at Radio City Music Hall Last Night

Here we have the third leg of the big-tent rap tripod that set up over an unwitting New York City last night, joining Rihanna's sold-out MSG stand and Kanye West's secret Rosewood performance in the annals of shows you really wanted to get into but couldn't. Preceding Shawn Carter was the 2010 USA ... More >>

Dept. Of Why The Hell Not: Rihanna Covers "Wonderwall"

The good people of Zurich were recently treated to this improbable spectacle; Rihanna's guitar player doesn't seem to know the song, but that never stopped anybody. Evidently this tune was so cathartic she busted up a rib, but she's alright now. Expect to see here on a red carpet in a BLUR = SHITE ... More >>

Aw Man: Nicki Minaj Drops Off the Rihanna/Ke$ha Tour

Well, that took a dispiritingly short amount of time. No sooner did future-of-rap-in-2010 goddess Nicki Minaj announce a summer tour with Ke$ha and Rihanna--this literally happened on Monday--did she call the whole thing off, tweeting: "Barbz I'm sorry 2 say I will not be going out on RiRi's tour. ... More >>

Perhaps You'd Like to Watch of a Video of "Rihanna" Riding a Mechanical Bull While Kings of Leon's "Sex on Fire" Blares Over the Speakers?

​OK, so that almost certainly is not Rihanna, though the location does in fact seem to be New York's own Johnny Utah's, and you can't even actually watch the video here because whatever Celebuzz is, they don't believe in embeds, but whatever, what if it were true? One commenter claims this vid ... More >>

Bad Girls Gone Worse: Rihanna, Mariah Carey, and Lady Gaga

While they seethe and snarl, Taylor Swift emasculates with a smile

Live: Rihanna Drops By Hammerstein Ballroom

Like I said, silver and pantless. CREDIT​Rihanna Hammerstein Ballroom Thursday, December 3 Rihanna these days is basically carrying on as though she's fronting Nine Inch Nails. And who can blame her. Navigate a truly chaotic, hey-quit-pushing scene outside the Hammerstein (a free show, you se ... More >>

Questions About Tiger Woods

Did the wife really shatter the car window to free her husband or was she more likely aiming for his head? If he really is the victim of spousal abuse, will people finally take seriously the fact that some men can be Rihanna-like? (Though in her case, it was the abuser who cheated.)

Sympathy for Lady Vengeance: Rihanna's Rated R

Her new album is as angry and profoundly uncomfortable as you might have suspected

On The New Rihanna Song, "Russian Roulette"

​Listen here. Written by Ne-Yo, first single off Rated R, out November 23, and not, alas, a track-by-track cover of the Queens of the Stone Age album. Don't tell me that wouldn't be awesome. But we digress, if only because this is very lovely, and very boring. The problem here is Rihanna is wa ... More >>

Chris Brown Sentenced to Five Years! (Probation!) Also, Fine, Fees, Etc.

For his ungentlemanly behavior toward Rihanna, Chris Brown has been sentenced to five years -- probation! He also has to take domestic violence counseling and pay $400 for the privilege. And he has to turn in his guns (oh, man!) And he gets 180 days of community labor, and has to pay a "restituti ... More >>

Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Kanye Will Be Here Long After the World's RAV4 Dealerships Have Gone Extinct

You gotta give it to Jay-Z, Kanye, and Rihanna--they are absolutely not afraid to suggest that when the world has ended and all the BMWs are just burned out husks and humans have to wear masks and bandanas to survive, they will still rule all of us. Video: Jay-Z feat. Rihanna & Kanye West - Run ... More >>

Rihanna, Get The Fuck Out Already!

I'm so weary of reading the comments of people trying to blame Rihanna for her situation with Chris Brown or saying she slapped him first, or reminding us that she's said there's been abuse in her past, blah blah blah. Whatever! The point is that she needs to get out of this mad love affair immedi ... More >>

Horrific Survey of the Day: Half of Boston Youths Say Rihanna Was "Responsible" For Chris Brown Mauling

In news too depressing to really even contemplate, the Boston Public Health Commission reports that out of 200 teenagers--aged 12 to 19--interviewed about dating violence, "nearly half of Boston youths surveyed said [Rihanna] was 'responsible' for what happened while 52 percent said they were both ... More >>

Celebrities Return to a Chastened America's Front Pages

Did you notice that a lot of the news this morning is about celebrities? "Morning Joe" has Pete Hamill and Peggy Noonan discussing Chris Brown and Rihanna. The Jon Stewart-Jim Cramer fight has been covered not only by us, but to a fare-thee-well in normally star-averse venues such as The Atlantic, T ... More >>

Rihanna Back with Chris Brown? Nooooo!

Gemma Mary The most horrifying news since Chris Brown beat Rihanna and left her unconscious is the report that the two may be back together again! Is nothing learned from the past? Are we to assume that some apologetic phone calls and a perfunctory attempt at anger management are all that's needed ... More >>

And Now, That Amusing Photo of Bears Riding Horses, to Counteract Somewhat the Ill Effects of the Post-Attack Rihanna Pic

Should you have had any interest in seeing the profoundly disturbing photo currently offered by TMZ under the headline "Rihanna -- The Face of a Battered Woman," it's very probable you've seen it already; please accept this hilarious shot of bears riding horses in its stead. About Rihanna, though ... More >>

Blatant Chris Brown/Rihanna Rumor-Mongering Update: Jay-Z Is Fixin' to Kick Some Ass

You wouldn't like him when he's angry, or maybe you would actually. My goodness, Bossip is all over this -- 8 posts already today about the increasingly lurid and awful Chris Brown/Rihanna affair, the best/worst of which quotes an unidentified Us Weekly source in the Jay-Z camp that describes Mr. ... More >>