Rihanna has taken a significant hand in the promotion of her Savage Fenty brand. She’s appeared in several ads herself, and has promoted the brand at length on her social media accounts. Her latest Fenty ad might be her most notable yet, though. Rihanna slipped into lingerie to promote her new Lavish Lace campaign, and she decided to do so while playing a tune at the piano. The photos from the ad would have been more than enough to garner attention, but behind the scenes footage from the Fenty shoot has made its way online.
Rihanna mostly poses behind the piano, but she does tickle the ivories at the few crucial points during the shoot. She looks predictably spectacular, decked out in all yellow lingerie. Given the musical nature of the Lavish Lace ad, however, there were fans who took to the comment section to ask for an update on Rihanna’s upcoming album. The pop superstar has been teasing the release of R9 since she last put out music in 2016. The last notable update we got from Rihanna was in June. She told ET Online that she plans to scrap the music she already had.
“I think that music, for me, is a new discovery,” Rihanna explained. “I’m rediscovering things. I have been working on the album for so long that I kinda put all that stuff aside and now I’m prepared to go back in the studio. I’m gonna start — give me a second!.” Conversely, Rihanna has had a blast working on Fenty brand and her various brands. She recently announced that her products would be available at select retailers across nine different Caribbean territories. This will mark the first time they will be available in the singer’s native Barbados.
“It’s always felt awkward that my brand has not been in my home,” she told ESSENCE. “So this is something I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve always pushed for it. The moment we were approved to come here, we came.” Rihanna is also slated to appear on A$AP Rocky’s upcoming album, DON’T BE DUMB. Unfortunately, her hubby’s album has suffered nearly as many delays as her own. Fingers crossed we get both soon.
Rihanna’s Navy may be waiting quite a while for new music—possibly forever. While in Barbados speaking on her Fenty Skin cosmetics line, Rihanna spoke about music, stating, “God had other plans for me.”
“Music was the thing that got the attention, but God had other plans for me,” Rihanna said. “I cannot express what this day means to me, to be able to celebrate with people that deserve it the most. Thank you to my country.”
Rihanna’s speech at Fenty Beauty’s Caribbean launch in Barbados:
“Music was the thing that got the attention, but God had other plans for me. I cannot express what this day means to me, to be able to celebrate with people that deserve it the most. Thank you to my country.” pic.twitter.com/AS3Cr2ado1
Rihanna keeps fans on the edge of their seats with every move, as they patiently (or desperately) wait for a new album update. However, various hints over the years made fans fear that retirement was right around the corner in this regard, a worry that a recent speech at a Fenty event in Barbados on Thursday night (November 7) fueled once again. “I’m in an industry, right? For music,” she expressed in her native country. “And I want to say that music was the thing that got me attention, but God had other plans for me. And I was able to create in ways that were very sincere and genuine, organic, and authentic to the things that I love. So it doesn’t even feel like a job.
“But when you bring it home…” Rihanna continued amid crowd cheers. You can check out the full video for yourself by clicking on the “Via” link down below. Of course, all jokes and worries aside, RiRi should absolutely fulfill herself through her career and creativity in any way she sees fit. If music isn’t the answer, so be it. We have so much great material already. Fans just hope that they get a definitive answer on whether or not they can expect a new studio album in the future.
Rihanna Performing At The 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show
Feb 12, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, US; Recordist artist Rihanna performs during halftime of Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports via Imagn Images
Another Rihanna feather-ruffler recently came from her thoughts on the 2024 United States presidential election, as she joked about having her young son vote for her instead. She clapped back at a lot of haters who opposed her staunch support of women’s reproductive rights and her crucial emphasis on the importance of a fair and peaceful democratic process. We all sadly know how that turned out…
Meanwhile, Rihanna did recently name a dream collaboration that kept fans hopeful for more music on the way. “If I could only do a song with Billie Eilish,” she told Access Hollywood. “She’s so good.” Billie was absolutely shocked by her praise, and her excitement and gratitude for the shoutout means that not all hope is lost. But let’s respect and cherish this career whatever direction it goes in, and understand that this is all just speculative.
LeBron James is in his 22nd season in the NBA, and has been part of the national basketball consciousness since he was, at least, a junior in high school. His presence as one of the most prominent figures in basketball hasn’t just meant he’s been part of the sports conversation for the last quarter century, but he also became the reference point for basketball in the music world as well.
Similar to Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and Allen Iverson, LeBron has been regularly mentioned by artists in the hip-hop world and beyond. You can find hundreds if not thousands of songs that name-drop LeBron, both positively and negatively, and here we wanted to look at 23 notable examples of LeBron’s impact on the music world by way of the lyrics that shout him out, starting from 2003 all the way to 2024.
“Gangsta Sh*t” — G-Unit (2003)
I keep a holster on my shoulder like I’m John Wayne/Shooting these n****s lights out like LeBron James
One of the first LeBron mentions on a track came early in his rookie year in 2003, when Young Buck says he’s shooting like LeBron, which I have to note is a little funny given shooting was the one thing LeBron rather famously wasn’t very good at as a rookie.
“Gettin It In” — Jadakiss ft. Kanye West (2004)
N****s tryna figure out, since Kan’ came/Who the rookie of the year, me or LeBron James?
Kanye West, fresh off the release of “College Dropout” earlier that year, boasts his rookie season is as strong as LeBron’s in his verse on this Jadakiss track.
“Dough Is What I Got” — Lil Wayne (2006)
When it comes down to this recording/I must be LeBron James if he’s Jordan/No, I won rings with my performance/I’m more Kobe Bryant of an artist
Lil Wayne wouldn’t release “Best Rapper Alive” until 2008 on Tha Carter II, but his remix of Jay-Z’s “Show Me What You Got” two years prior asserted that position in the midst of his iconic mixtape run. To illustrate that fact, he made a reference to LeBron but became one of the first artists to use that as a bit of a jab, saying he’s more Kobe than LeBron because he “won rings with my performance.” I’m not sure what the first RINGZ argument was to be used against LeBron, but I have to imagine Lil Wayne doing so three years into James’ career was one of the earliest.
“Make Tha Trap Say Aye” — OJ Da Juiceman ft. Gucci Mane (2008)
Banana donk Chevy interior like the Lakers/LeBron James wrist when I’m f**kin’ with that caper
What did OJ Da Juiceman know in 2008 when he referenced the Lakers and LeBron James in back-to-back lines??? An aside, OJ Da Juiceman is an underrated Atlanta artist, and this isn’t even his best NBA reference off this album (“Nah Ming” is a classic).
“Empire State of Mind” — Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys (2009)
Me? I gotta plug Special Ed, “I Got It Made”/If Jeezy’s payin’ LeBron, I’m payin’ Dwyane Wade
Probably the LeBron reference that pops into most people’s heads first when it comes to a rap lyric. By this point, LeBron had passed Michael Jordan in terms of being synonymous with the number 23 in pop culture. The reference is to Jeezy’s “23, 24” in which he says “I used to pay Kobe (24), but now I pay LeBron (23)” in the chorus, with Jay-Z noting that if Jeezy’s paying 23, he’s just paying Dwyane Wade (3). I have to say, there’s no way this was a profitable venture for Jay-Z’s plug if he was getting bricks for $3,000. Also, in hindsight, it’s kind of wild Jay-Z put this bar down a full year before LeBron left Cleveland for Miami to play with Wade.
“Dead Presidents II” — J. Cole (2009)
I’m nothing like these ho-like rappers, my whole life practice/To be the one, what’s it like to be LeBron
Another artist who has frequently made mention of LeBron (and plenty of other NBA stars), J. Cole compares himself to LeBron with shouldering expectations to be the greatest in this track off 2009’s “The Warm Up”.
“Popular Demand” — Clipse ft. Pharrell and Cam’Ron (2009)
Used to have this white b**ch, she looked like Madonna though/Heard that she f**king LeBron, but s**t, I don’t know/Like that, Bron-Bron? I had that long time ago
As mentioned in the intro, not every LeBron reference was the most positive and this was the time where LeBron fatigue had set in a bit. This one, however, had nothing to do with James’ failures to land a ring by 2009, but instead Pusha T offered up some allegations of impropriety in what I have to imagine is one of LeBron’s least favorite mentions he’s ever gotten.
“Gotta Have It” — Jay-Z and Kanye West (2011)
West: Sorry I’m in pajamas, but I just got off the PJ/And last party we had, they shut down Prive
Jay-Z: Ain’t that where the Heat play? (Yup)/N****s hate ballers these days (Yup)
West: Ain’t that like LeBron James?
Jay-Z: Ain’t that just like D-Wade? Wait
We probably could’ve pulled 23 references about LeBron just by these two, but in their triumphant track off “Watch The Throne”, Jay-Z and West go back-and-forth with a shoutout to the two stars of the Miami Heat at the time.
“Martians vs. Goblins” — The Game ft. Tyler, the Creator and Lil Wayne (2011)
Fall back like LeBron’s hairline against the Mavericks…he lost
Leave it to Tyler, the Creator to have one of the funnier bars about LeBron James, making both a hairline joke and a Heat losing to the Mavs in the Finals joke all in one line on this track with The Game.
“Believe It” — Meek Mill ft. Rick Ross (2012)
I ball hard like LeBron James/And Rozay D-Wade n****
The LeBron/Wade pairing made for a lot of song references in their time in Miami, this time with Meek Mill comparing he and Rick Ross to the Heat duo — these two also are frequent LeBron name-droppers.
“Timber” — Pitbull ft. Kesha (2013)
Club jumpin’ like LeBron now, Voli/Order me another round, homie
One of the biggest songs in terms of popularity to feature a LeBron reference, courtesy of Mr. Worldwide (formerly Mr. 305), who shouts out the then Heat star in one of his biggest hits.
“LeBron James” — Yo Gotti (2013)
I’m LeBron James, you a f**kin rookie
There are a lot of songs that name-check LeBron but Yo Gotti was one of the first major artists to release a song with James’ name as the title, using his name as a main part of the chorus.
“Bitch Better Have My Money” — Rihanna (2015)
Pay me what you owe me/Ballin’ bigger than LeBron
Rihanna was once a regular courtside at NBA games and a noted LeBron fan, so it came as little surprise when she mentioned James in the opening verse of her 2015 hit single.
“Sleep Walking” — Migos (2015)
I’m a fool with the rock like LeBron James
For a time there were few groups that were more prevalent at NBA games and All-Star Weekends than the Migos, and Offset led off their 2015 track with a LeBron mention in the opening verse.
“Trap Trap Trap” — Rick Ross ft. Young Thug and Wale (2017)
Renzel got me all day, I’m Kyrie, he LeBron James
By 2017, the references to James and a fellow star teammate had flipped from Dwyane Wade and LeBron to Kyrie and LeBron, which pops up in another Rick Ross track, this time in Wale’s verse.
“Nonstop” — Drake (2018)
Catch me cause I’m gone (Outta there, I’m gone)/How I go from 6 to 23 like I’m LeBron?
Another artist with plenty of references to LeBron in songs through the years, Drake’s 2018 hit is probably the biggest with a LeBron mention, as he plays off both of LeBron’s numbers from Miami and Cleveland (and L.A.).
“RNP” — Cordae ft. Anderson Paak (2019)
Cordae: I bought a Moncler coat for the times we were broke
Paak: I’ma wear it in the summer on LeBron James’ boat
This might be one of my favorites because it has nothing to do with basketball, it’s just Paak flaunting that his life is dope enough he might get invited to hang out on a yacht with LeBron.
“Disco S**t” — 03 Greedo and Kenny Beats ft. Freddie Gibbs (2019)
Dope game, brought the kilos on the plane/23, LeBron James, got my package on the airline, yeah, now
A decade after Jeezy’s “23, 24” and Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind”, LeBron remained the go-to reference for the number 23 in rap, as Freddie Gibbs proved again on his verse here.
“Está Cabrón Ser Yo” — Bad Bunny and Anuel AA (2020)
LeBron James, cabrón, yo juego toa’ la’ posicione’/Michael Phelps tirao’ pa’ atrá’, nadando en mi’ millone’
LeBron’s influence in the music world isn’t stateside, as he has been regularly mentioned by Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny, including in this 2020 track (along with Michael Phelps).
“All In” — Lil Baby (2020)
I go LeBron when it’s crunch time, it ain’t no holdin’ me
One thing you notice when you lay these lyrics out chronologically is how the narrative around LeBron changed constantly. If someone had rapped “I go LeBron when it’s crunch time” in a song in, say, 2009 it would’ve had a wildly different meaning than in 2020 when Lil Baby said it boastfully.
“Dynamite” — BTS (2020)
Sing-song when I’m walkin’ home/Jump up to the top, LeBron
Further cementing LeBron’s status as a global superstar, he found his way into one of the biggest K-Pop hits with a reference in the opening verse of BTS’ massive 2020 hit.
“The Scenic Route” — Dr. Dre ft. Rick Ross and Anderson Paak (2021)
Ross: In them funny pants, I had a gun in mine
Dre: LeBron James numbers, go ‘head, analyze ’em
By 2021, LeBron had climbed to the top of most pages in the NBA’s record books which Dr. Dre referenced in his boastful track going back-and-forth with Rick Ross.
“Meet The Grahams” — Kendrick Lamar (2024)
Hey, LeBron, keep the family away, hey, Curry, keep the family away
The most sinister of the LeBron mentions comes on Kendrick Lamar’s scathing diss track on Drake from this year, in which he leaves no doubt his feelings on the Toronto star and warns LeBron, Stephen Curry, and others to “keep the family away.”
Rihanna is letting her inner political bad gyal show. The “Lift Me Up” singer’s billionaire status and wide-spanning business empire afford her endless luxuries. Still, some things are out of Rihanna’s reach, such as voting in US elections due to her non-resident status.
With the dozens of celebrity endorsements in the 2024 presidential campaign cycle, Rihanna appears to have shared her own. Today (November 4), Rihanna took to Instagram with a joke about the lengths she is willing to go to in order to cast her vote seemingly for Vice President Kamala Harris.
“When protecting pussies and firing pussies can happen all in one vote #votecauseicant #TanSuitSeason,” read the post’s caption.
But the subtext placed over the video has followers literally laughing out loud. “POV: me trying to sneak into the polls with my son’s passport #votecauseicant,” wrote Rihanna.
In all seriousness, voter fraud isn’t a laughing matter. However, the nature of Rihanna’s lighthearted line and humor personality users online could help but chuckle.
To avoid Rihanna’s upload being viewed as a potential legal matter, some fans have sent messages to Rihanna’s partner and fellow musician Asap Rocky, whom she shares two sons to keep a close eye on her.
No one wants to see Rihanna fighting a deportation case before her long-awaited album is released.
Rihanna is not a citizen of the United States. The pop superstar is one of the most famous Barbadians in modern history, and she’s celebrated this aspect of her culture in her music. She is, however, living in the United States, and a mother to two sons who are citizens. Rihanna decided to joke about her lack of U.S. citizenship during a recent Instagram post. Rihanna took a video of herself in the car and described it as an example of her trying to sneak into the polls to vote with her eldest son’s passport. She then dropped the hashtag “#votecauseicant.”
The post was well-received by fans, with many praising the singer’s decision to encourage her U.S. fans to vote. One Instagram user, however, took things in a different direction. The user kristopher_jordan hit up the pop star and questioned why she’s allowed to live in the United States. “How TF can you live here and been living here,” he asked. “If you aren’t a U.S. citizen?” Rihanna, without missing a beat, fired back at the user and wrote: “taxes dummy.” She also included a shrugging emoji, mocking the one that Jordan used in his initial message.
Rihanna is famous for her social media clap backs. She has gotten into heated exchanges with fans and other celebrities alike, and usually comes out on top due to her blunt responses. The pop superstar has also made it known she would vote for Kamala Harris if she could. In the same IG post in which she joked about using her son’s passport, Rihanna included the hashtag “#tansuitseason.” This is a subtle nod to the suit color choices of Barack Obama, as well as Kamala Harris during her presidential campaign.
Furthermore, Rihanna’s Instagram caption made it clear that she was in favor of women’s rights. She voiced her support for Harris’ promise to restore reproductive rights after Donald Trump announced his plan to overturn Roe vs. Wade. “When protecting p**sies and firing p**sies can happen all in one vote,” she wrote. This is not the first time Rihanna has shown her support for Kamala Harris. When Joe Biden won the presidency, and Harris won the vice presidency, in 2020, the singer celebrated via Twitter. “The faces of history makers, boundary breakers and winners,” she asserted.
Rihanna has always had love for other artists. She has collaborated with tons of rappers and pop stars throughout the years. She’s taken the last decade off to focus on her family and fashion line, but she’s rumored to have a new album around the corner. The rumors have been boosted by the fact that she’s talking about other musicians. She recently praised Kendrick Lamar for playing the upcoming Halftime Show at the Super Bowl. Now, Rihanna has decided to give flowers to Billie Eilish.
Rihanna got on the topic of dream collaborators during a recent interview with Access Hollywood. She was asked who would top of her lists of artists to work with, and she answered Billie Eilish right away. “If I could only do a song with Billie Eilish,” Rihanna asserted. “She’s so good.” The shout out completely took the “Birds of a Feather” aback. She reposted the interview on her Instagram Story with a caption that can only be described as starstuck. “What in the absolute f*ck oh my god what the f*ck.” Eilish has made her adoration of Rihanna very clear in the past.
The singer actually pointed to RiRi when it came to who she thought were the hottest stars on the planet. Eilish spoke on femininity, and the notion of attractiveness, during a 2023 profile with Vogue. During the conversation, the singer determined that Rihanna was the benchmark for beauty. “I think that I decided the other day that I think she’s the hottest person to ever exist in the history of the world,” she asserted. The admiration is clearly mutual between the two artists. It’s fascinating, however, to consider that Billie Eilish’s entire musical career has played out in the time since Rihanna dropped her last album.
Rihanna released Anti in 2016, and has teased new music intermittently since then. She seemed to be hard at work on material during the first half of the year, but we’re nearing November and still no word on a release date. It doesn’t help that Rihanna’s partner, ASAP Rocky, also seems to be stalling with regards to releasing new music. Rihanna claimed that she and Rocky have been in the studio together, so we can only hope they come out of their joint hiatus soon. Maybe there’s a Billie Eilish collab around the corner.
“Kendrick Lamar is the one that’s supposed to do it right now,” she said. “He’s going to crush it. We should never doubt him. He’s an amazing artist. Top-tier. He had an incredible year. He actually brought so many people together. It’s to be celebrated. That’s what culture is. He deserves it. I can not wait to see it. Kendrick, thank you.”
Rihanna isn’t the only superstar to throw their support behind Kendrick’s upcoming set. Despite the pushback, last month Jay-Z, the show’s curator gave his stamp of approval with a statement.
Rihanna is on the short list of artists who have done the Super Bowl Halftime Show. She’s the only artist who has performed at the show while pregnant. She has a unique perspective on the responsibility and the honor that comes with being selected as a Super Bowl performer. This is why she’s so excited to see what Kendrick Lamar does with the opportunity. She was recently asked about K. Dot’s Halftime gig. She she made it very clear that it is well-deserved.
Rihanna gave her Kendrick Lamar thoughts to Entertainment Tonight. The outlet inquired about her desire to see the rapper perform in New Orleans in 2025. She could not have been more hyped in her response. “GOAT,” Rihanna asserted. “He deserves it. I cannot wait to see it.” She even thanked Lamar for agreeing to take on the gig. Rihanna, who has a famously rocky personal history with Drake, also gave Lamar flowers for the massive year that he’s had. Kendrick Lamar, of course, defeated Drake in massive rap beef that that spawned hits like “Like That” and “Not Like Us.”
“Kendrick Lamar is the one that’s supposed to do it right now,” Rihanna proclaimed. “We should never doubt him. He’s an amazing artist, top-tier. He had an incredible year.” The “Diamonds” singer went as far as to allude to the “Pop Out” show that Lamar hosted on Juneteenth. A show that doubled as a spot from which to bomb on Drake further. “He actually brought so many people together,” Rihanna added. “That’s what culture is.”
Kendrick Lamar has also spoken highly of Rihanna in the past. The two worked together on the hit 2017 single “LOYALTY,” and the rapper praised Rihanna’s musicality. “I love everything about her,” he stated to Zane Lowe. “The way she expresses herself through music and how she caries herself I love everything about her so I always wanted to work with her.” Both Rihanna and Kendrick Lamar have albums in the works. Rihanna has been teasing her album since 2016. Lamar, meanwhile, has kept fans on the edge of their seats since the Drake battle. Maybe we will get another collaboration in the future. Fingers crossed.
Given that Rihanna is a massive global star, she’s collaborated with so many people at this point in her music career. That said, it’s been nearly a decade since her latest album, 2016’s Anti, and since then, a whole generation of music stars has emerged. One of these new icons has caught Rihanna’s eye: Billie Eilish.
In a recent interview (video here), Rihanna was asked who her “dream collaborator” is, and she said, “If I could only do a song with Billie Eilish. Mmm-mmm… she’s so good.”
Eilish hasn’t publicly responded to this situation, but she’ll likely be over the moon when she hears about it, as she’s a longtime Rihanna stan.
Last year, Eilish declared, “I think that I decided the other day that I think she’s the hottest person to ever exist in the history of the world.”
In a 2019 interview, she said, “Who would I want to meet? Um… Rihanna. But, like, only if she would want to, because my entire life, I’ve never even wanted to meet my idols because I never wanted to bother then.” When the interviewer insisted Rihanna would “love” to meet Eilish “and then maybe work together,” Eilish responded, “I would die a million times.”
“People like her and like Childish Gambino, Tyler [The Creator] and Kanye — [there’s] not just one thing that they’re known for. They take what they have and actually turn it into more. That’s what I’ve always wanted to do. I really want to design shoes, and I really want to f*cking design a car. I direct my own videos and edit them myself most of the time, so hopefully more of that. I think Rihanna is f*cking murdering it. Everyone who is like, ‘Stop with the [Fenty] brand and put out more music,’ I think, ‘Shut the f*ck up.’ She is doing exactly what she needs to do, and that’s fire. Yeah, we want new Rihanna music, but we also want Rihanna. Only props to her.”
So, basically, don’t rule out this collaboration actually happening at some point.
