Rihanna

Candace Owens Praises Rihanna At Super Bowl, Condemns Critical Conservatives

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No, you didn’t enter the Twilight Zone—Candace Owens is speaking on the Super Bowl and isn’t complaining about the halftime show. Each year, the far-right conservative pundit takes to social media with millions of others to weigh in on the halftime performance. She has either expressed offense or disapproval from previous shows, mostly from women performers, but this time, Owens had a change of heart.

Everyone is chatting about Rihanna’s huge pregnancy reveal, but Owens focuses on the overall fashion choices. “I don’t want to jinx it but—- Rihanna is the first female Super Bowl performer in recent memory that has managed to keep her clothes on,” said the Daily Wire star. “Nudity doesn’t shock me anymore. Self-respect does.”

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 12: Rihanna performs during Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show at State Farm Stadium on February 12, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation)
Read More: Cardi B & Candace Owens Bicker On Twitter Following “WAP” Grammy Performance

Many of her conservative followers were surprised by her take. It didn’t take long for them to become critics as they called out all conspiracies that had haunted Rihanna’s career. Still, the headstrong Owens was unmoved and continued to praise Rihanna. Apparently, Kanye West isn’t the only music-centered Hip Hop celebrity she’s grown fond of.

“I’ve always liked Rihanna. Something about her,” Owens added in a later tweet. “How conservatives lose culture: nothing wrong with Rihanna’s performance but finding things wrong anyway.” Still, that didn’t keep critics from mentioning a particular gesture they believed was inappropriate.

Read More: Candace Owens Cuts Ties With Trump, Calls Him “Rude”

Despite the pushback, Rihanna was pleased with her performance. After the show, she was seen being escorted to a backstage area, where she was helped onto a cart. She spoke with awaiting reporters and beamed as she made her way to her private accommodations. A$AP Rocky was a proud partner and father as he watched RiRi from the crowd. Jay-Z was also high in the luxury seats jamming to the halftime show, and daughter Blue Ivy was busy posing with a few of the world’s biggest music stars. Check out reactions to Candace Owens’s tweets below.

Fans Don’t Think We’re Ever Getting Another Rihanna Album

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The jokes have continued to pour in since Rihanna surprised the world with a pregnancy reveal. The singer floated through the Super Bowl halftime show—quite literally—with her baby bump on display. It was a surprise considering she gave birth less than a year ago, but she and A$AP Rocky are more than thrilled to expand their family. As well wishes flood timelines, fans have also used the opportunity to once again troll Rihanna about her fabled next album, which will remain a mystery until she’s ready.

In 2019, Entertainment Tonight brought up a then-potential Super Bowl performance to the Fenty star. “Actually, this is my first time hearing about the Super Bowl since last Super Bowl,” she told the publication at the time. “Girl, I still got an album to finish. You’re gonna ask about Super Bowl, really? My fans are gonna have my neck.”

Read More: Rihanna Is Working On “Balance” & Will Not Put Up With Your Album Pestering

The big game has come and gone, and people are weighing in about the show. Meanwhile, RiRi’s Navy believes that her next album is turning into folklore after they speculated on her next moves. Before her Super Bowl appearance, Rihanna teased about what was in store for her future. There were rumors about a possible world tour and album reveal, but it looks like she’s focused on being a billionaire mom.

However, not all is lost; we know that the singer has indeed been working on a record because she’s said so. Additionally, Pharrell Williams even offered an update, albeit it has been some time, about working on Rihanna’s next record. He was thrilled to hear how she’s expanding and can’t wait until the world experiences it as well.

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 12: Rihanna performs during Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show at State Farm Stadium on February 12, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation)
Read More: Rihanna On The Wait For Her Album: “I Like To Antagonize My Fans”

“You’re not going to expect what you hear,” she teased in September 2021. “Put that in your mind. Whatever you know of Rihanna is not going to be what you hear. I’m really experimenting, and music is like fashion. You should be able to play. I should be able to wear whatever I want. I treat music the same way. I’m having fun and it’s going to be completely different.”

Rihanna’s Back-Up Dancers Didn’t Know She Was Pregnant: Report

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As fans tuned in to watch the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles face off for the Lombardi Trophy, there was undoubtedly a slew of people who only wanted to catch Rihanna’s performance. She dove into a 13-minute set that managed to condense a 17-year career. Draped in a red jumper, and surrounded by a fleet of backup dancers, Rihanna gave fans a performance to remember. Not only due to her impeccable catalog but also, the fact that she revealed her pregnancy on the biggest stage in America.

Over the years, Rihanna faced several rumors surrounding her pregnancy. Last year, she welcomed her first child and provided an epic reveal alongside A$AP Rocky in a Harlem-themed maternity shoot. However, there were even rumors of her pregnancy prior to that. Somehow, she managed to keep the speculation surrounding baby #2 under wraps, even after numerous public appearances in the past several months. In fact, she did such a good job at keeping it a secret, even those working closely with her for the halftime show had no clue that she was expecting.

Rihanna Hid Her Pregnancy From Back-Up Dancers 

According to TMZ, Rihanna hid her pregnancy from roughly 280 backup dancers during rehearsals. Though the pregnancy reveal played a huge part in the show itself, Rih disguised the baby bump by rocking baggy clothes. Sources close to the publication explained that at Saturday and Sunday’s rehearsals, Rih wore loose clothing to prevent anyone from finding out she was pregnant. That is until she hit the stage for her performance at the halftime show and revealed her belly. 

Those involved with the production reportedly only saw the baby bump when they were about to hit the stage. Rih rocked an outfit that seemingly helped reveal her pregnancy clearly. It’s impressive, especially when she’s made numerous public appearances in recent months. Last week, she appeared at a rare press conference where she discussed the performance at length. Prior to that, she appeared at the Golden Globes with A$AP Rocky. Looking back, both of her fits helped disguise her belly. At the Golden Globes, she donned a loose dress while carrying a purse in front of her belly. Ultimately, Rihanna accomplished revealing her pregnancy without anyone leaking the information to the press.

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Rihanna’s Spotify Streams Spike By Nearly 2600% After Super Bowl

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The NFL didn’t cut a check for Rihanna’s incredible performance at the Super Bowl. However, it seems like she’ll see a boost in revenue regardless. The Fenty creator undoubtedly reminded fans of how strong her brand is during the halftime show. Everyone’s talking about her baby bump, of course, but she also flaunted the Fenty line at one point and showcased her incredible catalog since emerging onto the scene. Unfortunately, she didn’t breeze through all of the hits, but she packed in a 13-minute set with fan favorites and chart-topping smashes.

Of course, fans had their own grievances with her set. Most were not only happy but surprised that “Bitch Better Have My Money” served as the opening song. In addition to classics like “Pour It Up” and “Only Girl in the World,” she ensured that she properly represented the Navy to the best of her abilities. Still, many felt a type of way that songs like “Pon De Replay” were noticeably missing from the set. Regardless, fans returned to their preferred DSPs after the halftime show to dive into her catalog.

Rihanna Sees A Massive Spike on Apple Music & Spotify

Rihanna saw a career-best on Apple Music immediately after her performance. Apple reports that her catalog shot up in streams by 331% across the globe. Additionally, the hour after her performance marked her biggest streaming period in Apple Music. On top of that, Sunday also marked her biggest day on Shazam.  Though many are familiar with her catalog, it’s quite clear that she gained a new legion of fans, as well. It’s an impressive feat for an artist who hasn’t touched a stage or released much music in the past few years. 

Spotify revealed Rihanna saw a 2600% increase in streams shortly after she took the stage. The streaming service revealed that “Bitch Better Have My Money” streams spiked by 2600% between 11 pm and midnight ET. During that same window of time, “Diamonds” spiked by 1400%, “Rude Boy” by 1170%, and “We Found Love” by 1160%. These numbers compare to the number of streams she received in the week prior. Check out the statistics above and sound off with your favorite Rihanna song in the comments. 

Cardi B Ran (As Well As She Could In Heels) To Make It To Rihanna’s Super Bowl Halftime Show In A Hilarious Video

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Cardi B Hall of Fame Party 2023
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The Super Bowl is the biggest sporting event of the year in the United States. Pair that with the fact that Rihanna performed the halftime show this year, and it must have been a real challenge to actually get to the stadium for those lucky/rich enough to have tickets. It seems like that was the case for Cardi B and Offset, as the two ended up running in an effort to not miss Rihanna’s performance.

In a video shared on Cardi’s Instagram Story last night (February 12), Cardi and Offset are seen running to get into the stadium. It wasn’t a particularly fast run, though, as Cardi was wearing high heels that made speedy travel a challenge.

It appears their effort paid off, though, as it was apparently a really close call for them: In another Instagram Story video, Cardi films the start of the performance and exclaims, “We just made it on time.” She also offered some general excitement and cheering in other clips.

That wasn’t Cardi and Offset’s only Super Bowl presence this year. The pair just launched their own meal at McDonald’s and had a commercial for it during the game. The menu item is named after them and includes a cheeseburger, Quarter Pounder with cheese, barbecue sauce, large fries, an apple pie, a large Hi-C, and a large Coke.

Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Rihanna’s ASL Interpreter Goes Viral For Epic Performance

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Rihanna isn’t the only star of the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show. ASL interpreter Justina Miles has gone viral for her epic performance signing RiRi’s best hits. Her flare and style added spice to the performance, and it’s evident that Miles had a blast on the job. Miles has made history as the first female deaf interpreter to participate in the halftime show. This isn’t Miles’s only big win, however, as the talented and outgoing interpreter also holds a silver medal as part of the USA’s Deaflympics 4×100 track relay team. She was also the valedictorian in high school.

At 20 years old, the Tik Tok star is already making a big name for herself. Along with Rihanna’s performance, Miles also signed “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” sung by Sheryl Lee Ralph. In a halftime show press conference, Miles signed how her work is “not only for me to share this experience with the whole world, but to really bring that empowerment to millions and millions of Black deaf people all over the country who’ve never really seen that before. I feel that is truly lifting every voice, even my voice.” This is the first year that the Super Bowl has featured deaf ASL interpreters. Miles was joined by Colin Denny and Academy Award winner Troy Kotsur.

ASL Interpreter Steals The Show

Miles has amassed a following on social media for her ASL interpretations of popular songs. Even though she’s hard of hearing, nothing has stopped the Philadelphia native from connecting the deaf community to music. Even with this remarkable success at such a young age, Miles has big plans for the future. She currently is a nursing student at Bowie State University (a school that features notable alumni like Wale and Toni Braxton).

In an interview with CNBC, Miles shared powerful words of wisdom as she said “not to let any obstacles prevent you from achieving your dreams, and to always believe in yourself to go beyond.” With the Super Bowl garnering over 100 million views nationwide, we sure do hope to see more of Miles spreading inclusion in other notable events.

A$AP Rocky’s Reaction To Rihanna’s Super Bowl Performance Is Precious: Watch

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Having a Bad Gal like Rihanna on his arm is an undeniably huge flex for A$AP Rocky, and he doesn’t take it for granted. The pair were friends long before their relationship bloomed into a romantic one. Just last May, they welcomed their first child together. After giving her some time to recover from giving birth the singer’s fans have been steadily demanding new music from her. Instead, she’s having a second baby.

Rihanna on the field during Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show at State Farm Stadium on February 12, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation)

During her legendary Super Bowl Halftime show last night, the 34-year-old quietly broke the news that she’s with child again. It remains unclear how far along she is at this point. Still, her budding bump was proudly on display as she sang. It was previously thought that a guest star may join Rih on stage. Some speculated that it could’ve been her boyfriend, but instead, the New Yorker happily watched on from the audience.

Wearing a custom NFL jacket with his partner’s tattooed hand holding a football displayed on the back, Rocky was showing immense love to the mother of his children. In footage making rounds online, he holds up his phone, like dozens of others around him, smiling while filming the “Diamonds” songstress in all her glory.

@nfl

A$AP’s jacket is EVERYTHING 🔥 #rihanna #fenty #asaprocky

♬ original sound – NFL

After capturing a few clips, the Testing rapper puts his phone in his pocket. This allowed him to fully take in Rihanna’s triumphant return without distractions. Seeing as this was also how she unveiled the couple’s second pregnancy to the world, it’s an equally as exciting moment for him and their family. Rocky is clearly feeling the Fenty founder’s vocals, as he bops along to some of her biggest hits.

Like everyone else in the stadium, the expecting father couldn’t take his eyes off of the Barbadian beauty. As her astounding set comes to an end, he breaks out in cheers and applause, congratulating RiRi as if she was performing for just him. On Twitter, countless users have been talking about the precious moment, praising A$AP for loving his other half so loudly.

“He’s watching his second unborn up there. I’d be happy too,” one person pointed out. Others wrote, “Ladies, get yourself a man who supports you just like this,” and “It’s the cheering at the end for us.” Scroll further for more social media reactions to Rocky and Rihanna’s relationship. Finally, check back later for more hip-hop news updates.

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Chris Brown Explains Why He Won’t Be Performing At Super Bowl

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It looks like Chris Brown believes his past will continue to haunt him. The superstar singer has amassed success that newcomers only dream of. However, some still wrestle with the decisions he has made and how they have affected his present and future. By now, most are familiar with Brown’s greatest personal and professional scandal: physically assaulting Rihanna just ahead of the 2009 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. After photos of the “Umbrella” singer’s injuries were shared, Brown’s career hung in the balance.

Yet, Breezy has bounced back. He’s had several sold-out tours, reached No. 1 on the charts, and his dedicated fanbase supported him at every turn. After Rihanna took to the Super Bowl halftime show as her official return to the stage, Brown was inundated with messages about his ex-girlfriend. He seemingly gave her a positive shout-out and answered a fan’s question about his turn at the big game.

ATLANTA, GA – DECEMBER 9: Singer Chris Brown performs onstage during “Lil Baby & Friends Birthday Celebration Concert” at State Farm Arena on December 9, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage)
Read More: Chris Brown Seemingly Reacts To Rihanna Pregnancy Reveal

“When are you [performing] at the Super Bowl we need you at the next one!!!” a fan commented under the singer’s post. Brown answered, “Never shawty.. American media AINT FA me. Rather be where I’m welcomed.” This comes months after it was rumored that Brown’s American Music Awards tribute to Michael Jackson was axed at the last minute. It was a performance that was reportedly also set to feature Ciara. Rehearsal footage was later shared on social media.

Meanwhile, Brown’s prior controversy with Rihanna hasn’t been his only hiccup. There have been several lawsuits and allegations of sexual misconduct—and the singer has denied each as they have arisen. In 2017, Brown’s ex-girlfriend Karrueche Tran was granted a restraining order after alleging he abused her. Regardless of his past, Brown’s fans have agreed that he should go where he’s appreciated.

Read More: Jordin Sparks Suggests Chris Brown & Rihanna Beef Caused “No Air” Grammys Snub: Watch

Conversations about the singer’s indiscretions have also been brought up during conversations about his legacy. There are those that argue Brown should be referred to as the King of Pop, taking the crown from the late-great Michael Jackson. In these discussions, Breezy has offered words of respect to Jackson while also embracing the accomplishments he’s made throughout his career. Do you think Chris Brown deserves more respect from America? Should he be considered for the Super Bowl halftime show?