14 DAY TRIAL // In the past, Rihanna would often defend her music, outrageous live performances and controversial stage persona by saying she’s an artist, not a role model. Even unwillingly, people will look up to her, Billboard reminds her in an open letter.
These past week has been heavily marked by rumors that Rihanna has reconciled with her ex Chris Brown, even if they split 3 years ago after he brutally beat her up.
He was a secret guest at her birthday party and he has been (half) confirmed as the shocking guest on the remix for her “Birthday Cake” single.
In light of all these reports, Billboard urges her to take action and publicly separate herself from Chris Brown. She owes that much to her fans, the mag says.
“You are a role model, Rihanna. Mostly because you’re cool! You’re effortlessly cool. You are Eddie Winslow, and the rest of us are Steve Urkels. When you’re shocking, it’s not off-putting. When you’re crass, it feels fresh,” Billboard writes.
“You’re the cool kid in school, and could top the Hot 100 by singing the phone book. And this whole Chris Brown thing could define your career, in the best and worst way possible,” the mag further says.
Until now, even though she never spoke in favor of Brown, Rihanna never really separated herself from him either. She allowed all these rumors to flourish by not denying them and, in doing so, she literally told her female fans that it might be ok if they got back with an abusive ex.
Whether she likes it or not, whether it’s her aim or not, Rihanna is a role model to her fans, in the sense that they will try to emulate what she does (even details of her personal life) because she is simply that cool.
Rihanna owes it to her fans to ditch Chris Brown – and to do it publicly, no less – the magazine argues.
“If you continue letting Chris Brown slither into your work or personal life, nothing tremendous will happen – bloggers will blog and a backlash will form, but you’ll no doubt continue ruling the Hot 100 and the world will keep spinning,” Billboard says.
“Yet if you grit your teeth, sacrifice instinct and decide to inspire… even three years removed from that horrific incident, that ‘[expletive] yourself’ moment, that public banishment of the man who physically attacked you, will still resonate with so many people looking for their own morsel of strength,” says the music publication.
“You have the opportunity to deliver a message that transcends any lyric you could ever sing, to stand for something that lasts much longer than any three-minute piece of radio fodder. We, like you, all want to let our individuality shine – to know who we are, and just be ourselves – but in this one instance, we need your message to be perfect,” Billboard says.
Rihanna’s response to this comes on Twitter: she clearly has no intention of doing so, no matter the pressure coming from the media.
“Chiefin’ while ppl spend hrs on letters… Who Jah bless I say NO MAN CURSE! Ting’s gettin better when they thought it would be worse … I’m so solid as a rock, they just can’t stop me now!” she wrote on her official Twitter page.