Domestic violence is a real problem in our society and such collaborations perpetuate the wrong idea. Domestic abuse isn’t taken seriously because physical violence in general isn’t taken seriously. That number is significant given the little attention this issue actually receives. Women ages 20-24 are at the greatest risk of nonfatal intimate partner violence, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. That statistic doesn’t account for unreported cases either. She should realize that she, as a celebrity, serves as a face of all women in domestic violence incidents.Īccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25% of women have experienced domestic violence in their lifetime. Therefore, it becomes her responsibility to consider the implications of her business and personal choice and understand that her actions have much more of a resounding impact. Though by no means is Rihanna expected to be the spokesperson for domestic violence and its prevalence, she does serve as its face due to her celebrity status. The problem is that her choice doesn’t affect just her – it affects her fans and sends out the message that it's okay to go back to your abuser and let him or her back into your life. The implications from her choice spell disaster for the seriousness of domestic violence and its portrayal in the media. Instead of using her collaboration as a means of equalizing the role both parties play in the relationship, Rihanna is seemingly advocating for male dominance. The worst of what Brown sings is: “But I wanna lick the icing off / Give it to her in the worst way.” Brown’s role in the remix is a dominant figure that wants to exert power over a woman, which is exactly what happened three years ago during the assualt. The song, which has clear sexual connotations of “playing it rough,” brings forth questions on the appropriateness of Brown singing it.īrown sings lyrics such as “I know you wanna bite this,” “I’mma make you my bitch,” and “Girl I wanna f*** you right now / Been a long time, I’ve been missing your body,” all of which not only have clear gendered roles that signify male dominance over women but also have questionable parallels to Rihanna’s and Brown’s personal relationship. The lyrics of “Birthday Cake” make this particular collaboration particularly unfitting. However, her “Birthday Cake Remix” is not an appropriate way to go about that. Rightfully so, Rihanna should be lauded for having the courage and ability to forgive Chris Brown. However someone chooses to forgive is entirely up to them."
Not only that, practicing what we was taught as kids, and that's to forgive. The-Dream, who helped create the remix, supported Rihanna’s decision, stating, "at the end of the day my job is to, not only as a songwriter, but as a friend with most of the people I spend time with, Rihanna being one of those friends, is having her back. It’s a smart career move that generates interest in Rihanna’s music, keeping her current and relevant in her audience’s mind. Given their careers, Rihanna and Brown will continually interact over the years. Rihanna’s decision to again partner with Brown demonstrates that she had forgiven her abuser but sends the wrong message to her fans. Chris Brown, who was charged with felony assaults and criminal threats, physically assaulted Rihanna in 2009, leaving Rihanna with visible face injuries and a hospital stay. Rihanna’s remix with her past abuser essentially trivializes the issue of domestic abuse. It’s peaceful, it’s cordial.Rihanna’s “Birthday Cake Remix” collaboration with Chris Brown serves as a slap to her fans everywhere because of the sexually-charged nature of the song and the wrong message it sends out to her fans. As of right now, I’m just completely focused on myself. “Us getting back together I can’t say,” she said via Us Weekly. In July, Tran opened up about her breakup with Brown, telling Ryan Seacrest during an appearance on his radio show that she couldn’t say for sure whether they would ever rekindle their romance. I wish Chris brown get over karrueche & get back with Rihanna _- Carrie Bradshaw February 20, 2016 Please tell me they'll get back together, they're the cutest. I bet Karrueche don't take Chris brown back lol- PabloEsco February 20, 2016 Hey call he pouring his heart out on the back to sleep remix- Shannon February 20, 2016 Y'all both are better apart bruh W A V E S February 20, 2016 Let Karrueche live her life and continue to be the best father and entertainer you can be. But he had a whole baby on her so no.- Rivera February 20, 2016 Chris Brown name dropping Karrueche was kind of cute.