10 of Rihanna’s Wildest and Most Contentious Moments Ever
Rihanna's Ten Wildest Moments Ever
Known for her free spirit and energetic performances, Rihanna has been the force to reckon with when it comes to setting an example for women across the globe. The pop star not only made her name in showbiz with her chartbuster tracks but also her inclusive beauty brand, Fenty. However, there's a wild side of RiRi that not many are aware of. With that, let's go rolling into the top ten craziest moments of our bad girl RiRi, many of which you may not have heard about before.
1. Smoked Weed Without Hiding It from the World
The R&B artist has been open about sharing multiple photos of herself smoking marijuana on Instagram, according to W Magazine. This has led some to question her role model status, as Rihanna frequently expresses her support for 420, the international cannabis celebration in which many smokers partake. RiRi has been an advocate of marijuana and its recreational purposes. The pop star has normalized the usage of it in her music and promoted it through her music videos, which has landed her from one controversy to another.
2. The Nudity Ban on Instagram
Rihanna has been an open advocate of body positivity, and even during her pregnancy, the singing star continued to embrace her femininity. In a provocative Lui photoshoot, her boundary-pushing tendencies led to Instagram banning her from posting a nude photo of herself seated in front of a fireplace, according to the Irish Mirror. Undeterred, the pop star didn't back down and instead took to Twitter, using a topless snap as her avatar to cheekily challenge Instagram's guidelines for nudity and censorship.
3. The See-Through Outfit Fiasco
In 2014, Rihanna attended the CFDA Awards wearing a see-through dress with the aim of promoting female sexuality and body positivity amidst social media controversy. Her confident appearance in the sheer ensemble not only demonstrated her fearless fashion sense but also earned her the prestigious Fashion Icon award that year. However, RiRi also gained some trolls for her sartorial choice and the promotion of ensemble by her. Nevertheless, she ignored them all and shined bright like a diamond in her attire.
4. When Drake Got Friendzoned by Her
Reflecting on the moment when Rihanna gracefully deflected a kiss from her on-again, off-again partner, Drake, can make one cringe. It's hard to fathom friend-zoning someone like Drake! This incident occurred shortly after Drake professed his love for RiRi during his speech at the VMAs in 2016. Despite presenting the singer with the Vanguard award and attempting to kiss her, she opted for a friendly cheek gesture instead. Following this encounter, the pair were notably absent from any public sightings together. Talk about things getting awkward...
5. The Controversial BBHMM Video
Just when Rihanna's presence seemed subdued, she made headlines with her provocative music video for Bitch Better Have My Money. Featuring scenes of violence and retribution, the video sparked controversy, with some critics deeming it misogynistic. But, the music video was raging among her fans, who loved watching her make a statement with her music. However, the inclusion of themes like nudity, drug use, and explicit language drew some criticism but was ignored by a large group of audience, garnering over 135 million views.
6. Her Other Controversial Music Videos
From nudity to drug use and the use of raunchy lyrics, RiRi does not shy away from using various explicit elements to enhance her artistry. Although Bitch Better Have My Money is one of the most controversial videos in her arsenal, it is not the only one; she has released several others in the past that have gained attention. For instance, her video for S&M was banned in 11 countries and faced restrictions on YouTube due to its controversial content. But the bans and censorship did not deter her spirit as she continued making the music of her choice and got warm cheers and support from her fans from across the globe.
7. When Rihanna Gave Chris Brown Another Chance
Rihanna faced a testing period with her then-partner, Chris Brown, when they had a physical altercation, resulting in her being bruised and badly injured. Despite this, RiRi gave the rapper another chance, which was a rather controversial step. However, after careful consideration, the two only remained friends and never admitted any romantic commitment to each other. Despite their reunion surprising many, some fans labeled the singer as 'weak' and 'crazy' for the decision to give an abusive man another chance.
8. The Coachella Drug Incident
During the 2012 Coachella music festival, Rihanna was photographed engaging in what seemed to be a controversial act involving her bodyguard's forehead. This image caused controversy as several news outlets labeled Rihanna a 'druggie' due to misconceptions surrounding the incident. She later clarified that the substance in question was not cocaine by saying, “Any fool could see that’s a joint that I’m basing with cigarette! Who tF snorts tobacco??!! FOH witcho “never been to a rodeo so someone squeezing their nose means they’re doing coke” lookin ass!! (sic).”
9. When She Shut an Illegal Strip Club
Rihanna embraces her body confidently and often expresses admiration for other women by visiting strip clubs and sharing about it on social media. Her influence was evident when she called out an unlicensed club in Thailand on Twitter. “Either I was phuck wasted lastnight, or I saw a Thai woman pull a live bird, 2 turtles, razors, shoot darts, and ping pong, all out of her p*$$y.” #Casual" she tweeted. The tweet, however, ended up causing the strip club to shut down as it was an unauthorized club in the area.
10. The Infamous Row With Ciara
The feud between the two celebrities in the music industry began when Ciara mentioned to Joan Rivers in 2011 that Rihanna 'wasn't the nicest' after encountering her at a party. This led to a series of tweets between the two music artists over the microblogging site X. The exchange of tweets kept netizens on their toes back then. However, they eventually appeared to reconcile, with Rihanna even singing Ciara's song Goodies during a karaoke session, indicating that any animosity had dissipated.
