After news was confirmed that Chris Brown will appear on Rihanna’s “Birthday Cake” remix, many people (fans included) felt uneasy about the situation. Yes, it’s Breezy & RiRi’s lives and they can certainly do whatever they please… but how has this relationship affected others and what type of message is it sending? The fabulous writers over at Billboard jumped on the opportunity to pen letters to both of the singers. It’s a great & important read so make sure you check out what they have to say after the jump!
Letter to Rihanna:
Dearest Rih Rih:
A few months ago – before “Talk That Talk” gave you another Top 10 album on the Billboard 200, before you performed “We Found Love” and “Princess of China” at the Grammy Awards, before new rumors swirled that you were engaged in a secret romance with past flame Chris Brown, and certainly before yesterday’s reported news that Breezy was the guest star on your forthcoming “Birthday Cake” remix – you appeared on “Ellen” to discuss being named the sexiest woman alive by Esquire, among other things. During your interview, you shared your feelings on the concept of being a role model, and why, recently, you have not adhered to this expected albatross of musical stardom.
“I used to worry about it a lot. Then I realized the message I really want to send is not perfection – it’s individuality,” you said in the November 2011 sit-down. “Being who you really are, knowing who you really are and being just that. There’s only one of you, so just be that.”
Over the past few weeks, as new murmurs linking you and Chris Brown became shouts, I kept thinking about your words, kept rolling them around in my mind and trying to make sense of the key word in your declaration, “individuality.” Over the course of your career, your ability to adopt new looks and sounds without losing your indispensable sense of self has been nothing short of staggering, and has no doubt become the bedrock of your longevity. From the dancehall princess of “Pon de Replay” to the stylish hip-pop diva of “Umbrella” to the militant provocateur of “Hard” to the sex-starved rave maven of “S&M,” no one — not even Madonna! — has been able to strike so many successful poses in such a short amount of time. It’s been damn impressive to witness, and even more fun to listen to.
The unique malleability of your persona has informed your career, and you’ve continued your success recently without expressing yourself as a role model for kids. You drop immaculately produced ballads like “California King Bed” after parent’s-worst-nightmare fetish anthems like “S&M” without batting a beautiful eye. Musicians certainly shouldn’t have to be worried about who’s looking up to them when composing their art – some of the best music of all time, from the Beatles to Nirvana to Kanye West, has been morally questionable but intoxicating in its recklessness. You’re correct in underlining the importance of individuality in your music. The problem, of course, is when you try to translate that theory to the public sphere, which you have unwittingly done by associating with our good friend Mr. Brown.
No matter how many parents you tell to avoid taking their kids to your hyper-sexualized concerts, or how many times you command us to “Suck my cockiness, lick my persuasion” on your albums, 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. 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.
I don’t care about the status of your current relationship with Breezy, or the reports about his attendance at your birthday party (happy 24th, by the way!), or how many seconds his voice will appear on the “Birthday Cake” remix. Those could be facts, or fabrications. What I do know, however, is that, in the three years and nine days since that infamous, brutal, incredibly disturbing Grammy night attack in 2009, there has never been a point where you’ve publicly proclaimed, “Go fuck yourself, Chris Brown; you will never speak to me again.” Not in the months after the attack occurred, when everything felt raw to everyone. Not when your fans freaked out when you two following each other on Twitter again last year. And not when Us Weekly ran a report that you were still harboring a romantic relationship with him – Brown’s camp denied the report, but you and your camp did not. Because that “fuck yourself” moment has never occurred, we can only deduce that, whether or not your current relationship with Brown is even slightly romantic, there is something holding you back from cursing this dude out of your life forever.
And to me, that’s… not the most PC stance to take, especially when millions of impressionable people are watching your every move, but it’s obviously an extremely personal decision to publicly deal with a situation not many people can understand (although far too many can). If you don’t want to call out Brown in the press or waste your breath on any of the rumors floating around, who is to say that’s the wrong way to handle things?
But the news about CB dropping by your “Birthday Cake” remix… damn. Three years and nine days later, it is officially implied that, no matter if you two are “single” or “in a relationship” or “it’s complicated,” a token of forgiveness has been earned by Brown. And that’s not cool, to a whole lot of people.
Look, you could do this one song with Brown and never work with him again, or go record “Watch The Pop Throne” with him. You two could become a couple again and get married in Vegas next week. Maybe you want none of those things, or all of those things; you certainly have the right to do any of those things. In your words, “there’s only one you, so just be that.” Do you, Rihanna!
But, in all honesty… you can’t do you, Rihanna. Not here. Not with Chris Brown. Because like it or not, millions of people are paying attention to you, trying to be as cool as you, attempting to find love in a hopeless place and wondering if it’s okay to walk down the same dark alleyway twice. Young girls look up to people like you to guide them through circumstances too complex for them to tackle on their own, and by granting Chris Brown an iota of tolerance, you implicitly encourage others to consider doing the same. “With great power comes great responsibility” is a schmaltzy sentiment, but it’s fitting here — like it or not, you have a different level of power than most of us schmoes because of your pop superstardom, and a different level of responsibility in your personal life than in your music because of the tabloid-infected culture we live in. It’s a burden that is not fair to you, or anyone in pop culture, but it’s one you have to accept.
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. Yet if you grit your teeth, sacrifice instinct and decide to inspire… even three years removed from that horrific incident, that “fuck 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. As essential as your voice has become in the pop landscape, 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.
A concerned member of the Navy,
Jason Lipshutz, Billboard.com Staff
Letter To Chris Brown:
Dear Chris Brown,
Sweet baby Jesus.
Faint whispers laced with your name emerged when people realized you would be attending — and performing — at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards along with your ex-girlfriend, pop singer, Rihanna. The same award’s show which three years ago you were scheduled to perform, but didn’t, because of a violent assault that changed both of your lives. And unfortunately, brought us to this place, this letter.
Grammy night arrived on Sunday, Feb. 12. Whispers were no longer whispers. Full-formed doubts and questions resonated loud through people’s timelines and favorite blogs after you won for Best R&B Album. “Did he deserve the win?” “Have we forgiven him?” “Have we forgot?”
Did you deserve to win? Yes. It’s undeniable that you’ve polished your artistry with every project, despite your indiscretions. You’re a talented singer, songwriter, dancer and to be honest you can rap better than some well-known rappers. You triumphantly returned with revealing synth-heavy album “F.A.M.E.” which marked your first Billboard 200 No. 1 album. Your name resonated louder than the other nominees.
Rihanna herself said she was glad to see you “succeed again.” But as you know, in this universe we call the music industry, hate rings louder in people’s ears than love.
Have we forgiven you? Some have, some haven’t. Have we forgotten? No. Never will, sadly. Which is why you’ll be an artist oft-maligned, specifically pertaining to those two questions.
But my concerns are your habitual stunts of anger. You don’t let us forgive and not turn back.
One minute you’re crying at the closing of a Michael Jackson tribute at the 2010 BET Music Awards and the next you’re throwing chairs out the “Good Morning America” window. One minute you’re grabbing your first Grammy for your first No. 1 album. The next you’re cursing everybody and their mothers on Twitter AND reportedly saying it was someone who controls your tweets. Really?
You can’t get mad at us for not forgetting. It happened, it’s written. But when you get aggressive and act out, what do you think people are going to reference? For every person that is waiting for your fall, there are those cheering for you to win, but it’s hard for those who want you to thrive because when you take one step forward, you inevitably take two steps back.
Take a note from Jay-Z’s words to Kanye West, in your own song coincidentally, “Deuces,” “But I won’t get my drama on/ What I’m dealing with is too real for me to comment on/ Jay finally got it through my head not to run my mouth/ So when y’all talking about you know who/ I don’t know who you talking ’bout,” ‘Ye rhymed.
Write it down on iNotes, Evernote… wherever but not Twitter.
As much as we like to quote 2pac, people judge. We’re imperfect and carry insecurities of our own. Which is why many believe you deserve a second chance. We know, as you have also admitted, what happened three years ago was disturbing, heartbreaking and simply unjustifiable. Yet, you’re growing, learning and bettering as an artist. Personally? That’s for you to show us. And recently it’s as if you don’t care to.
As for your rumored reunion with Rihanna, personally and professionally? Why don’t you stroll through Billboard Editor, Jason Lipshutz’s open letter to her right here.
All the best,
The Juice’s Erika Ramirez.
That’s real shit right there.
fuck billboard and fuck anyones thoughts, stay mad you stupid haters
lmao “rih rih” they do know they just called her retarded right?
Damn… Wtf…. Leave CB n Riri alone. Jesus forgave Peter for denying him three times and forgave humanity for beating and killing him. Now, all Christians are following Him. Last time I checked, America was a predominantly Christian country whom ask God on a daily basis “to forgive them in heaven as [they’re] forgiving others here on Earth”. With so many people Bashing Rihanna for forgiving Chris Breezy, you’d think that one of the 40 divinely inspired authors of The Bible included a “dating violence” exception clause when it comes to forgiveness. Nevertheless, I understand how challenging it might be for certain people to understand why she decided to forgive him. To claim that she’s not a strong woman for doing so,however, is what grinds my nerves. The easy thing and it seems the most popular thing to do here was for her to tell CB a nice “F**k you”. That reaction would’ve earned her new fans and would’ve crowned her the queen of the feminist movement. She decided to do the unpopular thing and for that she’s not a “strong woman” for it. Since when was it weak to go against popular belief?? Ne ways, let them live their lives the way they see fit and not the way YOU think they ought to live it. God forgave King Dav id for committing adultery and murdering the woman’s husband. King David was remorseful and God forgave him wholeheartedly. God blessed his son and gave King Solomon super natural wisdom and blessed him with wealth and power that neither Bill Gates nor Barack Obama can never fathom. Now, I’m sure that you will agree that what Rihanna forgave Chris Brown for pales in comparison.
Follow me @philthegovernor.
i think two grown people can do what the hell they want andtthis is a free country if they love each other let them love each other god has a plan for them if it was meant to be.
These letters r mad long & boring. I got lost a few times & with kids crying & playing. Who cares? People r to opioniated these days. Did the billbboard & the juice’s ramirez write other artist on selling drugs, using drugs, killing people or getting people killed or beating people up & robbing them. Or mismanaging funds & r now fallen artist. Where r those letters demanding these artist to b advocates for: drugwarfare, say no to drugs, stop bullying, mmadd, financial advisory. No one was directly affected by their problem. We ate,slept & went on with our own dysfunctional lives.
We will never know what really happened and how it started . We don’t sleep with her and we are not the only thing that can make her happy . She makes the calls in her life . She was forced to talk about it . It should have been their bis from the begining. I have learned to stay out of other peeps personal doings . Because just when you feel one way they get back together . If they want to they should only they know what they my need . Yes our kids see it but we need to raise our kids . Open your mouth and tell them what you think about it . She does on the edge things right . Well she is being her self . They are trying to live let them . To think they sat down and thought they could sway us . Every song out there is fucking shaking pole dancing . Work on that get so minds to make meaningful music . How many albums got no light this year . That’s more of what we need from you
What the f*ck?!?! Who gives these two the right to write these letters and lecture them like they are their parents?! People need to move on. It’s written all over these letters: IT HAPPENED 3 YEARS AGO! Forgiveness is healthy. It’s a part of growing up and maturing. Leave them alone! Why can’t people just be relieved that they are getting along instead instigating sh!t with them. It makes all these nosey effers look pathetic. Look how bad these two look for taking the time out to write these long as letters. GTFOH! Pfffft!
There we go again, they go about telling these people how to live their lifes what they can do or can’t do claim such is good for them but d truth is they are running their own personal Vandata. Personally I think it a good thing if the two them decide to get back together. Anyways hope they will make best of it these time around or else these people will be right.
My thing is who is Billboard, who are we to judge? Rihanna has forgiven him and I bet he has prayed to God and been sincere and God has forgiven. Those are the only 2 ppl that matter! If Rihanna wants to date him again let her, she is her own person and she can’t and I pray won’t live her life according to her fans, cridits, haters, she is a human being and has her own life to live, not according to billboard or any of us that is Rihanna and Rihanna makes her own decisions. Chris Brown DID NOT get off Scott free, what do you all want him to do? Die? Get beat up? What do you want? Chris Brown has apologized, did his community service, and counseling. He suffered career wise and everything and you all get mad because he is finally gaining it back and his fans and others are letting it go? It has been 3yrs it’s time to move on if Rihanna has why can’t you? She is the only one that matters. He has a right to go on twitter rants when he’s just trying to live his life and people constantly throw o you beat up Rihanna in his face. How would you deal with that if you constantly had people shoving their opinions down your throat?! The same way so don’t judge him for his rants you all cause that. Just like Whitney Houston’s body gaurd said its time to start loving artist and stop ridiculing them. Stop putting them on such a high pedistal and release they are just as human as you and me. It sucks that people only view you by your negative not your positive. Yes we will never forget what he did but it’s time to let it go and move on to the next subject like Rihanna has. Thanks that is all.
What you are and everyone else is not getting is THEY ARE HUMAN FIRST CELEBRITIES SECOND!! And with that being said no matter how much you try to say they are role models they are human first and will live as such. Fights, Drug Abuse, Abandonment these things go on every day in our normal lives and they can’t be held responsible for how teenagers chose to live their own lives. Don’t get me wrong their will be some that will want to mirror them because of their own naivete but that is life. Their is no way getting around it. Let it go and try forgiveness jeez!!