Rihanna Talks Business & Race in NY Times Interview

Photo credit: Craig McDean/T Magazine

In a recent interview with The New York Times’ T Magazine, pop star Rihanna sat down with author and filmmaker Miranda July and revealed some interesting things. One revelation was the singer’s experiences in the boardroom. As an powerful woman that is also black, Rihanna struggle with how she’s treated when it comes to business deals. Discrimination affects all walks of life, but many wouldn’t expect that a megastar of her caliber would be approached unfairly.

“You know, when I experienced the difference – or even have my race be highlighted – it was mostly when I would do business deals.”  Business deals. Meaning that everyone’s cool with a young black woman singing, dancing, partying and looking hot, but that when it comes time to negotiate, to broker a deal, she is suddenly made aware of her blackness. “And, you know, that never ends, by the way. It’s still a thing. And it’s the thing that makes me want prove people wrong. It almost excites me; I know what they’re expecting and I can’t wait to show them that I’m here to exceed those expectations.”  She sounded like a young black professional trying to make it in the corporate world, and I guessed she was – just on a very different scale.

“But I have to bear in mind, ” she continued, looking right at the voice recorder, “that those people judging you because you’re packaged a certain way – they’ve been programmed to think a black man in a hoodie means grab your purse a little tighter. For me, it comes down to smaller issues, scenarios in which people can assume something with me without knowing me, just my packaging.“

The interview included more interesting facts and theory’s from the Bajan beauty. She spoke on her Google search preferences, sex, and how she’s able to sail through the scrutiny that comes along with being a superstar.

To read the full article, click HERE.