Sell It!

Credit: Splash News

  Whilst its below zero temperatures in other parts of the country, I am slowly roasting in the humidity and heat that is Florida and listening to my “Loud” by Rihanna album.

Question: is it just me or are her albums getting more and more risqué by the year? What or who or how did this change come about?

Credit: George Pimentel

When ‘’Pon the replay” dropped in 2005, she was just a 17year old with cute dance routines, who would have thought the reggae inclined singer would in a few short years become the crazy hair-style per minute, fashion forward, rockstar she is now.

  Even after “A girl like me” hit the stands in 2006, no one would have guessed she would go on to do a song like the infamous “disturbia”. But wait a minute, at 17 I wasn’t sure who I was or where I was headed. Most of us were pretty much just doing what everyone else said we should or we were just imitating some older sibling or family member or friend.

That being said, I don’t agree with people who say she’s some illuminati puppet or jay z pulled her off the straight and narrow. I think I would be right if I said what we are seeing now is just the real RiRi or at least a side of her personality

In a recent interview, where she was asked what spawned the change, she said she had a sit down with Def jam execs after her second album and said she was tired of the cookie cutter image and blending into the murk of RnB singers out there so she wanted to create a new image, one that would stand out and you can’t deny she is doing just that and it was a well thought out move

Regardless of how talented you are, if you have no personality to back whatever your craft is, you are basically just wasting your time. Every single showbiz person out there who is very relevant today has some personality thing going on: kanye west, Lindsey Lohan, Lady Gaga, Charlie sheen, jay z, Diddy..and the list goes on. My advice, if you are not ready to sell your or a personality, get a bank Job and sing on Sunday in your Church

 Majority of the RnB singers out there, both male and female are struggling to stay relevant due to this same ‘’blending’’ in factor. Examples? Kelis, keisha Cole, Chrisette Michele, lloyd and others. They can release a million and one albums and I guarantee you they would just be “yet another RnB singer”

On the other hand, the Lady GaGas, Ke$has and RiRis of this world would keep selling albums, not because they are such great vocalists but because they are very different from the rest. For petes sake what the hell does Lady Gaga sing? Yet she has a staggering number of views on YouTube and sells albums by the millions.

The reason Whiz Kid; regardless of all his autotuning junk, would still outsell a lot of talented singers in Nigeria when his EP finally hits the stand.

The reason Britney spears, who’s been really quiet lately would do something drastic right before she drops her femme fetal album.

Feel free to call it hype folks but me, I call it; selling your personality. Simple!

So for those of you who wonder why Rihanna is what she is now, remember it’s a dog eat dog world out there and you have to do all you can to stay relevant. At least now no one can say she’s a Beyonce wannabe anymore.

From ‘pon the reply” to “Girl like me” to “umbrella” to “Disturbia” to “S and M”..RiRi is just living a movie!