Rihanna’s music video for Bitch Better Have My Money came out recently. It’s been 12 hours since I saw the video and I still don’t know what to make of it. After trying (and failing) to watch the whole video the first time I watched it again with one eye closed because I couldn’t stomach the violent misogyny. I’m not a massive fan of Rihanna, but her music kept me up during those long painful nights when I was trying to complete my English coursework. I respect Rihanna even though I might not always appreciate her music. She is a black woman who uses her body the way she wants, owning it at all times. And we all know that being a woman in the music industry is hard, let alone being a black woman. Yet, she always seems to be in control, unapologetically takes up space and constantly sends some serious #carefreeblackgirl vibes.
There is a fundamental problem with Rihanna’s video: she glorifies violent misogyny. There are some truly amazing scenes in that music video where she owns her sexuality as a woman. In those moments, I’m fist pumping the air because in the world we live in, everybody wants to control a woman’s sexuality. So to see a black woman use her body the way she wants is a revolutionary act in itself. But there are too many moments that make me want to project vomit. Of course it’s only a music video and we must remember it’s not real. Of course many men glorify misogyny in their music. Of course what Rihanna has done is not new; you only have to do a quick YouTube search and you will find a multitude of music videos that just ooze misogyny. Nevertheless, that doesn’t justify Rihanna’s decision to lock up a woman in the suitcase in the back of her car, tie her up naked and hang her upside down, or coerce her into drinking or taking drugs.
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