A rich guy in India pays over $6 MILLION for Rihanna to perform at his son's pre-wedding party - and the guests criticisms that her performance was lackluster and low energy made me laugh. Clearly these people did not do their homework before they hired her.  Here’s a clip of her when I saw her in concert. You'll see that singing into the microphone is not necessary to match vocal tracks. If they say "Rihanna was phoning it in" - I say they should have known better and be grateful that she even performed for you in person. She don't need to do that.

I love her music, her fiery spirit, entrepreneurial skills and "idgaf as long as me and my family are happy" attitude. But when I saw her in person in 2016, many times holding the microphone down when she was "singing", I could see that performing live was not something that she really loved to do (at least that night, maybe). 

But she is an absolute 100% legend/queen. She doesn't HAVE to do anything! 

Her songs are rich colored threads in the soundtrack tapestry of my life. First hearing Pon de Replay while driving a rented Jeep in Maui with my ex and thinking “Who is this unique and fascinating singer?”.  Later watching my adorable young nieces Ava and Gabi singing "Ella Ella Ella". Many hours squandered in a local bar named The Spitfire Rose, when I had first retired, where the proprietor would play "Diamonds" repeatedly on the Digital Jukebox- and we would smoke cigarettes and play pool while I drank martinis, sometimes even after he closed and it was just the two of us. Dancing deliriously tipsy and joyfully to "S&M" with my friend Rosalyn and whomever else when the DJ would play it at Badlands in San Francisco before the pandemic.  And then there was the gut-wrenching "Love On The Run", which I think is one of her most underrated tracks and reminiscent of vocalist R&B queens of the 50s and 60s. 

Whether she is making an appearance at the Met gala, caught by the paparazzi yet unfazed, performing halftime at the Super Bowl or just kicking back and raking in the Fenty coin - she is living life her way and to the fullest. 

With such a limited album discography, I’ve made sure to have every one of her full U.S. LP releases in my collection.  Going down the rabbit hole of 12” singles, CD’s, remixes, compilations, etc. would make me "work-work-work-work" – so I cherish these 8 LP’s! 

This Calvin Harris megamix always pumps me up at the gym. Yes, my workout playlist is occasionally time-warped, but IDGAF. Like Rihanna.

I've just got to touch briefly on Eminem because of the great songs that he's done with Rihanna - "The Monster" being my favorite.

Other than that, Eminem flashes through my mind with: "Stan" the song about an obsessed fan that actually become a noun/verb in our lexicon, his appearances and swagger on Award shows, his naked ass!, his public feuds with his mom-ex-other performers, unabashed in-your-face white rapper sweeping up awards and smashing sales records and then ... QUIET.

Rumors abound - retired, rehab, plastic surgery, washed up? All I've got to say is that when I saw him perform at "Live from Detroit: The Concert at Michigan Central" in June of 2024, I thought he was great. He still has it, he looked healthy and like the Eminem we know, his way with quick phasing was still intact. I thought he was way better than Diana Ross, who performed at the same concert. That alone is very telling from somebody like me who loves a diva. Plus he sang "Houdini" which I love - makes fun of his old self and samples Steve Miller - check out the vid ...

Like Rihanna, Eminem doesn't have to prove himself. He may not have charted as high as he did in the past and he may not be as "relevant" and omnipresent as he used to be. But he doesn't need to. He can rest on his laurels and ...an ass like that. That song always gets me. Even the instrumental.