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Artists Speak on Rihanna’s ‘Devilish’ Controversy
Published by Dior Noir on Monday, November 2, 2009 at 3:00 pm.
A few weeks ago Tiffany Evans raised eyebrows when she rent on a rant about “satanic” practices in the music industry, specifically blasting Rihanna’s new single “Russian Roulette”, a song she thinks is glorifying suicide and the devil. The lyrics start off: “Take a breath, take it deep/Calm yourself, he says to me/If you play, you play for keeps/Take a gun, and count to three/I’m sweating now, moving slow/No time to think, my turn to go”
Now although Rihanna sings the song Ne-Yo is artist who actually wrote it and here’s what he had to say in response to Evan’s comments: “It’s definitely dark, but if you think about it, ‘Thriller’ was dark, but it’s one of the biggest-selling records of all time. Nobody’s really going out to play Russian roulette or thinking about killing themselves or nothing like that. It was just an interesting topic over a crazy beat, and who better to pull that off than somebody like Rihanna?”
Meanwhile the producer of the song Chuck Harmony wasn’t having any of it! He called Evan’s rant “beyond stupid” and “immature” and also added: “There are no satanic messages in the music. Maybe if we did a remake of ‘Promise Ring’ (Tiffany’s hit single), then Rihanna wouldn’t be a devil worshiper. People are so closed minded. The song is not literal. Like most provocative art, its symbolism. Grow up.”
Singer Omarion added his two cents to the subject in an interview with TheBoombox.com and elaborated on the music industry’s “dark side”:
“I don’t personally know Rihanna’s beliefs but I think there’s a very dark and very sinister part of the entertainment business and I think it’s very visible…it really made me think that there is a [time as an artist] where there’s going to be a choice. The [entertainment] world [dictates] that you have to be with three or four women, or do this in order to get that [and] I think it’s really interesting. With God and the industry, it’s really dark. The dark side is having to get in, there’s a certain submission you need to have. Just like a gang [initiation], so to speak. You might have to do something against your moral code. I’m not saying that it’s always this way, but when you’re someone that is young and you’re coming up in the industry and you really don’t have a grip on your morals it can be very dark. The game is just about over saturation.
I don’t know if Rihanna [has fallen victim to those pressures]. I’ve never really heard her speak about it. I hope that she doesn’t believe in that stuff and I don’t think that she does, but I don’t know. It’s not just been a Rihanna thing, [there's has been religious speculation] about a lot of artists.”
Evans, like Omarion, made some good points on the music industry having a pull on an artist’s morals, but honestly I forgot she was even a recording artist before her rant so I wonder if she’s just trying to get some attention by going as far to say artists in the industry are “devil worshipers.” What’s your take on the whole controversy?
There is fact to this discussion. Yes, we are all entitled to our opinions. I just feel that Rhianna’s song is no different than what has already been sung. It’s like poetry that sometimes speak of love and on the other hand, hate. There is night and day to everything, she just chose night and night isn’t so appealing to most people. Now, on the spiritual and Godly perspective, Evans knew what she was talking about. That goes back to fact and opinion. We have all stated our opinions, but FACT IS IN THE BIBLE. The day will come where yes, we will have to choose. We are choosing now, aren’t we? There is a spiritual warfare and we are in the middle. Yes there is a such thing as the mark of the beast. The overall picture is waaay bigger than a song. Read the bible.
honestly there are many people who will kill themselves if they are already thinking about suicide and hear somebody encouraging it, especially if its a celeb. Besides, nowadays the girl does look like she’s worshipping the devil.
I don’t think she or the other artists named in the comments are devil worshipers (not enough evidence of that for me). I’ve heard several of them reference God in interviews. Anyway, I agree that Rihanna’s song and image lately is too dark and although it’s probably just her latest gimmic I think it’s too negative and I don’t find it entertaining. I disagree with NeYo, there’s nothing to like about that song in my opinion and I don’t like the idea of toying with that type of message whether it’s suppose to be literal or not.
i see everyone’s point/opinion on this matter but let’s get real…if you’re weak minded enough to believe what these people are saying about “satanic messages” in the music, then, hey, believe what you want to believe. anyone who has the time to listen to songs backwards over and over and swear up and down that they hear something really has some issues of their own. if you don’t like it, don’t listen to it. there is more than one genre of music to listen to….
You are right if a grown person does not like the song he or she should not listen to it, but what about children when their parents are not around. A singer makes music for his or her fans to listen to, so both Rihanna and Neyo should have thought about what the fans will think before making this song. Also Neyo made a statement about Michael Jackson’s Thriller, which cannot be compared to this because thriller was more of short movie, when you watch that video it’s like you are watching a short movie, but in the song Michael is not glorifying anything. Rihanna is glorifying suicide, I mean what if a young child or anyone is feeling down or going through issues and he or she hears this song. If Neyo wanted to write a song about someone going through situations and feeling down, he could have wrote a song that would have been more up lifting, not bring someone down. For him to write this kind of song glorifying suicide and the devil, I take it was devil that put it in his head, because God is not going to put in someone’s mind to write a song like that.
personally,i think rihanna.. changed big tym from the video of disturbia……i mean wat great vision she had to be able to come up with such a video..and it sailed thru dat..her dark side is causin ha to lose most fans..personaly i lost interest in ha songs…………………………..nd think ha dark side is scaryto say the least..!!!!!!!!!$$4^***
@anonymous I think your missing the point yes we all have to right to choose what songs to listen to and as adults we can turn the radio off. Yet our children listen to the radio and parents aren’t around there kids 24/7! kids may think the song’s cool, but children are very influentual! I remember growing up certain songs brought certain emotions out of me and I didn’t even know what they meant half the time, but I knew they either made me happy or sad. But I had parents to guide me in the right direction, there’s kids out there that have no one to tell them “oh what Rhianna is singing is a form of art don’t think about putting that gun to your head’ ! Neyo knew what he was doing when he gave her that song and she knew what she was doing when she agreed to sing it. Words are very powerful and I hope Rhianna realizes that her dark image isn’t helping young girls! She’s depressing and depressing it’s fashionable or sexy!
Thats some BULSHIDDT.! people always have something to say.! its a great song and people cant accept that..!
I truly don’t think it’s about being weak minded to believe that someone is sending dark messages. The truth is the truth. If it’s positive then it’s positive, if it’s negative it’s negative. Clearly Rihanna’s song is negative. What is the purpose of making a song about pulling a trigger and taking your own life. Why can’t we speak the truth about what we are witnessing here? For those of you with kids, would you want your child running around the house chanting the words “so just pull the trigger.” There is absolutely NOTHING hot about that song. It is not a hit by far. Truthfully, it is Devil led and by glorigying this song, his job is done. Honestly, it doesn’t matter if people mention God in their interviews, Satan is a god to some, so when people say God that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re speaking of the one true God. Jesus said “they honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”
I think any such songs that glorify suicide, darkness bordering evil should not be made. This world is already in darkness and there are beacons of light, but evil/darkness is reigning supreme. After all, the earth is the devil’s domain. Rhianna, I feel bad for this young woman. Clearly she is going through something and needs the right kind of guidance. She needs counseling after what she’s been through. She hasn’t missed a beat since the break-up/misfortune of she and C.B. She needs time to heal, reflect, pray and rest, truly get herself together and come back stronger tan ever. To much fame to quickly. It can drive you nuts. Jay-Z needs to sit down and Beyonce, please…..what a joke. Her ass shaking and same songs and beats were so over 15 minutes ago. Just stating MY OPINION folks. That’s all.
@anne
did you know that satan worshippers also refer to satan as “God”, it’s just a way to trick people like you into thinking they are talking about The Alpha and Omega, but they are not. You have obviously fallent easily into the trap.
SMH…
i have been watching alot of things on youtube about this very subject and yes you can’t believe everything you read or see but its worth checking out..something is really fishky with these folks…..But pur ur trust in God and not man and u will be alright!! STay Prayed Up everyone!!
I DONT LIKE THE SONG,ITS VERY DELVISH ALOT OF PEOPLE LOSE THEIR LIFES EVERYDAY BY JUST A PULL OF A TRIGGER ,SHE SUNG THE SONG LIKE ITS OKAY TO SAY STUFF LIKE THAT AND ITS NOT THEY ARE ALOT OF WEAK MINDED PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO IS LOOKING FOR THAT DEMONIC INFLUENCE TO PULL THE TRIGGER AND END THEY`RE LIVES AND SHE IS JUST EGGING THEM ON THEY SHOULD JUST STOP PLAYING THE SONG BECAUSE BEFORE YOU KNOW IT SOME SUICDICAL PERSON IS GOING TO TAKE HEED TO THE WORDS AND DO IT
CALL JANET AT (323) 622-8139
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I like Rihanna and Tiffany Tiffany has a nice voice and she really needs to work on her music and leave Rihanna alone who cares who she worships that is between her and her god if she has one.If Tiffany wants to attack anybody she should attack that woman beating Chris Brown.
ladyA, I read her message and was like ooohhh!!!she hit it right on the hammer foreal!!!the music industry is glorifying sex before marrying, beat you chick if she outta line, girls are hoes,and where do all these things origanate?with the devil,he has no morrales he want people taking their lives and not living by GODS principals,and if people dont think it affects them YOURE WRONG!jacksonville said she sung it like ITS OKAY,you people need to pick up your bible because 1john 5:19 says the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one,and that sho aint talking about GOD!!!!
yal are just hating. So what about the music video hoe’s we see on BET and MTV everydaY? does that teach young guys to treat women like idiots and young girls to go parading their big booty for the camera for a 5 minute video?
Let Rihanna go. Its her way of dealing with her issues, aint nobody suppose to judge her. Now let her be
About her new “darker” appearance..i think its just publicity or whatever because lots of hip-hop artists are embracing or adopting this new “rockstar” look. Skinny jeans and whatnot. I think she’s growing up or maturing in the industry and so she’s adopted this bad-girl look. Her incident with Chris Brown could also be a contributor to her new look and attitude…
It’s symbolism! And of course she’s darker now….she was in an abusive relationship and that stuff changes you….she is healing. This song is metaphoric for being an abusive relationship- it’s like playing Russian Roulette with your life…you know eventually over a continuum abuse ends in death- just when? Or like walking on eggshells with an abuser- is today gonna be a good day? Or is he going to be mad because I burnt his toast and beat me?
If she’s so suicidal and was truly advocating suicide, she’d have killed herself all ready. How come no one is picking on “white” artists like Papa Roach with songs like “Last Resort”?? Leave Ri alone all ready.