Barbadian musical icon Rihanna made sensational revelations in a recent interview with The New York Times T magazine, disclosing her personal experiences with racism in America.
Ri Ri, as she is affectionately known, revealed that America’s dark racial side is alive and well, particularly in the entertainment and corporate industry.
‘‘You know, when I started to experience the difference — or even have my race be highlighted — it was mostly when I would do business deals,”
“That never ends, by the way. It’s still a thing. And it’s the thing that makes me want to 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,” Rihanna told The New York Times magazine’s Miranda July.
Rihanna didn’t mince her words and went all guns blazing, speak on racial stereotyping and profiling, a prevalent practice in the U.S.
“But I have to bear in mind that…people are 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 of me without knowing me, just by my packaging,” Rihanna said.
Racism remains one of America’s enduring problems, and remains a “blight” on society, President Barack Obama has previously said.
Source: New York Times T magazine
