Interview Magazine: RIHANNA by Kanye West

Interview Magazine has just launched this short bio on Barbadian pop-sensation Rihanna, alongside an interview with the star, conducted by 14-time Grammy winner, Kanye West. Clearly familiar with one another, the interview is piloted in a relaxed fashion but manages to penetrate beyond the surface reached by most interviews. Discussing a range of interviews from the public perception of Rhianna, to her personal fashion style, don’t be surprised to also find snippets of info about West himself. Key excerpts from the interview can be seen below.

KANYE WEST: Whuzup?

RIHANNA: Hey. How are you?

I’m good. I’m just out here in this retarded-ass studio- Peter Gabriel’s studio.

Where? In London?

Yeah. Like two hours out.

That’s dope. You-all working on the new album?

Yeah. Well, it’s a me and Jay album. Right now, I’m sitting here going through some Lex Luger beats. This whole album, Watch The Throne, is going to be very dark and sexy- like very couture hip-hop. Because since me and Jay have already had big records and over-the-top joints, we’re just going to make some real dirty, fucked-up, hardcore stuff. But it’s also luxe and definitely high-class. So let’s start with my favorite thing. Rihanna, what’s your take on fashion? How has it evolved since the start of your career?

Well, I would say that in the beginning of my career, I didn’t have a lot of input in what I wore and stuff, but it was a very, innocent, girly look. Then after we put out Good Girl Gone Bad, it kind of became a darker, edgier look, and then it got even edgier on the last album [Rated R]. And now it’s just . . . I’m over the whole structured clothing, overly shoulder-padded shit. I like stuff that’s easy without trying too hard. I don’t like stuff that’s too contrived.

So what’s your next look? Where do you see yourself a year from now?

I probably see a lot of menswear, or something extremely, extremely feminine. But I like to play with both. It would have to be so extreme that it’s a look, because I don’t usually like typical ladylike, girly-girly stuff. It would be a look if I were to do it. I always like something that’s a little off, so it’s just not typical or expected.

When you make songs, do you think about what you’re going to wear when you’re performing them? Does it directly relate to the music in that way?

I think not so much about what I’m going to wear yet, but when I make songs or make music, I do always think about the video. The video always plays in my head while I’m listening to the song.

So why did you call your new album Loud?

Because I feel like it was a really fun, expressive album, and loud was the perfect word to symbolize that. It’s aggressive at times, but in a really fun way-just the overall energy of it. Even the energy when we were making the album was really expressive and rebellious, but fun. We had fun the whole time. And you hear it when you listen to the songs. They feel really good.

Do you have a vulnerable side? Because in a lot of the singles that come out, you’re like, “What’s my name, muthafucka?” or “I’m a murderer.”

Yes, I do have a vulnerable side. I think a lot of people have a misperception of me. They only see the tough, defensive, aggressive side. But every woman is vulnerable. They have vulnerability. So of course I’m going to have that side. It’s not a major part of who I am, but it’s definitely there. I just don’t like people to see me cry-I don’t like to let them know when I’m bothered. You know? I just prefer it to be all about business, and then whatever I’m dealing with, let me deal with that alone, because I don’t want it to affect anything in my professional life.

So a year from now, Rihanna could have a little shorty with little high-tops? [Rihanna laughs] What will Rihanna’s kids be like?

If I had a girl, she’d probably be really rebellious. She would be like a bundle of karma.