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Rihanna Debuts Graphic Video

jpistudios.com

When Rihanna and director Anthony Mandler join artistic forces, the end result is a visually intoxicating product. From 'Russian Roulette' to 'Only Girl (In the World)' and 'Unfaithful' to 'California King Bed,' both artists showcase their versatility on screen: the singer gliding around dark imagery and pops of color and the director grabbing the best shot to support her vocals. The visuals for 'Man Down' move in the same lane. However, heed the warning, there's a graphic start.

At the start of the clip, which serves as Rihanna's current single off her fifth LP 'Loud,' no time is wasted in showing just what's to come. The red-haired songstress shoots a man in the back of the head, as he walks in a crowded train station. The video for the reggae-tinged song continues with Rihanna acting out the unfortunate story of a sexually abused woman.

The Barbados-born entertainer relives the terrifying moment, recalling the day before where everything seemed as it should be as she walked down the daytime streets of Jamaica, kissing elder folk on the cheek, drinking coconut juice and basking in the hot sun.

Rihanna then lets loose in a nightclub when the sky blackens, meeting an attractive gentleman, who she dances with closely. But once she leaves the venue, a good time turns into a hellish nightmare when the man who had his eye on her turns into a predator. Without warning, he follows her into an alley and forces himself upon her, pushing her to the ground. Disheveled and left with her makeup smeared, Rihanna is left in tears.

'Man Down' recalls another act of violence that the Bajan star dealt with in 2009, by the hands of then-boyfriend Chris Brown, which occurred the night of the 51st Annual Grammy Awards. The controversial video may hit close to home for Rihanna, but when looking at more upbeat visuals like her recently released 'California King Bed,' it's apparent playing the victim is just a role she takes on for the cameras.

Watch Rihanna's 'Man Down'


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Jay

Just a humble correction:
Paragraph 5, sentence 1:
"[...] meeting an attractive gentleman, (who) she dances with closely."
"Who" should be "whom" because it is an indirect object pronoun
Otherwise, great summary. :)

June 09 2011 at 3:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Daelon

Alaska Girl What is Your Problem? It is really low for another woman to blame the girl for what she's wearing.You should be able to wear what You want.Men need to learn how to control themselves.Some of You mothers give them their own way to often,then when they go out in the street ,they can't act right.A lady turns them down,& they go berserk!Raise Your sons like You raise Your daughters,be as hard on them as you are on Your Girls,just maybe they'l;l turn out as gentle men! I LOVE the song it is very nice regardless of the message.Rape victims find notin wrong & evryting right,Yah!!

June 05 2011 at 12:13 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
priscilshaw4

it is garbage if chris brown would have shot a woman and it aired on national tv they would have shut down the network violence is never ok , she was just as violent as he was but does this give her the right to premediate and plan to to kill someone this isnt art this is garbage where do we stop in the name of being artisitc, if she was concerned with trying to get a message out there join up with an abuse group, but noooooo shes running around planning someones murder and making loads of money and america thinks this is ok? she will make a lot of money behind this trash and shes not helping noone in this video but herself and her record label bank account. This isnt art folks and just a FYI men get abused to what would we have done if chris made a video planning on killing a woman ...we would be outraged and protesting around the record company , lets get this crapoff TV ok folks and stop double standards

June 04 2011 at 10:39 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Lotaly

Know what the first two words in Rihanna's video mean? Is it creole? http://sweetcoconuts.blogspot.com/2011/06/what-that-creole-phrase-uttered-at.html

June 04 2011 at 7:49 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
lataiacupcake98

i dont see whats so wrong with the video what i got from the video was female empowerment im not saying shooting the man was the powering part im saying that i think the gun symbolized women standing up for themselves but other people might thinik other wise aand thats ok this is just my opinoin P.S. i dont understand how this was a problem but lil wayne can call womwn bitches and hoes and say he wants to f**k every girl in the world just a thought though.

June 04 2011 at 4:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Curtiseads01

is this what they call music?

June 04 2011 at 4:35 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
kburkecsr

I Shot the Sheriff, Folsom Prison, What's the difference? It is artistic license......advocacy groups should be more concerened with violence against women than a music video......

June 04 2011 at 9:31 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
khopes123

video is good --- real --- her hair --wt is it--not good

June 04 2011 at 7:29 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
shellib941

What's so bad about this video? I've seen worst! She was volated, so she took matters into her on hands! SMH: People need to focus on more important things. For example, maybe some of the crap that goes on in their homes and everyday live or maybe they need to get a life. WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!!! IT'S JUST A (FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY) MUSIC VIDEO!!!!

June 04 2011 at 4:34 AM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
lrsnr1

The damned thing is garbage. It shows no talent and certainly should not be called art in any form.

June 04 2011 at 12:35 AM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to lrsnr1's comment
Curtiseads01

your right, where has the REAL TALENT gone!!!!!!

June 04 2011 at 4:36 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
cfreitag11

if you dont like it dont watch it. simple as that.

June 04 2011 at 4:38 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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