For Rihanna to take "Work" from simply being a song with a Caribbean sound to being a song attached to a music video that, at least in the beginning, takes the song to her home so her people can dance to it was inspiring to me as a woman of color. I think we're so used to seeing Caribbean culture represented in such a commercialized way that it is eye opening to see the ways in which it is actually celebrated and made more tangible by someone who actually comes from that culture and can show us the true and beautiful sides of it. This was a cool way for even me to learn more about a different culture.
![rihanna work video rihanna work video](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cb1cObRWAAAn9D5.jpg)
On top of that, all of the people in the video were people of color, people of the culture.īeing an African-American woman myself, I sometimes find myself disconnected to the ways in which other primarily black cultures outside of America celebrate their heritage. The food that was being prepared in one shot was jerk chicken, a Caribbean delicacy. Then, there's the fact that almost all of the dances that the partygoers were seen doing in the music video were actually dances that are commonly done at parties across the Caribbean. While subtle, it added to the overall ambiance of the video, and really made it clear that this video was a cultural celebration. Then, there was the lighting and wall colors, which had the same theme of yellow, green, and red. The dress Rihanna was wearing was divided into Rastafarian colors, which we usually associate with the likes of Bob Marley. To begin with, the colors really added to the environment. Rihanna made a lot of important choices in this video, choices that really explore the beauty of her Caribbean culture, and I think that's very important to note. Every aspect of this song was an intentional embrace of a culture that not many people have the privileged of seeing on a daily basis, and I love the fact that she did it unashamedly. And she did it so well that her music video actually felt like a variation of something you might see a Caribbean artist do in their home country. Sometimes it can feel like an artist is throwing in little pieces of their heritage in a very commercialized way or offhand way, Rihanna decided to focus on her heritage as the very center of this piece. The singer originally hails from the island of Barbados, so incorporating this as a main theme seems only fitting. From the outfits to the people, Rihanna's "Work" video has a strong Caribbean message that is too important to ignore. And, when I say beautiful, I mean beautiful. Not to mention, the first video - because it was literally two videos in one - is a beautiful celebration of her Barbadian culture. For Rihanna to take 'Work' from simply being a song with a Caribbean sound to being a song attached to a music video that, at least in the beginning, takes the song to her home so her people can. Everything from her music to her lyrics to the outfits to the downright attitude demands respect. All you have to do is watch the seven minute long (it's long, but worth it) music video for Rihanna's single "Work," and you will understand that this is a woman who is not to be trifled with.
![rihanna work video rihanna work video](https://www.cromosomax.com/pics/2016/01/rihanna-drake-work.jpg)
Rihanna is taking no prisoners when it comes to her newest album Anti.