Rihanna is far from one of those entertainers who stays away from the subject of politics; she’s had no issue blasting President Donald Trump in the past for some of his remarks. So it may not be surprising that she encouraged people to vote in the June 2 primaries.
On Tuesday, June 2, the superstar singer listed the states where primaries took place and told people that their vote means a lot, regardless of what they may think.
“VOTE. Ya ain’t got s–t else to do man! Get yo a-s off the couch and go vote!!!” she captioned her post. “I don’t wanna hear another excuse!! Stop believing that your vote and voice don’t matter! This the illest way to protest…vote for the change you want!!!”
Many thanked Rihanna for her message and some said they already voted. But in the comments one person wrote, “Voting ain’t gon change s–t.”
The “Diamonds” singer responded and said she’s fed up with that kind of thinking because it guarantees that nothing in the U.S. will get fixed.
“Sick of hearing this,” Rihanna replied. “Ya know what ain’t gon change s–t? Not doing s–t.”
The primaries came at a time when racism and police brutality have been dominating headlines due to the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died in Minneapolis while in police custody.
Like Rihanna, other celebrities have encouraged people to use their vote as a form of protest. They include Tracee Ellis Ross, Lena Waithe, and Zoë Kravitz, who all shared Instagram posts that listed the states where primaries were taking place.
Lizzo was another celebrity who shared a voting message, but she did it through an impromptu jingle that she shared on video. It showed her at a home studio beating on a drum machine and singing straight into the camera.
“Do you know what time it is? It’s time to vote,” she sang.
