Rihanna cursed out CBS for pulling her song from the Thursday Night Football lineup.
The singer was a victim of domestic violence at the hands of Chris Brown.
This must have hit too close to home for the football world, which is experiencing it’s own violent issues.
1. She Was Supposed to Sing ‘Run This Town’
The NFL’s press release said, “CBS Sports and NFL Network will open each game of Thursday Night Football in 2014 with Jay-Z’s Grammy Award-winning song, “Run This Town” featuring megastar Rihanna.”
The anthem was released on September 8, 2009, off of The Blueprint 3, Jay Z’s 11th album.
2. CBS Pulled It the Night Of
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Two hours before the Ravens/Steelers game started, TMZ reported that the song had been cut from the evening’s program. The site noted that CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus said, “We thought journalistically and from a tone standpoint, we needed to have the appropriate tone coverage.”
After a video surfaced of Ravens star Ray Rice punching his now wife, the pregame song was replaced with coverage of the breaking news and words about domestic violence.
The NY Times reported that the program will now have “newly created ‘Thursday Night Football’ theme music.”
3. Rihanna Retaliated on Twitter
CBS you pulled my song last week, now you wanna slide it back in this Thursday? NO, Fuck you! Y'all are sad for penalizing me for this.
— Rihanna (@rihanna) September 16, 2014
The audacity…
— Rihanna (@rihanna) September 16, 2014
4. She Was a Victim of Domestic Violence
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In February 0f 2009, Rihanna was punched in the face by her then-boyfriend, Chris Brown.
Rihanna had found a text to Brown from an ex, which started the argument that left her with bruises all over her face.
“Run this Town” came out in July of that year, which marked her re-entrance into the musical world after that traumatic experience.
Rihanna starts the song with these lyrics:
Feel it comin’ in the air
Hear the screams from everywhere
I’m addicted to the thrill
It’s a dangerous love affair
Can’t be scared when it goes down
5. CBS Responded
Beginning this Thursday, we will be moving in a different direction with some elements of our Thursday Night Football open. We will be using our newly created Thursday Night Football theme music to open our game broadcast.” CBS could not yet disclose what the music would be.
However, TMZ reported that Rihanna wasn’t going to perform or sing at the game. In fact, CBS/NFL solely licensed “Run This Town.”
Rihanna’s rep told the site, “Due to the misuse and misrepresentation of Rihanna’s name and participation in connection to CBS TNF, CBS was not allowed to license and utilize the song ‘Run This Town.’ Roc Nation made the decision to not grant the song’s usage.”