So I'm watching this diane sawyer interview on youtube, and I'm thinking two things.

1)Her ears are either really weirdly shaped or really perfect.
2)How the hell did she get so popular!?!

Let's go down the list again
-can't sing exceptionally(or even mediocre)
-can't dance exceptionally(or even mediocre)
-Doesn't write her own songs
-doesn't contribute anything to the musical aspect of her albums
-isn't incredibly fine(let's be real people, if you saw her walking down the street you'd think about her five head before you thought about talking to her)
-doesn't have an outstandingly personality(not a bubbly one, not a enigmatic one, not an eccentric one, very bland)

How does someone with almost no talent becoming reigning pop queen of the late 00's?

I can't even take those Jay-z rumors seriously because When Looking at Beyonce compared to Rihanna, or in fact a bunch of chicks who've come and gone in the Def Jam roster between 05-09 I would LMFAO if Jay-z did all this for a little side action with Rihanna.

How the hell did this happen!!!
[Edited 11/5/09 11:59am]

Sandino said:

Two words: Media machine.

Interesting thread.

Like I've said before, Rihanna is just the new Vanity, trying to be like Madonna. However, I still can't answer any of your questions.

WaterInYourBath said:

Nah. Vanity had stage presence and she was never a pop queen.

BlaqueKnight said:

And vanity was attractive. I've never considered rihanna attractive. I'd pipe her down, but to me she's just an amazonian looking woman

Sandino said:

She may be rubbish - but she is fine!

IMO she has had only one great thrack - "please don't stop the music'.

BlaqueKnight said:

Well, I disagree with that, lol. And she wasn't as famous as Rihanna because there were too many other popular women who received more attention (Janet, Whitney, Cyndi Lauper, Sade, Madonna, etc). If young Vanity was out now with her same look, music and horrid voice from the 80s, she would be "loved" and overexposed just like Rihanna.

The only reason why I mentioned her in the first place is because Rihanna was recruited by Jay-Z for the same reason Prince recruited Vanity: Appearance, not talent.

WaterInYourBath said:

Janet wasn't relevant when Vanity was at the height of her popularity. That was pre-Control. By the time Control dropped, V was doing B movies and lots of coke (oops, did I say that?).
We just have to agree to disagree on the stage presence thing. I saw her live back then and she knew how to work a stage.
I don't think anyone would say she was a great vocalist. At least she was writing her own material, though. That is another thing that sets her apart from someone like Rihanna, who doesn't write her songs.
Not every good-looking woman is a success these days. WB would have never pushed Vanity 6 the way Def Jam has pushed Rihanna and yes, you are right - she was recruited for her looks.
To BrklnBabe: I SWEAR that was the FIRST thought that popped into my head when I read this post.
I just decided to go another direction with my response.
How do you say "sidepiece" in sign language?

BlaqueKnight said:

Stage presence my ass the ONLY thing that worked for Vanity's favor(IMO) was the material(1st album).

The woman is as stiff as the tree in my backyard. Ya'll are being too damn biased for the generational factor.

Vanity had no stage presence, did you see her performances on Soul Train? YEECH!!!

BlaqueKnight said:

Nah, Vanity was a product too. If she was real, why did she become Christian in later years? Obviously she wasn't comfortable being a sexpot plus she had become a drug addict.

Timmy84 said:

Exactly!

And the whole "she wrote her own material" argument is passe,,,,,we ALL take a dump, ain't no sense of holding that against Vanity alone

Harlepolis said:

Plus when Vanity dumped Prince, what did he do? REPLACED HER WITH APPOLONIA!

Timmy84 said:

Another "product"

I can understand folks for being biased for sentimental reasons(and I like all of those ladies),,,,but leeeeets not get carried away, shall we?
[Edited 11/5/09 13:12pm]

Harlepolis said:

Timmy84 said:

Well, to a degree, most artists are product in some way but when I say PURE PRODUCT, I mean when an image is completely instilled on a person. Denise was Vanity before she was Vanity, she just didn't have the name. She was also Vanity AFTER she was Vanity. Her personality was what it was. Prince just made her famous.
Your last six words are the answer to your question.
Appolonia? Come on now. We see how that went. Did you hear her solo album?

It's like that old saying:

"The more things change, the more they stay the same."

BlaqueKnight said:

Maybe. But still she wasn't as real as say Aretha or Gladys, she was a protege and in many ways remained that, she never really found her voice. People can write but to me she wasn't really an artist. Compared to Rihanna maybe but it's like the same woman with a different body to me, lol And I like Vanity don't get me wrong...

BlaqueKnight said:

In short - ALL of them had ponani power. Lets throw the rest outta the window and call this shit exactly what it is

Harlepolis said:

CHURCH!

The media (from the news, to film, to music) are puppetmasters and we are the puppets.

I am convinced Lady Gaga is an experiment to see if they can package anyone as a star.

I actually like Rihanna a bit, but I think of her as more of a guilty pleasure than anything, I won't defend her talent.

Superstition said:

I would agree with you, but unlike Ri-ri, Lady Gaga actually WRITES songs and PLAYS piano. So Gaga does have some talent.

Timmy84 said:

Thank you! That's exactly what I mean.

I've noticed Gaga can sing decently too. But I still think she's crap for the most part. The ridiculous outfits and everything. Maybe its a way to get noticed, but again, look what that says about the public if someone with talent has to smother it with other stuff in order to get noticed.

Harlepolis said:

.... Rihanna is the same way, but is more popular in comparison because of clothes and paparazzi like Madonna.

Those Checks & Bribes cleared !

BlaqueKnight said:

Try as they might, the gorls nowadays could never pull it off so convincingly!

WaterInYourBath said:

I agree with you because look at the lead singer of the "Pussycat Dolls". She reminds me a lot of Vanity.