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June 8. 2011
Rihanna Brings Voice to Victims
• *
Defends songs
with violent edge
--
Gabrieli Mekail
Harper
is graduating
from Wilsonville
High School
(AP) - Rihanna is defending her
latest music video, which opens with
a man being shot in the head.
"Man Down," which premiered
last week on BET, is a song about a
girl who shoots her abuser in public.
The video also portrays sexual as
sault.
The Parents Television Council
called the clip "disturbing" and
asked BET to stop airing it.
Event By
True Shine
Freedom Celebration
In Honor ofJuneteenth
11 T IM E GRAM M Y W IN N E R
1st V is it to P o rtla n d
Rihanna performs in New York's Rockefeller Center during a May
27 NBC Today Show broadcast.
dui
on in u rs a a y s iuo&rarK,
BET's music video countdow n
show, Rihanna said the video is "art
with a message."
"We just wanted to hone in on a
very serious matter that people are
afraid to address, especially if
you've been victimized in this sce
nario," Rihanna said.
BET says it will continue to play
the video, explaining that the net
work "has a comprehensive set of
standards and guidelines that are
applied to all of our content" and
that Rihanna's video "complied with
these guidelines and was approved
for air."
Rihanna, who was attacked by
then-boyfriend Chris Brown in Feb
ruary 2009, says she doesn't agree
with violence.
Brown attacked Rihanna on the
eve of the Grammys. He pleaded
guilty to a felony and was sentenced
to five years' probation.
"I've been abused in the past and
you don't see me running around
killing people in my spare time," she
said.
But the 23-year-old says rape
happens too often and those vic
tims need a voice.
"If I can be a voice for so many
that aren't heard, then I win twice,"
she said.
The Grammy winner says she
didn't intend to make a controver
sial music video. She was hoping to
display her acting skills and create
"something raw and artistic."
MMNMMMMMI
Armed and Dangerously Creative
J U N E 16 2011 7 P M
N E W B E G IN N IN G S
3300 Northeast 172nd Place Portland OR 97230
Tickets at www.ticketswest.com 800-992-TIXX
w w w .tru e sh in e e n te rta in m e n t.c o m 5 0 3 -5 0 1 -1 8 6 4
Armed with scissors, glue and
plenty of sass, some of Portland’s
best crafters are ready to go head-
to-head in the ultimate SCRAP
smack-down.
Four pre-qualified contestants
will compete against one another
for who can come up with the best
craft creations under dramatic timed
“bouts,” using only the materials
selected for them. To make it even
more challenging, audience mem-
bers also can bid on craft items that
contestants must use as part of their
designs.
The Rebel Craft Rumble will be
held Wednesday, June 15at6:30p.m.
at the Clinton Street Theater, 2522
S.E. Clinton St. General admission is
$8 in advance, $10 at the door. This
rowdy event is for adults, 21+.
SCRAP is a local nonprofit that
allows reuse of materials into af
fordable arts and crafts supplies.