Rihanna doesn’t play when it comes to her kin. After breaking the internet again with her second pregnancy announcement, British Vogue unveiled the mogul as their March 2023 cover star.
The cover photo showcases Mama Fenty’s current family of three with partner A$AP Rocky and their son—whom is affectionately called “Baby.” The detailed conversation also found Rih discussing how protective she is, plans to release a new album, and the future of a Fenty Baby line being added to her business model.
Rih and Rocky first shared their nine-month-old son when the Oscar-nominated singer made her TikTok debut. However, that moment wasn’t entirely on their time.
While their British Vogue cover was being shot, the 34-year-old noticed paparazzi taking photos of her baby. “It’s the thing you never want to happen,” explained the Bajan superstar. “We get to decide as parents when and how we do that. End of story. Throw me to the wolves. Do what you want with me. But he doesn’t have a say in any of this. We’ve been protecting him thus far and you don’t have any consent to be posting photos or selling photos of my child, a minor. Get the hell out of here with that.”
She continued, “I just went straight into protective mode. Like there wasn’t even time for rage. [Rocky and me] drove up to the trailer area and we sat in the car chatting and working out how we move forward. As parents it just feels so icky, like a violation.”
When later speaking on parenting with A$AP Rocky, Rih gushed: “We’re best friends with a baby. We have to be on the same page, but we’ve always kind of had that in our relationship. Everything changes when you have a baby but I wouldn’t say it’s done anything but made us closer.”
She’s admittedly in awe of Rocky as a father as well. “I’m just sitting on the sidelines when they’re together. I’m literally the girl trying to get into the boys club, waiting for my turn […] Their connection is undeniable. The second Rocky makes eye contact with him he is on fire.”
Speaking of children, Rih revealed she had plans to release her long-awaited new album this year. “Like, honestly, it’d be ridiculous if it’s not this year,” she shared, but trust that with new music comes new visuals and her videos are just as iconic as her discography. She also revealed the pressure she still feels from Anti, which she considers her “most brilliant,” “most cohesive” album. With every subsequent recording, the thought looms “if it’s not better than that then it is not even worth it.”
“When you break it down and you realise this album goes from ‘Work’ to ‘Kiss It Better’ to ‘Needed Me’ to ‘Love on the Brain’ to ‘Sex with Me’ to ‘Desperado’. And somehow it all fits and not for a second did you glitch? So I realised that if I keep waiting until this feels right and perfect and better, maybe it’s going to keep taking forever and maybe it’ll never come out and no, I’m not down to that. So I want to play. And by play, I mean I have my ideas in my head, but I can’t say them out loud yet,” Rih shared.
In the meantime, Fenty Baby may be next on her radar as it’s something she remarkes “the kids need.” Aside from Fenty Beauty, Fenty Skin, and Savage X Fenty, Rihanna has also already trademarked Fenty Hair, keeping fans eager about what this next chapter will bring.