Rihanna's adding more fuel to the retirement rumor fire ... sparking fan speculation online after a recent appearance in Barbados -- where she admitted music got the world's attention, but the Good Lord has more elaborate plans for her.
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00:00We are going to have a moment of silence, because Rihanna seems to be done with music for good.
00:07That is the simple, sad fact.
00:10She as much as announced it in Barbados for an event for her Fenty line,
00:15which frankly is her money maker right now.
00:18It is. I mean, it got her over a billion dollars.
00:20Got her over a billion. I think she's worth like 1.4 billion now.
00:23And most of it's Fenty.
00:26So, look, she has not produced an album since 2016,
00:31and it doesn't look like we're going to get any more music from Rihanna.
00:36That is very disappointing as a Rihanna fan.
00:38So here's what she told the crowd over at Fenty in Barbados.
00:42I would say music was the thing that got the attention.
00:47But God had other plans for me, and I was able to create in ways that was
00:53ways that were very sincere and genuine and organic and authentic to the things that I love.
01:01So it doesn't even feel like a job.
01:03I know her fans want more music, but they just got to let it go.
01:06Her last album came out in January of 2016, almost nine years ago.
01:11It's not going to happen. If it ever does, just be happy that it did.
01:14But just assume, no, you are never, ever, ever getting a new Rihanna song.
01:17And Eric, isn't that album still on the billboards every single week?
01:21It just gets so much money. People can't get enough.
01:24She is still one of the most streamed artists in the world, and it's been almost nine years.
01:28People love her music, they always will, but she's lost interest.
01:31She's moved on, and she was never a singer-songwriter.
01:34Taylor Swift is somebody that has to get all of her emotions out in her music and stuff.
01:37They used to have camps where all the top writers would come in, write songs for a week,
01:40and she would fly in in a helicopter and be like,
01:42I'll pick these ten, record the album in a week, and move on and live her life.
01:45Well, if it's that easy, why isn't she just doing it?
01:49Because she doesn't care, because she has billions of dollars.
01:51Why would you even bother doing that?
01:52I feel like she got her hopes up, though.
01:55Eric, didn't she got all her hopes up because she was, at one point, working on an album?
01:59So it's like, what happened to that album?
02:01Because she's teasing you, and you let her do it.
02:03She's like, let me dangle a carrot, I'm bored today.
02:05Because then she said she was doing the album, then she said it was almost done,
02:08and then she said, I'm starting over again from scratch.
02:11Now she's saying she's retired, and God's moved her on from this.
02:14So, she's done, she doesn't care.
02:16I have a slightly different theory about this, which involves you, actually, Eric.
02:20Go ahead.
02:20Well, no, because she is so beloved, and people love her music so much,
02:26that quit while you're on top.
02:28Because, I mean, we were just talking, you were talking yesterday in our morning meeting about Drake,
02:33saying that his last albums did good, but not as good,
02:37and if this next one that comes out isn't good, you said he's finished.
02:42Why does she want to take that chance when people are listening to all the things she's already done,
02:47she is here, she doesn't want to be here,
02:50and she never will be, because this is what she's leaving people with.
02:54Exactly. Remember, she did those songs for the Black Panther soundtrack just two years ago,
02:57and people were like, no, that's not what we wanted.
02:58When we begged you for music, this isn't what we wanted.
03:00Now, at this point, after a decade of anticipation, you've built it up so much in your mind,
03:04you're going to be disappointed no matter what.
03:06Because she's not going to be able to do,
03:07she's not going to be able to meet all the expectations people have for her at this point.
03:10No. I mean, and she still gets paid.
03:11What, she got paid $6 million last year at the Richest Guys wedding in Asia,
03:16and she did the Super Bowl.
03:17She did go out on top.
03:18I'm here from Knoxville, Tennessee,
03:20and I will say that the Navy has been asking Rihanna for music and an album for years.
03:25And at this point, we're trying to take what we can get.
03:27And as you get older, you'll notice that your priorities and your passions, they do change.
03:32So I think right now for Rihanna, that's focusing on being a mother and a mogul.
03:36But don't get me wrong, a closed mouth don't get fed.
03:39So we're going to keep asking for the music.
03:40Yes.
03:43You ain't going to get what you want, and not going to get what you want.