In an age when glory may mean private jets, VIP sections, and private yachts, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky are rewriting the rules. Despite being billionaires and global celebrities, the powerhouse couple, clad in unpretentious outfits, prefer the same mundane diversions of everyday life, navigating the bustling streets of New York City like any other family.
For Rihanna, New York in broad daylight is a lesson in fitting in, not standing out. “We like to eat with people. We like to shop with people. We enjoy the walk with people around the streets. I don’t like a private room. I don’t have them closing down stores,” she told Harper’s Bazaar. Her words express this intense hope of still being involved in the world around her rather than fading into the insular prison of superstardom.
It’s an enviable perspective in an industry that is often walled off around its biggest stars. For the couple, getting around the city isn’t about attracting attention. Whether they’re walking around SoHo, going somewhere for food, or visiting a karaoke bar, they’re choosing to live life instead of watching it from a distance.
This viewpoint has only strengthened since welcoming their two boys, RZA and Riot. Parenthood, Rihanna acknowledges, has changed her priorities. “I’m not even spending my money on things, as you might have, but I will spend my money on an experience. Somebody can rob me right now of everything I own, but they will never take my memory, an experience, a feeling, a scent that made me think about that moment,” she explained; what she talks about calls to mind an attitude that prizes moments, not things, a worldview that’s unusual among the super-rich but highly relevant for most people.
A$AP Rocky does essential work gesturing to their relationship with the ground. He always makes her think back to how things used to be when they were only two buddies having a good time. “That’s a huge one for us and a very huge one for him… ‘Remember when we were friends? ‘When we just used to have fun as friends, remember that?’ ” she shared. That basis of friendship has also allowed them to keep a sense of normality while their lives have developed into something much bigger.
And for these two, determined to write their own rules about fame despite the barrage of blinding flashes and fans following their every move, most rules don’t seem to apply. They will not allow their success to define their life experience; they will not allow money to buy happiness with friends, family, or people who love them as they are.
In a time when many celebrities hide behind gates and security details, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky’s walk-in representation of the world around them is both brazen and uplifting. They demonstrate that you can have all the fame and fortune in the world, but it will never compare to the quality of real-life experiences and that, in some cases, the best way to live is to live.
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