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Poll: Is it okay for Rihanna and Chris Brown to be making music together?

By John Thrasher (@jthrasher) at 8:57 pm, February 20, 2012

In 2009, just before the Grammys aired live, Chris Brown was arrested for beating up Rihanna in a car on their way to the ceremony. Now, just 3 years later, they are featured on upcoming remixes of each other’s songs (listen to them here). Does this send the wrong message?

The collaboration has disgruntled one person to the point that this online petition was created to block Island Def Jam Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment from releasing the music. The petition was created on the stance that the collaborations endorse domestic abuse:

SIGN THE PETITION & Urge Island Def Jam Music Group (Rihanna’s label) & Sony Music Entertainment (Chris Brown’s label) to pull the recordings from a possible release, and put the lives of young dating abuse victims before the music and relationship of another.

Do you think that these collaborations send the right message? Do you think that they are grown adults and musicians who are free to do whatever they want? Take our poll to see what other Hypable readers are thinking:

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http://www.hypable.com Andrew Sims

Seems like, if nothing else, a publicity stunt that’s only going to disappoint people who were pulling for Rihanna.
http://www.facebook.com/aaccss Alex Smith

why does it matter?
- Rdh014
  
  Because, too many people, Rihanna is saying that it is o.k. for a guy to hit you if he says he’s sorry. It bothers a lot of people that she would continue to have anything to do with him.
Hermione Granger

This isn’t a statement to run their personal lives, but when corporations are seen supposedly endorsing or at least being slightly flippant about domestic abuse, there is a serious problem. With all of the organizations fighting for women’s rights around the country, it saddens me to find some of the biggest music labels showing that violence isn’t that big of a deal.
KL

If Rihanna makes the decision to collaborate with him, then that’s her choice. I won’t go so far to say they deserve each other but if this is truly her agreeing to it, then I just lost a lot of respect for her.
Just Sayin

Is she really that stupid? I think she deserves what ever she get with this stupid move. Do I see another black eye in her future.
- http://twitter.com/Tarah94 Tarah
  
  No one deserves to be abused in any way.
http://twitter.com/kristin_marie Kristin Lewis

I think that they are “grown adults and musicians who are free to make their own decisions”. Also (I want to preface this by saying I don’t support abuse of any kind), I think it shows a lot about forgiveness and giving people a second chance. It’s possible that Chris Brown has apologized sincerely to Rihanna and that he’s learned from his mistake.
- Hermione Granger
  
  This kind of reminds me of the movie Chocolat–when Josephine’s husband is abusive and she seeks asylum, and everybody believes him when he says he’s sorry, he’s changed. But that’s not true, he comes back and tries to attack her. I, for one, do not care how much someone has apologized, because if they are truly remorseful then they can spend the rest of their life trying to live and become a better person. But in no way should the media be sending the message that it’s okay for someone who was clearly abusive to go back to living their normal life, and to publicly connect him with the one he abused.
- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=33411927 Ashleigh Morgan
  
  Yeah cause running off the set of Good Morning America (or whatever it was) cussing, smashing a window and ripping your shirt off because someone asked you a question about it… that’s really learning from your mistakes
  - akacj18
    
    ditto. regardless of whether he’s changed, or apologized, or is truly remorseful, i dont really care because he still acts like a complete @$$.
Rdh014

I don’t really care what they do, personally. This just shows how idiotic they both are. I doubt the record companies can force them to do anything, since they are both so successful. Regardless, I don’t listen to either of them and they can make all of the music they want together.
Guest

What a terrible idea on Rihanna’s part. Shes showing young girls everywhere that it’s okay to forgive someone who abuses you like that.
http://twitter.com/SlySound Brett H

It isn’t our place to say either way. They are capable of making their own decisions. Are they supposed to meet at midnight in dark alleyways if they ever want to be around each other again.
http://twitter.com/rocktwomusic Jackie Luciani

They are adults and you don’t necessarily have to be in the same space to record songs together (I’m not saying they weren’t together during the recording, I just don’t know). It’s kind of hard to avoid collaborating with everyone these days so I suppose it’s not a huge deal.

That being said I don’t think it’s the healthiest decision for Rihanna because of the cyclical nature that abusive relationships tend to take: abuse, apology, make up, honeymoon phase, abuse, apology, make up, honeymoon phase, etc. Doing this could make it easier too fall back into that cycle that is so hard to escape from.
DreamNox58

I think that as long as she forgives him, it’s okay. People don’t change overnight but they can grow and learn. We don’t know everything that has ever been said between the two of them. I think their fans should support them. Personally, I don’t listen to either of them but I heard what happened just like everyone else. People can change and grow, that’s a fact.
Jannie

I think they shouldn’t be making music together because Rihanna might just fall back in love with Chris and its not gonna be good. If Chris has the tendency to be violent and crazy angry, its not a safe relationship for Rihanna.
Emily Z.

She is someone that young girls look up to and it is not okay for her to forgive someone who did this to her. It sends a message to young girls that it is okay to be treated by men like that and it is not okay.
http://twitter.com/vonchambers Devon Chambers

No. She as a woman who was battered should move on and get out of the situation and stay out of the situation. You can forgive somebody, but you should never ever forget. She is showing all young women who are fans that its okay if a man beats you.

Secondly and I believe more importantly Chris Brown remains the same immature punk ass he was then. He has not grown up, he has not shown an ounce of real honest remorse. People make mistakes, sometimes horrible mistakes and we understand that but we expect and demand they grow from that mistake and better themselves. He should not put himself in that situation either.
moonshoespotter1712

I don’t think it’s sending a message that it’s okay for a guy to do that at all.
http://twitter.com/ivangatewood Ivan Gatewood

It’s her choice. If she can forgive him for what he did to her, then who are we to judge her. Remember people, it happened to her not us! We don’t have a say in what she does/feels.
akacj18

it doesn’t necessarily upset me that they are collaborating again; there are lots of couples (public and private) who have said and done really horrific stuff to one another that somehow come out on the other side with an amiable relationship; i’m more disappointed with rihanna and chris brown’s lack of comment over the years. i understand that rihanna doesn’t want to play the victim and i’m not asking her to, but it almost feels irresponsible as a public figure not to at least address the broader topic. and chris brown never really seems to have shown a shred of genuine remorse NOT written by his publicists. he stormed out of the Today Show when he was asked about it. what an @$$. this is going to follow him forever, he really needs to man up and face it – sooner rather than later.
http://www.thatwasdramatic.tumblr.com/ Anya

Well, it’s really not for me to say, but I already avoid anything by Chris Brown, and will now do the same for Rihanna. If I listen to this, it’ll feel like I’m supporting abuse, know what I mean?

I’m sorry for her and I wish her the best in life, and I sincerely pray that that monster will stay away from her (or at least act like a normal human being if he doesn’t). It’s not my place to judge or forgive/forget, but I can say that I have no respect for him and feel really sorry for her. I hope she seeks the help she needs to understand that this man is not decent and that, no matter what her feelings towards him are, she needs to stay away from him.
(maybe I’d feel differently if Chris Brown had ever given any indication that he grew/changed in any way, but every time he opens his mouth or posts a tweet, he shows nothing changed. So for me he could easily do it – read: almost kill her – again.)
http://twitter.com/mwdickens2013 Mary Warren Dickens

Oh hell to the no!
Gary65

This is sick :(
Jen

I just can’t get over how battered she really was, looking at that old picture. It was some serious abuse and Chris Brown has an anger problem. I don’t think this collaboration is showing the right message. PS. Chris Brown is talentless anyway- I really don’t see the point in adding him to a song.
upper_westsider

Of course Rihanna can do whatever she likes, but I think she’s making a mistake. Chris Brown still acts like a low-life thug. I hope they’re not in a relationship again.
Ilikecheesegirl

I think it’s absolutely not okay. But it’s their decision, and it’s not our place to stop Rihanna from being an idiot and a terrible role model.
RussellTurner

It’s perfectly okay. People make mistakes. I’m sorry, but saying Rihanna is a role model is not true. How can she be a role model when she sings about S&M? If she is your role model, then you have problems.
societysucksass

I didn’t know it was my decision
http://twitter.com/ameywakeford Amey Wakeford

Normally i would say, its her choice but her choice reflects on thousands of other girls, probably vulnerable ones who idolise her and therefore reflect her decisions. This is one decision i would say is very wrong. Once a hitter always a hitter and its like they’re pretending it never happened!
Amanda J Taylor

Dude. It’s their freaking choice. Chris was nineteen when he did it. Maybe he realized his mistakes. I say right on for Rhianna forgiving him. I don’t want my kids knowing they can hold a grudge against someone forever. People mess up and move on. Plus its just a collaboration. They aren’t dating again. You forgive and don’t forget.
Alohomora

They are grown up adults and musicians who are free to do whatever they want.

But perhaps they should think about the people who will be interpreting things from these decisions.

Just because they’re adults doesn’t mean they’re making the RIGHT decision, with their own free choice or not.
Madhav

I mean, if she forgives him, then I suppose. I am, of course, completely against the whole domestic abuse situation; nobody should have to go through that. But if she wants to, she is at perfect liberty to do so.

Even so, I think she should move away from the sitation.
Sia

It’s their decision and life but it’s wrong !
Tiarnán Shortt

this is stupid. why would u spend time with some who beat u up?
Patty

As a huge fan of Rihanna, I have to say that it should ultimately be her decision.

That said, I was mortified when I heard about their collaborations because Chris Brown has shown no remorse and no compassion or desire to change in the last three years. He’s still on probation, which shows that he is in no way repentant over what he’s done. Which is sending a very, very bad message to Rihanna’s fans. His tweet after the grammys was another example of what an utter arsehole Brown remains, and I don’t think he should even have a music contract after what he’s done; particularly because of his attitude issues.

I think it’s a terrible idea and I really regret the decision. Whoever came up with the idea in the first place has some sick sense of humour.
http://myselfandpotter.blogspot.com/ VideoKilledSeverusSnape

Um. That’s awkward. Not right in my opinion. If someone beats you up, don’t talk to that person ever again because sooner or later the same thing will happen..

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Poll: Is it okay for Rihanna and Chris Brown to be making music together?

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