Being single doesn't diminish your success.
I'll say this again for the people in the back: your relationship (or lack thereof) does not define you and it's high time that people stop forcing relationships on single, successful women––including but not limited to Rihanna. I said what I said, don't @ me.
Recently, reports of an alleged romance between our favorite millionaire bad gal and her longtime friend A$AP Rocky spread across Black twitter like wildfire and as much as we love a good love story, we regret to inform you that issa lie.
Despite reports, Rih and A$AP, who have been seen together more and more frequently over the past few months, are still single AF. An inside source told E! News:
"Rihanna is single. She just got out of a long intense relationship with Hassan. She wants to be single and isn't going to jump into something. She's hanging out with ASAP Rocky, but she is not dating him."
While neither party has commented on either of the reports so far, this isn't the first time rumors have surfaced about an ongoing relationship between the two stars, who have been linked romantically since 2013. The insider also shared:
"They have a long history and she's just having fun."
This information comes to light shortly after Rihanna's split with her boyfriend of nearly three years Hassan Jameel. Last month, a source told PEOPLE that while Rih was very much in love, they weren't able to find common ground between their busy schedules:
"Their lives were too different and it was hard to maintain a relationship."
A$AP and Rihanna are proof that men and women really can be just friends and in previous interviews, the rapper confirmed that their relationship was strictly platonic. In a 2013 interview with Distractify, he had this to say about his longtime partner-in-crime:
"I don't even look at her like that. She's sexy, but I'm good."
Bottom line is, this woman is a whole ass boss. When and who she decides to dive back into the dating game with is her damn business... But we do need an update on the album, sis.
While Rih and A$AP may not be dating, here are 10 photos that show the evolution of their epic bromance over time:
2012
MTV
2013
2013
Splash News
2013
Splash News
2018
2018
2018
PASCAL LE SEGRETAIN/GETTY IMAGES
2019
Getty / The British Fashion Council
2020
DIGGZY / SplashNews.com
2020
Featured image by SAMIR HUSSEINGETTY IMAGES.
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Even now, as a grown woman, the role doesn’t fully turn off. The habits remain: I show up when I’m exhausted. I give even when I’m on empty. I manage needs, anticipate moods, stretch myself to be enough—for everyone.
And lately, I’ve found myself asking: When is it my turn to be held?
@tohpazzz #eldestdaughter
I believe in marriage. Deeply. I’ve seen it up close—my parents have been married for 31 years. They’ve shown me the beauty of commitment, the sacred dance of sticking with someone through the highs and lows. But even with that example, I can’t help but ask: can I be a supportive wife and mother without losing myself in the process?
The truth is, eldest daughter syndrome doesn’t disappear when you become an adult. It travels. It seeps into your work ethic, your friendships, your faith, your dreams—and your view of partnership. We learn to lead, but often don’t learn how to be led. We learn to give, but not how to receive without guilt. We pour into others, but forget to ask if anyone has poured into us.
That’s why I’ve been intentional about preparing for love—not just the wedding, but the life after “I do.” I’m preparing not with Pinterest boards and color schemes, but with boundaries, therapy, and truth-telling. I’m learning to:
Shutterstock
I’ve realized that the version of me who always had to manage, anticipate, perform—that version doesn’t have to run the show anymore. I’m learning to believe I can be loved without being needed. I can be chosen without being essential to someone’s survival. I can build a home with someone, not for someone.
In a world that often celebrates hyper-independence and self-preservation, I still want partnership. Not as an escape, but as an extension of the life I’m already cultivating. And yes, it’s scary to think about giving parts of myself to someone else. It’s scary to think about showing up when I’m tired. But it’s scarier to imagine never allowing myself to be fully seen, fully loved, fully supported.
To the women who feel this too, you are not alone. You’re not wrong for wanting both. You’re not selfish for dreaming of a life where you’re a present, loving wife and mother and a woman with her own breath, voice, and rhythm. Balance may not always look perfect. But preparation? That’s sacred work.
We don’t have to bring the full weight of ourselves into our next chapter. We can lay some of it down. We can walk lighter. We can partner with someone who sees our capacity—and also sees our humanity.
And when the time comes, I won’t enter marriage as a martyr, but as a woman who knows her worth. I’m becoming her every day. She—the version of me who is whole, ready, and free—is worth the wait.
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Feature image by mimagephotography/ Shutterstock