Rihanna's 'Rockstar 101' Video: Near Nude, In Blackface (PHOTOS)

**Scroll down for video and stills**

In her new video for 'Rockstar 101,' Rihanna explains how to be a rock star. It involves wearing blackface, nothing but chains, a horned hat, an Elizabethan collar and an Anna Wintour wig, and fronting a band that includes Travis Barker.

At one point Rihanna dresses as Slash, who plays guitar on the track. The former Guns 'N Roses guitarist told MTV News that he was also supposed to appear in the video, but his album was coming out and he didn't have time. He doesn't think that hurt the end result.

"The video is way better with her being me than with me being me," he said. "All things considered, it brings an element of sexuality to it that I probably wouldn't have been capable of. I think it's hot, and I sent her a text this morning telling her it was definitely hotter with her doing it than with me doing it."

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Comments

[Sweet Potato]

03:04 PM on 06/06/2010

It’s sad when you have to get naked and PRETEND to worship the devil to sell records. = sh*tty voice

[JonB2057]

04:26 PM on 06/18/2010

Sex sells

[robjh1]

06:55 PM on 06/01/2010

Spokey.

[smartiepop]

10:44 AM on 06/01/2010

Why does she have to continue the tradition of likening Black women to animals? http://smartiepops.wordpress.com/2010/05/30/rihanna-please-stop-oppressing-black-women/

[Fudgefase]

06:29 AM on 06/01/2010

So tired of this woman.

[Seafarer61]

04:51 PM on 05/31/2010

Rhianna a rockstar? lol....ah, no.

...but a real one was memorialized yesterday....Ronnie James Dio

[CATNIP1]

04:03 PM on 05/31/2010

She's..... boring. There are highschooler that can sing better. She should have been a model, With those contacts, she looks like one.

[unclehenry]

01:24 PM on 05/31/2010

Black performers wore "blackface" as well. It became a style of entertainment.

[PresidentRobertBooth]

11:59 AM on 05/31/2010

The term "Blackface" implies a very particular form of entertainment where white people imitate black people using stereotypical appearance and traits.


This is not "blackface"

[Sunburned Martini]

05:55 AM on 05/31/2010

This is her worst song by far. And what in current American society encourages intelligent young woman in their 20s to get as naked as they possibly can and crawl around in videos seen worldwide? This is not sexy. This is trashy.

[Fudgefase]

06:34 AM on 06/01/2010

Take your clothes off and writhe. Don't eat - you got to be skinny to be attractive. Get reative when you send your boyfriend pics on his phone or online. We are in the midst of trash society. We are raising kids who respect strength and wealth over virtues. Who swear every second or third word. Who idolize reality tv 'stars' who will do anything, suffer any indignity, accept any humiliation to get a chance at fame and fortune. We can't blame them - we allowed our culture to create them.

[Sunburned Martini]

04:08 AM on 06/03/2010

Well said! Fanned. Fame and fortune are the real religion of Americans.

[Slash14]

10:04 PM on 05/30/2010

I know Slash likes to play with different people. But this song is bad. She is not a Rock star. She is a pop star with nothing but a body to move her career. Does she write her stuff. I doubt it. Palemoon The donnas now that is rock.

[Palemoon]

09:49 PM on 05/30/2010

She's pretty, she sounds like she could have a pretty good singing voice. I'm sure she's got some talent. But I'm sorry, this is neither rock, nor a rock star.

This sounds like bad porn music from the 1970's. And where's Slash? I guess he's fallen so far without his Axl to keep him famous.

The Donnas -- "Strutter"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uqou-oEBcUY

Maybe?..... MAYBE?!?!?!

Now THAT is what a rock star looks like, and sounds like.

[artistic temper]

08:17 PM on 05/30/2010

I like Rihannas music, have some. This felt almost like a girl playing dress up, the music didn't seem to fit the video, it was too..soft? Well shot and all, but just, strange, I just didn't feel like it fit. I'm sure the die hards will love it.

[glimmerguy]

04:14 PM on 05/30/2010

Rockstar. Really? If you really were a rockstar you'd hardly have to try to convince us with a crummy song, now would you? a real rockstar just IS - this is rubbish. I mean, yeah, looks great, gorgeous production value but it is one of the dumbest lyrics i have every heard (next to RudeBoy of course) - BEYOND pea-brained. This is fashion. Not rock. It's complete sell-out top-shelf commercial product. we have SO TOTALLY LOST OUR WAY. Nothing subversive, edgy, smart, or well, "rock" about this. Let's just play dress up and count the cash. Lame.

[hidesert47]

04:10 PM on 05/30/2010

A stunning looking woman who is a real visual treat, no matter what she does, and seems like a pretty decent person ... but she's a one note wonder.

[Ecoutez]

04:07 PM on 05/30/2010

@Suntio....Due to economic factors back in the 1920's and 1920's, Bert Williams, a famous Black Minstrel, had to paint his face black in order to work. Then, Al Jolson, a white man, got on the bandwagon too.

[Ecoutez]

04:13 PM on 05/30/2010

Oops...1920's-l930's.