Rum pum pum pum. Rihanna fires off a strong message in the powerful video for “Man Down,” the reggae-tinged single from her latest album Loud. Set against the beauty of Jamaica, the Barbados-born singer tells the compelling story of a sexually-abused woman in the Anthony Mandler-directed clip.
In the opening sequence, a long-haired RiRi is seen shooting a man before flashing back to the prior morning to explain what triggered the deadly series of events. Little Miss Sunshine rides her bike through the parish of Portland, hanging with the boys in her neighborhood, before journeying to a nightclub where she meets a man. After dancing together, he forces himself upon her. She resists his advances, but he doesn’t back down, leaving her in tears.
But it’s Rihanna who gets the final say, taking matters into her own hands and putting an end to her abuser’s life. That’ll teach you a lesson.