Rihanna has revealed the unique story behind her second-born son's name, Riot, which came from none other than musician Pharrell Williams. Although Pharrell suggested the name thinking the baby would be a girl, it has since taken on a life of its own. Born after the release of A$AP Rocky's track "Riot (Rowdy Pipe'n)" in July 2023, Riot is described by Rihanna as both hilarious and a lover of flowers, even having real flowers in his grill once.
"He gave us this name thinking it was going to be a girl, because he had seen something online," – Rihanna
Rihanna's eldest son, RZA, contrasts his younger sibling with his empathic nature. Meanwhile, Riot's lively personality makes him quite vocal from the moment he wakes up. According to Rihanna, he has become her morning alarm with his insistent singing.
"When he wakes up, he starts to squeal, scream. Not in a crying way. He just wants to sing. And I’m like, 'Okay, here we go!' He's my alarm in the morning! He's not taking no for an answer from anyone. I don't know where he came from, dude." – Rihanna
The name Riot carries a deeper meaning thanks to Pharrell Williams' thoughtful nature. Rihanna describes Pharrell as someone who delves beyond the surface, bringing a rich history and perspective to everything he does.
"Pharrell is very deep. He’s not surface. He will never say anything and just leave it there with a full stop. He will have the entire history: the energy, the time, the month that it is." – Rihanna
Rihanna's partner, A$AP Rocky, who collaborated with Pharrell on the track "Riot (Rowdy Pipe'n)", alludes to his relationship with Rihanna in the song. Notably, Rocky refers to Rihanna as his "wife", sparking excitement among fans.
Beyond her family life, Rihanna remains active in the music industry. She is set to contribute new music to the soundtrack for the upcoming animated Smurfs movie, where she will also voice the character Smurfette. This marks a significant return to music for Rihanna, who has not released a studio album since 2016's "Anti".
