‘Sassy RiRi is in the building’: Rihanna proves she’s still queen of the clap-back as haters pile on her for trying to vote with someone else’s passport

If you’ve spent enough time on the internet, you already know: nobody delivers clapbacks like Rihanna. Yet somehow, certain people on Instagram missed the memo about testing her limits — and, for a moment, we got a glimpse of the classic RiRi.

On the eve of election day, Rihanna took to Instagram with a public appeal using the hashtag #votecauseicant. Alongside her message, she joked about sneaking into the polls with her son’s passport, given that she, as a non-citizen, can’t vote in the U.S. Almost instantly, the comment section filled up, with one person even suggesting she should be arrested. Rihanna’s response? “Shut up, Karen.” And with that, it was clear which side of Rihanna we were seeing.

Now, let’s address a few things for anyone still puzzled by @amykooken’s outrage: no, election officials are not likely to mistake Rihanna for a two-year-old, even with a passport in hand. The rest of the comments were a mix of people upset with her support for Kamala Harris, annoyed that Rihanna still hasn’t gained citizenship, or, somehow, accusing her of plotting election interference. And for each nonsensical claim, Rihanna had a sharp comeback ready.

Back in the day, Rihanna was the undisputed queen of clapbacks, unafraid to handle anyone who dared cross her path. She didn’t care if the offender was famous or obscure; they were all fair game. As she once said in an iconic tweet, “Every tongue that rises against me shall fall.” In that era, Rihanna didn’t sit back and wait for karma — she doled out the justice herself. Even Piers Morgan once felt the sting, quickly learning to keep Rihanna’s name out of his mouth. And notably, her disdain for Donald Trump has been one of the most consistent elements of her online presence. During his first term, she took to her socials frequently, mocking him with posts that hinted at the frostiness between him and Melania, like that video of the two descending the plane stairs, with Melania pointedly avoiding his hand. It was Rihanna’s way of letting the world know just how little she thought of him. For anyone who’s been following her, it’s clear: she’s never been a fan of Trump, and she’s made no effort to hide it.

On X, people reveled in Rihanna returning to form. @buffys posted a screenshot of her comebacks with the caption, “Rihanna is so back.” @PopBase highlighted another response, where she clapped back to an accuser by asking, “Where were you on Jan 6, sis?” This unapologetic approach struck a chord with fans, many of whom feel celebrities are unfairly expected to absorb online attacks quietly, as if it’s part of the “job description.” Watching Rihanna skip the apologies and go straight to defending herself is a satisfying reminder that trolls don’t always deserve a pass.

Yet, underneath the back-and-forths lies Rihanna’s real message: urging people to go out and vote. With election day here, emotions are running high, and it’s understandable that tensions might lead some to lash out. But none of this should be Rihanna’s problem. So, let’s give her some space — who knows, maybe she’ll finally grace us with that long-awaited album with a Billy Eilish feature.