The Brief: A photo of Rihanna wearing pink heels, holding two trash bags, and sporting a shirt that says "end racism" instantly became a meme.
DEEP DIVE
The September 2020 cover story for Harper’s Bazaar included a number of new iconic Rihanna photos including one of her taking out the trash in diamonds and heels. These photos of Rihanna, and the trash one, in particular, invoked excited reactions among stans and inspired memes about “taking out the trash.”
The series includes shots of Rihanna changing a lightbulb, standing in front of a fridge, eating sushi, and doing other everyday activities. Fans were especially taken with the one that shows Rihanna carrying two large trash bags while wearing Fenty sunglasses, an Artifact NY vintage t-shirt that reads “END RACISM/ BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY/ NEMESIS RECORDS,” black Savage X Fenty underwear, a diamond choker and anklet, Gaspar Gloves gloves, and pink Amina Muaddi heels.
https://twitter.com/BeautysKingDom/status/1290702289162838017
In addition to fawning over these photos and remarking on how Rihanna “would be a great roommate,” people started using the photos in a number of image macro memes on Instagram, Twitter, and beyond.
rihanna would be a great roommate pic.twitter.com/d21HHTOMmg
— internet baby (@kirkpate) August 4, 2020
RIHANNA TAKES THE TRASH OUT, SO CAN YOU! pic.twitter.com/SpjgKXS4hb
— nadia (@valyriaswhore) August 4, 2020
picture of me and rihanna pic.twitter.com/ULUTJ2XHQo
— kikis weed delivery service γβ (@badgalkiki420) August 4, 2020
Rihanna said end racism pic.twitter.com/UbTct8qF7y
— Liz Sommer (@liz_lawlz) August 5, 2020