Aug 18 2008
Rihanna at Good Girl Gone Bad release party

Rihanna Fires Manager: Partying with the last $20,000 in the Bank (?)

Rihanna fired her business manager Patricia Williams after discovering there was only $20,000 in her bank account. Rihanna accused Williams of stealing (a lot of) money from her.

That’s the rumor that’s smoldering like a West coast brush fire. It’s been posted on message boards and various blogs. Page Six is the supposed source of the story, but I didn’t see it on the NY Post’s site.
Maybe like those brush fires, a quick call from a publicist splashed water on the story to keep it from blazing out of control.

It’s the detail that makes this ring true..

But remember, this is one of those.. ‘word on the street’ things.

Rihanna’s now ex-business manager Patricia Williams has been recently fired as she says “for no good reason, all in ignorance” and is “livid” with Rihanna & her management company Rebel One’s decision to fire her. Rihanna recently met with Willliams to check on her accounting affairs and was shocked to see that almost all her money was missing.

She instantly accused Williams of “stealing her money.”

Patricia Williams speaks..

“I’m a professional Business Manager, I have a staff of more than a dozen, I have worked for many high profile actors, musicians and multi-million dollar corporations. Why would I steal from Rihanna? I showed her all the paperwork and tried to explain to her the circumstances but she wouldn’t listen. She called me all sorts of horrible names and stormed off. I now feel compelled to share with the world the background story as I will not allow my name to be slandered”

The Barbados born singer has had four back-to-back albums, including a re-release since her debut of “Pon De Replay” in 2005. According to Willliams, Marc Jordan, manager and owner of Rebel One Management has been taking care of Rihanna’s financial situation with her.

“Def Jam doesn’t fund Rihanna properly, so Marc uses the money Rihanna makes from third-party endorsements and from tours to fund her album and music videos.”

“Since 2005, Rihanna has been sponsored by the likes of JC Penny, Samsung, CoverGirl, Secret, Venus Breeze etc, and has gone on two major tours, most recently label-mate Kanye West’s “Glow in the Dark” Tour and with Pussy Cat Dolls across Europe. I don’t want to disrespect Marc’s name. He is a fantastic manager and genuinely believes in Rihanna. But he uses her money to fund her future projects because he believes he can break her in the world-market. Her album sales are not nearly as close to her single sales and he knows that if she is only known as a ‘singles artist’ she will only be as good as her last hit. Unfortunately, he didn’t inform his client and I’m receiving the brunt of it.”

“Her record label Def Jam has put out 3 albums in a time span of 2 years. A lot of that was orchestrated through her management Rebel One. It was never Def Jam’s intention to release so many albums back-to-back but Marc Jordan found loop holes and ways to make it happen.
A lot of the money Rihanna made was through her endorsements between CoverGirl cosmetics, Samsung.. Notice that majority of Rihanna’s videos have a cell phone in it?”

“After the release of Rihanna and Teairra Mari, Def Jam had the intention to drop both acts because their album sales were not successful. Her manager fought to get “S.O.S (Rescue Me)” and quickly tried to negotiate with as many companies as possible. Nike picked up the song and funded a video.”

“This brought the hype back for Rihanna in the company’s New York office. The majority of the official ‘S.O.S’ video was funded by Samsung because the record label was only willing to put up a small amount. Once ‘S.O.S’ picked up digitally and at radio, Def Jam agreed to fund the rest of her album. Jordan instantly got a video shot to ‘Unfaithful’ (he negotiated with video director Anthony Mandler to drop his price and would be given more videos from Rihanna in return).”

“Then they shot ‘We Ride’ which was an extremely cheap video to create. ‘Break It Off’ was released as a third album, but again, Def Jam was unhappy with the sales of her album A Girl Like Me and refused to shoot a video.”

“At this point Rihanna was opening up for the Pussy Cat Doll’s in Europe. She was making 30,000 a show but she didn’t see any of that money because it was needed to fund her next album.” Which is now known to the greater public as a Good Girl Gone Bad.”

“The song “Umbrella” was found & Jordan fought again for Rihanna to have it. They shot the video, which CoverGirl funded half of, and the song became a success. When the record label had their meeting with Music Stores across the U.S to order her album for shipment, the number’s weren’t coming in the way that they expected.”

“When the album’s first week numbers came in at less than 150,000, the label was shocked. Def Jam’s President LA Reid was livid! “Umbrella” was #1 for 11 weeks! Any other artist would have sold way more first week. T-Pain even did better in sales than her that week. Def Jam told Jordan they were no longer funding the album, so Jordan needed money again to pay for music videos ‘Shut Up & Drive’ and ‘Dont Stop The Music’. Almost 250,000 was spent to have those videos created. Plus, an additional 120,000 to shoot ‘Hate That I Love You’.”

“Jordan was noticing that ‘Dont Stop The Music’ was picking up, so he persuaded the label to support it at radio in the U.S and the remaining singles, and they did. Then came for the repackaging of her album Good Girl Gone Bad, which is called Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded, that entire project was funded through Rihanna’s money.

“‘Take A Bow’ was bought through her money, the video was created with her money and so is her most recent video and single ‘Disturbia’. The label didn’t even want to pay a dime for anything! Close to 750,000 was spent on those two songs alone. And now she expects to see money in her account?”

Williams states that Jordan, her publicist from well-respected public relations firm 42-West, Alicia Silverman has built alot of hype around Rihanna’s name but the singer has only made “a little bit above a million” and “all of it was spent on making her as big as she is now.”

“It’s not my fault that she only has 20,000 to her name.”

Get all of that?

If this is all true, it’s incredibly shortsighted of Patricia Williams to clear up what was only known in industry circles, to the public, who will only hear.. Rihanna is ‘broke.’ That’s a way to get yourself that next job. <

<

I’m telling every damn thing.


☼ What's Your Opinion? ☼

1 a-nat Mon, Aug 18, 2008 - 11:32 pm

you know what…i’m not even mad at her for revealing this info if it is true. i believe a lot of people, including signed artists, don’t understand what goes into making a star. then, when the money’s gone, they accuse the first person they see instead of doing their research and figuring out exactly how much money they have…

maybe chick shoulda been meeting with her accountant instead of going on trips with Chris Brown…hmmm…

2 On the other hand Mon, Aug 18, 2008 - 11:58 pm

I somewhat agree with you a-nat but if I were her accountant when the money got to a certain point I would have been on the phone with her definitely letting her know what was going on. Rihanna is young so I would have been calling her to let her know so the blame couldn’t be put on me.

3 bella Tue, Aug 19, 2008 - 1:01 am

pretty face no brains GO BACK TO SCHOOL CHILD

4 ASDF Tue, Aug 19, 2008 - 6:13 am

It’s LA Reid and his phenomenal greed. TLC is broke because of him, Toni Braxton and I’m sure plenty more. So I can believe this is true, but RIhanna will rebound if it’s true. Chris is writing her songs now, she just sold 2 million copies of latest album, and her name is established. Too bad she didn’t have a good mananger like Chris had, Tina Davis and his Mom.
And Patricia Williams is a snake. She should have kept Rihanna informed. And by the way, if you’ve ever heard Rihanna interview, you would know she is very intelligent. But there are sharks in the music industry…Ms. Patricia Williams and LA Reid.

5 sarah Tue, Aug 19, 2008 - 12:16 pm

this is fake..there is no real source

6 Dappa Tue, Aug 19, 2008 - 12:58 pm

She definitely should’ve gotten a call from her accountant informing her of her acct balance. Thats the purpose of an accountant. She deserved to be fired. And telling all of her business is just tasteless and unprofessional.

But at the very least her manager has done a hell of a job at branding her. I’m not sure if it was worth her re-investing all of her profit into herself, but she’s definitely become a star who can get more endorsement deals. Hopefully she’s fulfilled her obligation to DefJam and can move on to another label that would be willing to fund her future projects.

7 Sam Tue, Aug 19, 2008 - 1:58 pm

Makes sense. As high as she is on the charts, she’s not getting any money? Makes sense because she was never on any top-earners lists. Hmm?

8 TIMA Tue, Aug 19, 2008 - 6:16 pm

COME ON GUYS! WHY WOULDN’T YOU BELIEVE THIS STORY?  IT HAPPENS IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY 2 FREQUENTLY AND THE STORIES ARE NEVER PRINTED BECAUSE OF GOOD PUBLICIST.

WHY WOULD RIHANNA’S FORMER MGR LIE?  SHE’S A PROFESSIONAL & HAS OTHER HIGH PROFILE CLIENTS.  WHY TAKE A CHANCE ON HER REPUTATION GETTING RUINED BECAUSE OF THE PUBLICS “LOVE AFFAIR’ WITH RIHANNA? (WHO OBVIOUSLY NEEDS TO SPEND MORE TIME TAKING CARE OF HER BUSINESS, RATHER THAN VACATIONING WITH OR WITHOUT CHRIS BROWN)...

9 Bajanman Tue, Aug 19, 2008 - 11:22 pm

NOW WHAT THE HELL DOES HER VACATIONING WITH CHRIS BROWN HAVE TO DO WITH THE SITUATION HERE? SHE IS A WOMAN SHE MOST LIKELY DIDNT SPEND A RED CENT WHEN SHE WAS WITH CHRIS SHOPPING, IF HE IS A LOVING GUY AS HE PORTRAYS HE MOST LIKELY FUNDED IT ALL PROVIDED THAT THE FLIGHT WASNT FREE TO BEGIN WITH, STARS DO NOT ONLY HAVE PRIVATE JETS YOU KNOW, THEY GET ON THE SAME AIRPLANE AS US BUT IN FIRST CLASS WHICH ISNT THAT MUCH MONEY CAUSE EVEN I FLY FIRST CLASS, SO BRINGING IN HER RELATIONSHIP/FRIENDSHIP WITH CHRIS BROWNE AND THEIR TRIPS IS JUST MALICIOUS INTERFERENCE. As respect to the issue at hand, i still blame rihanna for what has happened, because her signature and voice approval should have been a requirement before any of her funds are disbursed, in this day and age of technology you can be in space and get your signature sent one way or another. Her approval should have been sought out by the so call accountant and the bank. Yes she is a star and yes she is busy but you need to find time to mange your own finances yourself, all it takes is 1 hr tops to review any proposal in this industry, now if this is true my boo is broke, love her nonetheless i will still buy another album form her even if she goes bankrupt. Another thing she has so many other stuff that this woman failed to mention, for example her assets, all the land she has been given by countries around the world in an attempt to get her to make that country her home country, even here in barbados (her original home) have given her land, there is still the revenue from the umbrella franchise, LA reid was way too over ambitious but he did establish her with the songs he so called fought for so in the end she will prevail

10 jj Wed, Aug 20, 2008 - 9:25 am

rihhinna goes with chris brown too when i see her nuckel sandwich

11 jaibaker27 Thu, Aug 21, 2008 - 2:12 am

miss oprah said sign you own checks baby don’t let anyone sign it for you and she’s still young and still learning i hope she learn very quickly

12 The_Producer Thu, Aug 21, 2008 - 3:06 pm

Oprah said Bill Cosby told her to sign her own checks and Bill is definitely right.  Rihanna should have given orders to not move on her behalf without her signed approval.

13 alyssa Thu, Aug 21, 2008 - 6:05 pm

i mean thing happen and if she is goin to go bankrupt she shouldnt worry because she always have chris brown there and i dont want you to think jay-z wont provide for her becuz he will undercover even tho he will judge her for her stupidity her endorsement might help her on the way if any r offer. But i no one thing she don’t have only have 20,000 dollars becuz i have more than that an am from the carribbean also a.k.a BAHAMAS and in freeport 20 G’S only cud get u a 2008 malibu car dats it dont be shock if u c her in one cuz then you’ll no that the last of the money is gone and chris is doin his part.

14 Do for yourselves Thu, Aug 21, 2008 - 6:26 pm

Why is it that females feel if Rihanna is broke it is now Chris Brown’s responsibility to take care of her. What is the world coming to that women feel more and more like their job is to lay on their back and collect a man’s money. Chris, it isn’t your fault that Rihanna is broke nor is it your responsibility to take care of her. You 2 are just dating you are not her father nor are you married to her.

15 mirelli Mon, Aug 25, 2008 - 3:40 am

If I was a rich bitch, you can’t tell me I wouldn’t be on the phone with my accountant and up my lawyers ass to show me papers everyday of everything spent or at least everything spent weekly! You a dumb broad if you can’t even check that out for yourself! I’m always checkin my bank records and receipts and I ain’t got shit to protect but chump change compared to what she should be makin! She could use a page out of the Beyonce, Ashanti, Usher and Justin Timerlake book when it come to managers! Nobody’s gonna take care of your money like ya momma! Unless she’s Keyshia Cole’s momma and that another animal to deal with! She needs to pull her head out of Chris brown’s ass and stop playin with the paparazzi so she can check into not turnin out like Hammer, TLC and Toni Braxton! They were all major chart toppers, and they never recovered from their hit to the pockets! Or if she’s serious about this music thang, she better talk to Jay-Z, Kanye, 50 or Diddy and let them put her ass under they wing to show her the ropes! Then she can have her own label like they all do and she could hire one of the people from the same ranks that they got they managers from! You don’t hear about them goin bankrupt! And you won’t cuz they handle business and get major endorsements just for shittin on a commercial for toilet paper! Not to mention their various side projects like clothing etc. She better wake up and smell the hustle!

16 mirelli Mon, Aug 25, 2008 - 3:46 am

And f**k these crazy comments yall keep makin about Chris Brown! He shouldn’t provide her ass with shit! That’s on her to handle her! Let her camp deal with all that fall out! He too young to be playin suga daddy! I’m a woman myself, but how yall gonna say she need to try and dip into his honey jar! Yall trippin! Bet he don’t trick! I wouldn’t either! She wouldn’t do it for him! This is why they think we all trife! He’ll have more respect and trust for her if she get it herself anyway!

17 icanbelievethis Mon, Aug 25, 2008 - 10:04 am

I think that this is so funny! I’m sorry, but I can’t stand Rihanna. I believe this story because it’s too detailed and clear for it not to be true. What intelligent individual would take their time to think of a rumor like this. It makes sense and I always said that I didn’t think that Rihanna was making much money because her label spent over 500,000 on music videos like the Shut Up & Drive video and all the photoshoots, appearances (MTV, BET, The Fuse ect) Magazine spreads, award show performances, I’m sure a lot of people didn’t know that her label and eventually her has to pay for all of that. I just found out not too long ago. This girl has been promoted too much in a short period of time and she can only rely on her wack ass performances as earnings. Plus, she’s a big spender. There’s shirts that she’s worn on the street that are worth 600 dollars and shirts that are worth 500. Also, it was reported that she can spend 15,000 in 2 hours.

18 To My Hero Mon, Aug 25, 2008 - 8:48 pm

mirelli, I am digging you already and we haven’t even met. More BLACK women need to step up to the plate and do for themselves like you. Way to put those tricks in place.

19 Sky/Shorts trinidad Wed, Aug 27, 2008 - 11:16 am

i think you’ll should stop accusing her… yes she should have paid more attention to her affairs but we see things like this happening all the time to other young artists…her personal business is hers and bringing chris brown into this whole mixxxx is uncalled for…

Rihanna pls pay more attention in the future and get your family involved in your business

QUOTE: remember we are all like crabs in a bucket, when one tries to get out the other pulls them back…

luv from T&T;

20 asdf Tue, Sep 09, 2008 - 2:35 pm

How is it the fault of a 20 year old if they don’t know the financial ends and outs of this business, plus the greed capable of people she apparently trusted. I don’t believe a word of it, because the accountant wouldn’t blast this type of information all over the world. Who in the world would trust or hire her after such an act. And no Chris Brown doesn’t OWE her anything. But since he is a DECENT, CARING young man, that has had the best guidance possible thru his career. It seems as if he is already starting to help her. The real money in the music business is in touring and writing. He wrote her last #1 hit and they will have the biggest tour of this year, with both of them on the ticket in New Zealand and Austrailia - tickets $149 !! So kudos to Chris for showing ‘grown’ men how to treat a woman-and it’s not just his financial support - looks to me that they give each other emotional support constantly while trying to make a living in a world totally foreign to them both and viciously laced with greed and deception.

21 To asdf Tue, Sep 09, 2008 - 4:07 pm

“Kudos to Chris Brown for showing real men how to treat a woman.” That statement comes from yet another woman that thinks if she lays on her back a man owes her something. Stop prostituting and get your own damn job.

22 boks Mon, Sep 15, 2008 - 6:35 pm

some of you can’t spell, and need to go back to school, cuz your ass is illiterate

23 Bob Fri, Oct 29, 2010 - 3:35 pm

She earned 15 mil off Good Girl Gone Bad alone…

24 J Sun, Nov 06, 2011 - 12:09 am

She need to be her own accountant manage her money cause in the long run… money has no friend.

25 LIBBY Sat, Nov 26, 2011 - 6:51 pm

I hate when people try to defend dumb ass women just because they wanna sleep with them. This idiot ass girl is old enough to take care of herself and to know how to ask questions if things don’t seem right. She should have been taking note of what was in her account! She has time to make all that devil worshiping sado masichist music but never stopped to check on her money?? And she’s not that pretty. It’s called Cover Girl! She has STDs and is an idiot! And these dumb ass men are still trying to go to bed with her. Get a life and wake up!!

26 LIBBY Sat, Nov 26, 2011 - 6:57 pm

And keep Toni Braxton out of this please! First off LA Reid wasn’t paying her what she should have been getting. She tried to sue him and she lost. Then he sued her and won because he had better, greddy ass lawyers. It was done to teach her a lesson and make an example out of her. Toni did recover that money and got it together but now she is facing issues with bankruptcy because of illness. She is battling Lupus! Toni is an intelligent woman not some made to order stripper dingbat like Rihanna!!

27 cliff Sun, Aug 26, 2012 - 12:37 am

you all think you no rihanna hammmmm,rianna is playing alot games with her life and money and soon or later shes going to fall,she needs to leaen from the best and stop playing no it all when she dont no,wish her good luck in the water with all the sharks,poor girl

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