Listen, the politics of Instagram shade are subtle. A click can speak volumes. A caption — even from a rabid internet fan — can be a source of endless speculation. Instagram has replaced the high school cafeteria as the place to see and be seen throwing shade. And today, in the digital gossip sprawl, Rihanna gave what amounted to a stink-eye in Beyoncé's direction.
Rihannagang_ on Instagram, a fan page for the singer, posted a photo this morning congratulating Rihanna for her eight Grammy nominations.
"Congrats and all to @badgalriri and all for her 8 Grammy nods," the user writes.
The celebration is brief, though. The congratulations are followed by shade aplenty for the Academy. Rihanna was notably not nominated for Song of the Year, and this particular Instagrammer isn't happy about it.
"But tbh [expletive] [the Academy] because they snubbed her for Song of the Year and Album of the Year. I think they didn't want her tied or passing someone else *cough cough* ?. ."
The caption implies that Rihanna lost the nomination because the Academy didn't want Beyoncé to lose. (The lemon emoji points to lemonade, which points to Yoncé.) Therein lies the shade.
The shadiest part of it all is that RiRi herself liked the post, as if to say: "Yeah, I was snubbed." Internet shade is subtle; Q.E.D., Rihanna gave the stink-eye with a single click.
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