Rihanna and Eminem have a long running friendship that’s stood the test of time, despite his insensitive lyrics about Chris Brown in 2019 – and the R&B superstar is hoping to help her one-time song partner find love, since he’s back in the market following years of being single, a source exclusively tells In Touch.
“There was a time when Eminem and Rihanna weren’t on good terms, but he managed to get her to forgive him and they’re now past it all and really tight again,” the insider says.
The beef between the “We Found Love” singer, 36, and the Oscar-winning rapper, 52, began after an unreleased verse from Eminem was leaked in 2019. The lyrics, “Of course I side with Chris Brown / I’d beat a bitch down too,” referenced the Fenty icon’s then-boyfriend Brown’s physical abuse, for which he was sentenced to five years probation and six months community service after pleading guilty to felony assault in 2009.
Em apologized to Rihanna, with whom he collaborated on the song “Love the Way You Lie” back in 2010, telling Sirius XM’s Shade 45 host Gray Rizzy, “I said it and I was wrong for saying that, it was f–ing stupid,” in January 2021.
The Barbadian star previously told host Sway on MTV News, “Something is wrong with Eminem,” after hearing about the lyrics. But the singing sweetheart went on to say, “I feel lucky for him that he has his music. He has so much in his head that music is such a great release for him. He’s one of my favorite artists.”
The pals patched up their problems, sparking hopes among fans for another collaboration. But until that day comes, the source says that Rihanna is working toward helping her old friend out in the romance department.
“Rihanna, like a lot of people in his life, can’t understand why he’s still single and she’s decided to make it her mission to find him a girlfriend. She knows him well enough to know what kind of woman would be a good match and she’s got lots of ideas about who to set him up with.”
Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, made a name for himself early in his career with provocative and offensive lyrics, often about his first love, Kimberly Scott, the mother of his three daughters, Hailie Jade Scott, Alaina Scott and Stevie Laine Scott. He ended up marrying her twice throughout their tumultuous relationship and even named a song after her – “Kim” – in which the rapper acts out her murder.
Although single now, the notorious MC has been linked to pop star Mariah Carey, who he also once dissed in a song, and 8 Mile costar Brittany Murphy, who played his ex wife in the movie.
But according to the source, Eminem prefers the bachelor life.
“The problem is getting Eminem to agree because he’s still very closed off to the idea. He claims he’s happier on his own and doesn’t want to deal with the drama of dating, but Rihanna isn’t taking no for an answer.”
“She thinks Eminem is letting life pass him by and has vowed that she’s going to help shake him out of this funk.”
