Why Rihanna's Acceptance Of A Huge Honor Is Turning Heads

Besides being a Grammy Award-winning global pop star and the head honcho of her uber-successful Fenty brand, Rihanna has taken on multiple roles in her home country of Barbados over the years. In 2011, the singer inked a three-year deal with the Barbados Tourism Authority to help promote the island for tourism. "Barbados is a place like no other and one of the reasons for this is the spirit and national pride of our people," she said at the time, per PR Newswire. A couple of years later, in 2013, Rihanna launched her "Inside Out" campaign to help promote tourism in Barbados. She was featured in a spicy video that showed the "Umbrella" artist showing off her curves in scenic destinations, per Travel Weekly.

Due to her multiple ventures, especially her SAVAGE X FENTY lingerie brand, Rihanna's net worth reached a staggering amount of $1.7 billion, as reported by Forbes in August. Reaching billionaire status made Rihanna reflect on her upbringing. "It's tricky because it's hard to even accept that's where you're at because I know where I've come from," she told The New York Times in September. "At the same time, it feels good to be able to inspire young women and boys, who like me, come from humble beginnings," Rihanna added.

In addition to being a newly minted billionaire, Rihanna just received one of her most impressive accolades.

On November 30, Barbados cut their ties with the British monarchy and became a republic. Barbadian officials held a ceremony where the new president Dame Sandra Mason was sworn in, and Rihanna was on hand to receive her own honor, per USA Today. After the president was sworn in, and the country officially became a republic, Rihanna was bestowed a National Hero Award. "Ambassador Robyn Rihanna Fenty has given service to Barbados which has been exemplified by visionary and pioneering leadership," Prime Minister Mia Mottley said. "May you continue to shine like a diamond and bring honor to your nation," Mottley added while referencing the singer's hit song "Diamonds."

Rihanna earned the title of "the right excellent" as she was given the National Hero Award. She became only the eleventh person to receive the award, and the first since 1998, per the AP. Mottley had heavy praise for the singer for "commanding the imagination of the world through the pursuit of excellence with her creativity, her discipline and above all else, her extraordinary commitment to the land of her birth." Rihanna was somewhat shy about receiving the honor and had to be beckoned to the stage by the prime minister. 

Rihanna has truly been about giving back to not only Barbados but to other nations in need. The billionaire told The New York Times in September that she planned to invest her vast fortune into her Clara Lionel Foundation. "Every dollar I make, I want to give it back," Rihanna said.