Stephen A. Smith Apologizes To Rihanna For Saying ‘She Ain’t Beyoncé’

ESPN host Stephen A. Smith has issued an apology to Rihanna after he recently quipped that the nine-time Grammy winning music and beauty icon “ain’t Beyoncé.”

Smith said in a video apology he posted on Twitter Wednesday that he was going to “own” his remarks about Rihanna’s upcoming Super Bowl halftime show ― although he appeared to put some blame on the media for the way in which his comments were reported.

“I know what y’all are trying to do, but I’m going to own it because I get paid to speak for a living so I need to be more careful,” he said. “I want Rihanna to know, you’re a superstar, you’re sensational, you’re spectacular, you’re no joke, and you are a worthy person to be doing the Super Bowl halftime show.”

Smith then said that he is a fan of Beyoncé, who he called a “phenomenal performer,” and that he only compared the two superstars because Beyoncé has performed the halftime show twice.

“I thought those were two of the greatest shows that I’ve ever seen,” he said. “So what I’m saying is, anybody has to measure up to that.”