Memphis rapper GloRilla posted via her social media that she was looking for a personal assistant at a rate of $550 per week. The Grammy Award nominee attached a document with all the job specs, including the education requirements, which included outstanding time management as well as organizing and management skills. Some of the responsibilities listed in the job posting include calendar planning, handling travel itineraries, ensuring smooth travel, traveling with GloRilla in a professional and personal capacity, grocery shopping, packing and unpacking her suitcases, running errands, etc.
“It’s the easiest shit in the world”
GloRilla defends $550-a-week assistant job:
GloRilla Has Only Just Made It To Mainstream
We all know GloRilla is fairly new in the industry. She rose to prominence after releasing her 2022 song “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” (with Hitkidd), which is nominated for Best Rap Performance at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards. The 23-year-old Tennessee rapper released the song in April. It broke through social media and made its way to mainstream radio. This led GloRilla to sign to fellow Memphis native Yo Gotti’s CMG imprint only about three months after her single dropped. It now has over 33 million views on YouTube. She won a BET Award for “Best New Hip Hop Artist” at the 2022 BET Awards. With all of this in consideration, Big Glo’s career is definitely destined to go far.
Twitter vs GloRilla
Twitter has been ablaze since GloRilla posted her job offer. Most people thought she was offering far too little for the kind of responsibilities in the position. One user went so far as to say that GloRilla must actually be seeking a COO for GloRilla, Inc. “This isn’t a personal assistant job; it’s the COO of GloRilla Inc., and it requires being on call almost 24/7…for $28k per year.” A user by the handle @BostonJerry tweeted.
GloRilla’s Clapback
GloRilla later went on Instagram Live, saying that what she was offering was enough. She said PA would catch free flights, which she’d pay for. “It’s the easiest sh*t in the world,” she said. Apparently, the responsibilities listed on the job posting are just there. The PA wouldn’t really have to perform them on a daily basis unless required to. The contradiction here, though, is that GloRilla listed that she wanted someone who would take care of her professionally and personally. It is a requirement for the PA to perform a number of daily tasks, ensuring the smooth running of her house as well as her brand.
"Let me tell you muthaf**kers something; talking about $550 is too little. B*ch, it really needs to be $500—nah, I’m just playing," she shared. "First of all, your flights get paid for, your flights and your travel. If you want a higher pay, then pay for your own flights and your own travel and see how much them 500-dollar-a$$ flight tickets be … I take flights every day."
To Be Paid or Unpaid, That Is the Question
Is it more important to know your worth or to get the opportunity? Some young people will accept unpaid internships or internships with less pay in the fashion and entertainment fields because, essentially, those internships give them greater exposure to potential opportunities. More access and opportunity equate to more networking and, ultimately, more money. We’ve seen examples of this in movies like “The Devil Wears Prada.” Young workers seek employment in these fields in an effort to advance financially and professionally. Also, for any young professional looking to break into the industry, it makes sense. However, in GloRilla’s case, this is a full-time PA role rather than an internship.
Summer Walker Ask For ‘White or Gay’ Assistant
Another celebrity who has recently been under scrutiny over exploiting employees is Summer Walker. A few days ago, the RNB singing sensation was dragged on Twitter. This is after she posted that she was looking for a white, homosexual assistant for a rate of $2k per month. Walker was unapologetic as she clapped back. She emphasized that she’s been on maternity leave with no shows and no appearances, making this a fair payment.
Summer Walker announced on Instagram that she eventually hired a black man as her assistant after receiving criticism for saying she would like to hire a Caucasian or gay man. She also said that she is paying more than the original $2,000.
Other Celebrities Who’ve Exploited Employees
Lady Gaga
Gaga has referred to former assistant Jennifer O’Neill as a “f***ing hood rat” during a deposition. O’Neil sued the “Poker Face” singer in 2011 for “$393,000 for 7,168 hours of overtime plus damages,” reported Page Six. O’Neill alleges that she was required to be available 24/7 and even had to sleep in bed with Gaga, a claim actually backed up by another former assistant, Angela Ciemny, as detailed in the book, “Poker Face: The Rise and Rise of Lady Gaga.”
Rihanna
Perhaps we expected this one, or maybe not. Reports suggest Riri exploits employees quite often. Some beauty influencers have come forward, speaking about Miss Fenty not paying them for campaigns done for Fenty Beauty and Savage Fenty. One of her alleged staff members vouched for the sassy side of Rihanna and stated that she’s been an absolute nightmare to work for since she broke up with Chris Brown. She’s said that RiRi makes all kinds of ridiculous demands, is always under the influence of one substance or another and has a total disregard for basic manners. In other words, the words “thank you” and “please” are foreign to her. It definitely doesn’t sound like Riri, but some say it’s a popular opinion that female bosses just don’t care.
So whether you decide to go for the opportunity or to know your worth, remember this: Don’t ever sacrifice your life, well-being, or self-hood for a job.
Would you work for a celebrity for any of the above-mentioned amounts? Let us know. Follow MEFeater on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for more updates.
