If there is one person that isn't all up on the new book "Becoming Beyonce," it's Barbadian singer and songwriter Rihanna, whose legal representatives called out publicist Jonathan Hay, who was quoted in the book claiming he leaked the rumor about the singer and Beyonce's husband Jay-Z's affair.
Hay stated that he instigated the rumor about a romance between then-teen Rihanna and Jay-Z a decade back so as to acquire some thunder for the former's first single "Pon de Replay," who was written and produced by Vada Nobles.
"It was my job to make sure she hit. . . In an effort to generate some interest. . . I began to plant. . . stories that Jay and Rihanna were having a hot romance," he was quoted as saying in the newly released memoir penned by J. Randy Taraborrelli.
Rihanna's lawyer Jordan Siev, however, retorted and claimed that Nobles, by no means, worked with Hay during that time. In a Page Six interview, he said that he was "never Rihanna's publicist or had any personal or professional relationship with her."
Nobles, on the other hand, claimed that he only met Hay once or twice and clarified that he "had nothing to do" with Rihanna nor "Pon de Replay." But as Taraborrelli wrote in "Becoming Beyonce," the rumor drove Queen Bey to call it quits with Jay-Z at that time.
Meanwhile, Hay is shocked about how the news about his PR stunt exploded. In a statement acquired by New York Daily News, he expressed worry that the news will cost him his career. He is now working with Urban Hitchcock via Tidal, which Beyonce and Jay-Z own.
"I was blindsided by the news of 'Becoming Beyoncé' coming out and it couldn't come at a worse time for me," Hay said. Hay hopes that the news "hasn't ruined" his working relationship with the couple, stressing that his fledgling music career is now his focus.
Curiously, Hay, who is being referred to by majority of media portals as Rihanna's former publicist in the midst of Nobles' and the singer's legal team's opposing resolve, admitted to the false rumor spreading, dismissing it as "reckless" and "out of desperation" to sell RiRi's single.
He added that he hasn't read "Becoming Beyonce," which just hit the shelves yesterday, revealing that he only met Taraborrelli first time last Oct. 25. Before the publication, Hay said he only got to talk to the author's researcher.