Rihanna wanted to perform a free concert in Baltimore supporting Freddie Gray protesters the week after riots broke out. According to The Baltimore Sun, an email dated May 1 has a rep for the singer reaching out to police. Rihanna's plan was to arrive by plane and ride the train to divert media, then perform and walk amongst protesters, so she wanted extra security just in case. A situation report mentions a "possible Rihanna concert," though it also says that "police are claiming they have no permit so it will not be allowed."

During the unrest, Rihanna posted to Instagram a photo of a black Baltimore police officer. The pop star isn't known for going political, though a song off her upcoming eighth album, dubbed #R8, is "American Oxygen"—her attempt to write a new national anthem for a new America. Revisit the official video below.

American Oxygen from Rihanna on Myspace.