What do Rihanna and Charles Barkley have in common? They never wanted to be role models.

By Doug Most, Globe Staff

What could pop star Rihanna and retired NBA Hall of Fame forward, and notorious loudmouth, Charles Barkley, possibly have in common?

This was Barkley in 1993, in a famous Nike ad: “I am not a role model. I am not paid to be a role model . . . Parents should be role models. Just because I can dunk a basketball doesn’t mean I should raise your kids.”

This was the 25-year-old Rihanna on Wednesday, twenty years after Barkley’s famous quote, responding to a scathing piece in the British newspaper, The Daily Mail, that called her a “toxic role model.”

“Role Model” is not a position or title that I have ever campaigned for, so chill wit dat!”

The singer has been in the news a lot lately, and not for her popularity. Just a few days ago there were reports of a scuffle with a fan. And when she played Boston in early May, her show started 90 minutes late, and there were no explanations or announcements about the cause of the delay, angering fans.

Globe critic James Reed was there and wrote: The crowd responded the best they could: with a round of boos. Even when the house lights went down, the cheers and jeers rose up in unison. That’s not how you want to begin your rescheduled concert.