Rihanna "Hate That I Love You" Music Video

Guide Rating -

The Bottom Line

After spending much of spring 2007 on top of the pop music world with her megahit "Umbrella," Rihanna tried on more of a rocker chick persona with the next single "Shut Up and Drive." Despite the sleek production, it stalled out just inside the top 10. Now Rihanna heads to the Stargate hit factory with Ne-Yo in tow. It sounds like a nearly guaranteed major hit.

Pros

• That easygoing Stargate sound
• Comfortable blend of Rihanna and Ne-Yo on vocals

Cons

• Almost too light

Description

• Strummed guitar opening
• Soulful support vocals from Ne-Yo
• Singalong chorus

Guide Review - Rihanna featuring Ne-Yo - Hate That I Love You

Perhaps the most significant stroke of genius in Rihanna's music is the sense of never-ending variety. She has taken us from uptempo pop-reggae ("Pon De Replay") to 80's new wave fueled club banger ("S.O.S.") to a whiff of gothic horror in a love song ("Unfaithful") and on and on. That reedy warble of Rihanna's has become familiar, but it is impossible to pin down her style of song in a few words. Despite the fact that she has worked with Ne-Yo and Stargate in the past, "Hate That I Love You" is yet another new sound for a Rihanna single.

The best description for the song may be "Irreplaceable II." That strummed guitar sound is unmistakeable from the Beyonce smash. The good news is the sound is nearly as good as it was the first time around. You'll be singing along before you know it. There is nothing as memorable as "To the left," but the breezy, uncomplicated style is comforting.

"Hate That I Love You" certainly does not have the songwriting power of "Umbrella," possibly the most covered new song of the year. However, it should have more than enough hitmaking potential to give Rihanna her amazing 7th top 10 pop single in the space of 2 years.

Rihanna Speaks On Teairra Marie & conflict with her farther

As previously reported, Rihanna features in this month's issue of Peach magazine. The Bajan star address a number of things including her father, her past image and competing with former label-mate Teairra Marie. Check out quotes from the interview:

On Her Relationship With Her Father:

“I am actually embarrassed by that. I don’t like speaking about it because I am not proud of it. But it is something that helped make me who I am today. Now people know that I am not perfect and that I had real conflicts. My dad is not pleased, because he is embarrassed. We still have not sat and had a conversation about it.”

On Her Past Image

“I felt like my girlie image was boring and contrived and generic. I was so restricted. I could not wear red lipstick. If I did I would get cursed out by my marketing person. I did a big performance on an awards show and I won some awards and [was happy] , but as soon as I got off the plane, I got the nastiest email from her about [my looks]. I then realized she was not treating me like a human being so I cut her off.

On Blowing Up After Playing Second Fiddle To Teairra Marie

That [was] a funny situation, but I always remained humble. I was just the little Caribbean girl. You have to be good to people. I could very easily say it’s all karma…God has favor on me and has blessed me, and I cannot even thank Him enough.

Hmm...seems like there must have been more to Teairra being dropped from Def Jam / Roc A' Fella. She was more talented than Rihanna, in my opinion, and both of their first albums tanked - so something must have made the label choose to pull out all the stops for Rihanna's success instead of Teairra.

Rihanna "Shut Up and Drive" Rapidshare Music Video MV/試聴 視聴 mp3 PV 動画 映画 歌詞/뮤직 비디오/동영상

Rating -

The Bottom Line

There are better songs on the album Good Girl Gone Bad, but "Shut Up and Drive" captures the spirit of summer just as well as Rihanna's first hit "Pon De Replay." That's not surprising since the songwriting/production team of Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers were primarily responsible for shaping both. There is an air of 80's pop nostalgia about the song that would make "Shut Up and Drive" fit perfectly with classics of that decade on a mix tape.

Pros

• Crunchy pop-metal guitars
• Fun, summer singalong atmosphere
• Sexy and sleek sportscar feel

Cons

• Pure fluff lyrically

Description

* Begins with huge guitar power chords
* Settles into a buzzing, poppy bounce
* Rihanna's now familiar voice a constant throughout

Guide Review - Rihanna - Shut Up and Drive

2 years ago it was easy to suspect Rihanna might be a one-hit wonder. Her first single "Pon De Replay", with its peppy mix that focused more on the percussion than Rihanna's admittedly thin vocals, seemed destined to be a fun summer memory, but not really a song to build a career around. Now, with a series of distinctive top 5 hits, Rihanna has established herself as the most consistent pop hitmaker of the moment.

One of the big keys to her success is that every single has genuinely sounded different. Whether it's the moody drama of "Unfaithful," the peak hour dance heat of "SOS," or stately urban pop of the #1 smash "Umbrella," Rihanna's sound and style seem to be reinvented for every record. This time she follows on the heels of "Party Like a Rockstar," the smash rock and hip hop collaboration by Atlanta's Shop Boyz, with a roaring blend of hair metal guitars and 80's style synth effects.

The lyrics are pure fluff, and the vocals have the now familiar thin and reedy quality common to many of Rihanna's efforts. However, like any successful sports car, the look, feel, and speed of "Shut Up and Drive" pull you in despite the model's shortcomings. Tuck this one away on the iPod beside 80's classics like Pebble's "Mercedes Boy," Natalie Cole's "Pink Cadillac," and Aretha Franklin's "Freeway of Love" and head out for a hot summer drive.
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Rihanna "Umbrella” Rapidshare Music Video MV|뮤직 비디오|동영상|試聴 視聴 mp3 PV 動画 映画 歌詞

Rihanna 'Umbrella' (Universal)
The queen of the charts at the moment is of course Rihanna, so it's fair to say that quite a lot of us rather like this great big pop triumph of a single. (Is it any wonder that it speaks to the British public at the moment?) Rihanna, who shot to number one through downloads alone this week, also recruited the mighty Jay-Z to do a cheeky rap to open the track, in case those of you unfamiliar with the singer just thought she had a very low voice. This is an irresistible slice of sexy super-pop, and, even better, she apparently has no problem sharing her 'Um-ber-ella' with you, which is nice.

Rihanna Breaks UK Chart Record with 'Umbrella'

After spending it's 10th week at #1 on the Official UK Singles chart, Rihanna's 'Umbrella' has made UK chart history. The massive hit is the longest-running #1 single on the chart in over decade - with its nearest comparator being Wet, Wet, Wet's 1994 smash 'Love Is All Around' which spent 14 weeks in the top spot.

Before I'm labelled a 'hater', I think its a major achievement for Rihanna - one both she and her fans should be proud of. However, it just goes to show how far little talent, good looks and media saturation will take you. Is that what the industry has come to?