Rihanna
The Barbadian singer who delivered the molten chorus on Jay-Z's "Run This Town."
via Wikipedia: Run This Town · see source
Rihanna is a Barbadian singer who was featured on Jay-Z's 2009 song "Run This Town" alongside Kanye West. Her contribution to the song was her first musical appearance following her February 8 altercation with her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown earlier that year. She performed the song's chorus, which was described by Pitchfork as a "molten motivational Rihanna chorus" that made the track "pop-friendly as ----, without compromising Jay's fundamental hardness."
Lore & Background
Rihanna's involvement in "Run This Town" came at a pivotal moment in her career. The song marked her first musical appearance after the highly publicized altercation with Chris Brown on February 8, 2009. Rihanna's chorus hook, featuring her signature "ay ay" vocals, was praised by critics as a key element that made the track radio-friendly while maintaining its hip-hop edge. The song went on to win Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 52nd Grammy Awards, marking Rihanna's third Grammy win.
Reader's Guide
Rihanna's role on "Run This Town" is that of a featured vocalist providing the song's central hook. Her chorus, described by Pitchfork as "autopilot" but effective, helped propel the song to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on the UK Singles Chart. Key facts from the source: - The song was released as the second single from Jay-Z's album The Blueprint 3 on July 24, 2009. - Rihanna's contribution was her first musical appearance after the February 8, 2009 altercation with Chris Brown. - The song won Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 52nd Grammy Awards, marking Rihanna's third Grammy win. - The music video was directed by Anthony Mandler and filmed at Fort Totten Park in New York City on August 6, 2009. - The video features Rihanna performing in a park with explosions around her, wearing a bandanna that she removes from her mouth.
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