World Premiere: Rihanna & Drake - "Work"

World Premiere: Rihanna & Drake - "Work" [Full Audio + Review]

Rihanna is back with a brand new single titled “Work”, featuring ex-boo rapper Drake. The song will be featured on the Barbados-born singer’s upcoming eighth studio album “Anti”, due in stores later this week – an exact day won’t be announced as she’s gearing up to release this via a “surprise release” - via Roc Nation.

Co-produced by Boi-1da and PARTYNEXTDOOR, the first we heard of “Work” was last month when a fan sneakily used his phone to record a few seconds of the “Work” audio as Rihanna and Drake shot the music video in Los Angeles. The leaked audio was very low quality and many members of the #RihannaNavy preferred to hold judgment until the HQ version was out.

Rihanna's new single world premiered today (Jan. 27) at 8 a.m (ET) on all major Top 40 radios around the globe. The premiere was immediately followed up by a digital release throughout the usual platforms (Correction: Unfortunately just just Tidal. Correction 2: iTunes too now!)

listening to ANTI ???? pic.twitter.com/AgqlhU0GEz
— Rihanna (@rihanna) January 25, 2016

“Work” has a dancehall vibe, and people are quickly calling it “What’s My Name P. 2”. Although it’s not as catchy and radio-friendly as “What’s My Name”, “Work” has all the ingredients to be a hit - 1) it’s a Rihanna single, 2) Drake’s in itand 3) radio's going to support no matter what - and I’m convinced that once the hot music video is premiered, many hesitaters will turn to the ‘love’ side.

The structure of the song is very predictable in the sense Rihanna takes care of all the singing, main verses and choruses, while Drake is in charge of throwing a rap moment towards the middle of the song.

OFFICIAL REVIEW: First, the good part; “Work” has been ‘instant’ for me, the production is really nice, dancehall-ish, and, overall, the song puts me in a good move - I can totally see myself ‘werking’ to this sipping a ‘Sex On The Beach’ on the sand while dancing with my friends. Now, the not so good part; the lack of enunciation in Rihanna is real. I speak the truth. Hadn’t I known the title before listening to “Work”, I wouldn’t have known what RiRi sings in the chorus – but this lack of enunciation also applies to other sections of the song. 8 writers for this song? WHAT? Robyn Fenty, Aubrey Graham, M. Samuels, R. Stephenson, R. Thomas, J. Braithwaite, Monte Moir and Allen Ritter have writing credits in “Work”. Are you kidding me? Don’t get me wrong. The song will do good, I’m digging it, and the production is really bananas, but the lyrics are trash. And you’re telling it took 8 people to write “Work”? LMAO. The deceive is real. They all just wanted a piece of the royalties cake. So… summing up: “Work” will do good, better than “Bitch Better Have My Money”, the music video will be fire I’m sure, this isn’t, as I previously mentioned, not as catchy as “What’s My Name” nor as radio-friendly but since it’s a freaking Rihanna still, radios will eat it up anyway. Is “Work” a bit a bummer, then? Well, RiRi’s singles are usually really strong, iconic and memorable, and I’m not getting these three characteristics from “Work”, but at least I personally like it better than “Four Five Seconds” and “Bitch Better Have My Money”. It make me excited about Rihanna again. She knows these more commercial sounds it’s the path she must follow – don’t give me more acoustic, experimental crap a la “Four Five Seconds”. Hopefully this re-thinking on the album’s sound was the reason why “Anti” was delayed so much. The album must be filled with only commercial tracks. Yey!

FACTS: “Work” becomes the official follow-up to “Four Five Seconds”, the lead single from “Anti” released over A YEAR AGO. “Anti” (I repeat: out later this week) is the follow-up to 2012’s “Unapologetic”. That’s right. Four years we have had to wait to get a new Rihanna album.