Rihanna - "Shut Up And Drive"

[sleepy eat pepper]

I think that a lot of the people we think are individuals and controlling their own careers are just as controlled and manipulated as Rihanna is.

Ultimately, Rihanna is the one who goes in the studio and records the vocals, goes on the tours, shows up at the photoshoots and video shoots, etc. She may be a completely feeble person, and blindly led or forced to do whatever she's been doing, but she still makes it happen and she deserves credit, even if it's just a little, for making her career happen thus far.

I also think it's pretty neat when people who are clearly limited (as Rihanna is vocally) manage to create good music despite their limitations. So that's one reason why I like her. She seems like a flash-in-the-pan and we probably won't be talking about her in a few years (eventhough I think she does have some staying power potential) but I think she's worthy of some praise for doing what she's doing, even if others might be more responsible for her success than she is herself.

[Dance In The Dark]

reddragon said:

I don't care if she can't write or produce her songs. I take her as a pop artist with catchy and eclectic song. I'm not asking her to be Alicia Keys.

Right? Rihanna's the one making it happen. The producers and writers aren't in the video, singing, performing, etc.

At least Rihanna has an image of her own. Look at Nicklesack. They've been around for years and I still can't point out what sound or image they're trying to go for.

[tozion]

james2390 said:

At least Rihanna has an image of her own. Look at Nicklesack. They've been around for years and I still can't point out what sound or image they're trying to go for.

They don't have a sound? They have such a defined sound, they've rewritten the same song a dozen times.

[Dance In The Dark]

Uh oh, You got me. I don't even know what I meant anymore, lol.

Maybe I meant Rihanna has variety?

I need to go to bed.

[I HATE LA REID]

sleepytime said:

I think that a lot of the people we think are individuals and controlling their own careers are just as controlled and manipulated as Rihanna is.

Ultimately, Rihanna is the one who goes in the studio and records the vocals, goes on the tours, shows up at the photoshoots and video shoots, etc. She may be a completely feeble person, and blindly led or forced to do whatever she's been doing, but she still makes it happen and she deserves credit, even if it's just a little, for making her career happen thus far.

I also think it's pretty neat when people who are clearly limited (as Rihanna is vocally) manage to create good music despite their limitations. So that's one reason why I like her. She seems like a flash-in-the-pan and we probably won't be talking about her in a few years (eventhough I think she does have some staying power potential) but I think she's worthy of some praise for doing what she's doing, even if others might be more responsible for her success than she is herself.

i agree

[Robert J]

jerseyboy said:

irice22 said:

Wow! I'm glad she's doing something so innovative. This will be a great summer hit!

You really think she, Rihanna herself, had anything to do with the innovation? She's a marketing tool. She doesn't write lyrics. She doesn't arrange music. She doesn't produce. She doesn't have a defining sound that she gives her input on. The song may be innovative, but let's not credit it to the wrong places. The execs at Def Jam are genius for taking a random girl from the islands and finding a way to get her hit after hit!

This is all so ridiculous. Isn't this how pop careers used to be run? ASCAP says Whitney Houston has exactly 8 writing credits to her name and three of them aren't even songs. Who cares if she's a puppet - it's CLEARLY working for her.

[I HATE LA REID]

...and NOBODY works alone in the business...your manager,label or whatever. and how do you know rihanna doesn't conceptualize her own material beyonce-style?

[tozion]

Yeah. I don't see the big deal. Most pop artists are largely puppets.

[TotallyEnormousExtinctDinosaur]

robertj said:

jerseyboy said:

You really think she, Rihanna herself, had anything to do with the innovation? She's a marketing tool. She doesn't write lyrics. She doesn't arrange music. She doesn't produce. She doesn't have a defining sound that she gives her input on. The song may be innovative, but let's not credit it to the wrong places. The execs at Def Jam are genius for taking a random girl from the islands and finding a way to get her hit after hit!

This is all so ridiculous. Isn't this how pop careers used to be run? ASCAP says Whitney Houston has exactly 8 writing credits to her name and three of them aren't even songs. Who cares if she's a puppet - it's CLEARLY working for her.

Whitney has one of the greatest voices of all time. Other people may have come up with her materil, but Whitney made her songs by using her voice as a tool- through projection and adding emotion to her songs to match the lyrics. The tone of her voice alone would tell a story. Her voice was as much responsible for her success as the record label team behind her. You're seriously going to tell me that the situation is the same for Rihanna?

[Robert J]

jerseyboy said:

robertj said:

This is all so ridiculous. Isn't this how pop careers used to be run? ASCAP says Whitney Houston has exactly 8 writing credits to her name and three of them aren't even songs. Who cares if she's a puppet - it's CLEARLY working for her.

Whitney has one of the greatest voices of all time. Other people may have come up with her materil, but Whitney made her songs by using her voice as a tool- through projection and adding emotion to her songs to match the lyrics. The tone of her voice alone would tell a story. Her voice was as much responsible for her success as the record label team behind her. You're seriously going to tell me that the situation is the same for Rihanna?

The strength of the vocals is beside the point - both are puppets when it comes down to it.

[duh5]

The fact that Rihanna doesn't write or produce her own material doesn't matter to me. Good pop music is good pop music. The fact is though, she brings nothing to the table or to her songs. She can't sing, can't dance, isn't a good performer, her looks are awkward, and she has zero charisma or star quality IMO.

And as for her being some great pop artist, well, I just don't see it. She's had a couple of nice singles, and three crappy albums in a row.

That said, for some reason, part of me is still rooting for her. She seems like a sweet girl. As I stated earlier, she's the "talentless little engine that could."

[TotallyEnormousExtinctDinosaur]

duh5 said:

The fact that Rihanna doesn't write or produce her own material doesn't matter to me. Good pop music is good pop music. The fact is though, she brings nothing to the table or to her songs. She can't sing, can't dance, isn't a good performer, her looks are awkward, and she has zero charisma or star quality IMO.

And as for her being some great pop artist, well, I just don't see it. She's had a couple of nice singles, and three crappy albums in a row.

Exactly.

I'm not saying Rihanna is a bad thing. I'm just saying other people are responsible for her good songs (and bad songs for that matter too). Not Rihanna. My guess is she never even heard of "Blue Monday" for instance.

[bob]

uh if Rihanna had zero charisma or star quality AND no talent, how the hell would she be so huge? it's literally impossible to be successful without ANY of those things, lol.

[sleepy eat pepper]

bob said:

uh if Rihanna had zero charisma or star quality AND no talent, how the hell would she be so huge? it's literally impossible to be successful without ANY of those things, lol.

[tozion]

[hoodboy424]

But Paris was all over the place and she was always on the tabliods. Everyone loved talking about her but that didn't mean she was succesful at anything. She is only rich because of her family not because of her blockbuster movies or million of albums sold.

[backintime]

There are sooo many examples of talentless people being successful, though. It's not even an arguing point.

[tozion]

This argument is now officially beyond stupid. It's not going anywhere.

[sleepy eat pepper]

She sold 600,000 albums, has a television show entering it's 4th or 5th season, has been in several movies, has her own perfume and clothing....

There are a lot of rich kids out there, but she turned absolutely nothing into something.

I mean, Paris Hilton sold more than Music of the Sun.

[sleepy eat pepper]

Yeah. Anyway... I like this song and I hope it does well.

[RedDragon]

Just one little thing, there¡s a big difference between 600 and 150k.

[I HATE LA REID]

sleepytime said:

I mean, Paris Hilton sold more than Music of the Sun.

IT DID??

[sleepy eat pepper]

Wait. Nevermind. PH sold 600K worldwide, MOTS sold 500K in the US. Sorry.

[gregtheone]

The beginning of that song reminds me of Nicole Richie's "Dandelion". (00:15-00:30)

[TotallyEnormousExtinctDinosaur]

bob said:

uh if Rihanna had zero charisma or star quality AND no talent, how the hell would she be so huge? it's literally impossible to be successful without ANY of those things, lol.

That's a really blinded argument.

ANYONE could be really successful if powerful people back them up with a lot of money. Even you or me.

No one can deny how much money Def Jam has shelled out on trying to make Rihanna a star. Way more so than her record sales justify.