Recorded in one take, reportedly after a night of drinking. You can hear the slur in her voice. It’s an explicit, desperate piano ballad where she tells a lover she isn't "a model" or "a traditional woman." It’s the most vulnerable moment on the album.
While the standard edition of ANTI was already a bold departure from the EDM-infused club bangers of Loud , Talk That Talk , and Unapologetic , the edition adds a specific texture and finality to the project. For collectors, audiophiles, and hardcore Navy members, the Rihanna - ANTI (Deluxe) - 2016-Album- is the essential version of the record—a perfect blend of vulnerability, rebellion, and island soul. Rihanna - ANTI -Deluxe- -2016-Album-
Perhaps the most quotable song of 2016. Over a dark, DJ Mustard beat, Rihanna dismisses a lover as a "n---a that's weak." It’s the ultimate anti-love song: "You were just a ni--a on the side." The music video, where she shoots her ex in a motel room, solidified this as an anthem of self-worth. Recorded in one take, reportedly after a night of drinking
More importantly, the Deluxe tracks had a second life. "Sex With Me" went viral on TikTok years later, and "Love on the Brain" (standard track) became a wedding staple. The album is consistently ranked by Rolling Stone and Pitchfork as one of the best albums of the 2010s. Ten years later, the Rihanna - ANTI -Deluxe- -2016-Album- sounds timeless. It doesn't sound like 2016. It sounds like a classic record from 1973 that was beamed into the future. In an era of 10-second TikTok songs and generic pop lyrics, ANTI is a full meal. The Deluxe tracks, specifically, capture the "no f*cks given" attitude that modern pop stars try to mimic but fail to achieve. While the standard edition of ANTI was already
A fan-favorite that should have been a massive hit. This track channels 80s rock ballads (think Prince or The Cure). Rihanna’s vocals are drenched in reverb as she begs a lover to fix their relationship. The guitar solo is gritty; the lyrics are desperate. It’s the heart of the album.