Bajan beauty and U.S. Pop Star Rihanna, included among 15 tracks off her current US No. 1 chart topping album, ‘Unapologetic‘ released November 19 2012, an authentic Reggae rhythm track called, ‘No Love Allowed.’ Well we know Rih Rih has reggae influence, after all, she is a Barbadian of the Caribbean, but the pop star has, repeatedly done things that illustrates her love for the genre. In 2011, Rihanna shot her “Man Down” video in Jamaica which to date has received over 186 million YouTube views. Recently, she referred to veteran Reggae-Soul artist, the ever popular, Mr. Beres Hammond’s hit song titled, ‘They Gonna Talk’ quoting the lines, “when they see me with you, wonder what the crowed will say….” to her “Don’t Judge Me” Hip-Hop/Pop star beau, Chris Brown in a tweet that made the rounds across the United States media. Rih Rih has been seen clad in her Bob Marley branded swimwear on vacation as well as outfitted in a dress that has Bob Marley face branded across the front when she performed her single ‘Stay’ on Saturday Night Live (SNL) and included several Jamaican dance moves/slangs in her live performances, videos and songs.
Now the pop princess has taken it further paying patronage to the genre by including among her album’s various potential hit singles this authentic reggae piece. “No Love Allowed” would make up an album that critics have said, “Is a love letter to Rihanna’s beau Chris Brown” who is the subject of an ongoing media battering for a rather serious dispute that involved Rihanna in 2009. While Rihanna continues to keep fans and the global music industry on edge, a striking revelation as it relates to her inclusion of an ‘old school’ reggae beat on her album, is that this type of rhythm, that has made Jamaican Reggae music a global product, is put on the back burner by many young and new Jamaican artistes though loved and continues to be a favourite in the genre across the world.
“No Love Allowed” by Rihanna has already (being included on ‘Apologetic’), hit the top of the US Chart this week. One can now watch closely to see how this Pop star’s rendition of the Jamaican Reggae beat will impact globally. Can Rihanna Reggae track become the next big Reggae hit song across the world?
Written by Sophia McKay
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