Rihanna's latest single has rocketed to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making history in the process. Check out the report via Billboard:

The song's bump is the second-best leap to No. 1 in Hot 100 history, trailing only Maroon 5's 64-1 jump with "Makes Me Wonder" last May. Coincidentally, Rihanna is featured on the band's "If I Never See Your Face Again" which will debut tomorrow at No. 57. With the lofty digital take, Rihanna now owns two of the top three opening week download tallies in chart history. Mariah Carey's "Touch My Body" set the mark with 286,000 last month, surpassing the 277,000 moved by Rihanna's "Umbrella" when it debuted in the June 9, 2007 issue. "Take a Bow" is one of four new songs on an expanded CD/DVD edition of Rihanna's "Good Girl Gone Bad" album, due June 17 via Def Jam.

Call me a hater or whatever, but that is some garbage right there. Simple as. It's very disheartening to see an artist put out any old rubbish (and 'Take A Bow' is rubbish IMO), and hit the top if the charts. In all fairness to Rihanna, even the best artists have had wack songs perform very well; but it's getting a little worrying when the top spot seems to be occupied by whoever's 'shove (insert artist name) down your throat...till you like it' promo team did the best job. SMH...

Labels: Rihanna

Review up shortly...

In the meanwhile...

What do you think of the video?

Labels: Maroon 5, Rihanna

R&B stars Rihanna and Chris Brown were snapped smooching at a KFC in Miami yesterday. The not-so-surprising, yet surprising public display of affection comes on the heels the pair both denying they are an item. I guess, the hush-hush of it all was to keep Chris' largely young female audience appeased. No so luck after this.

Labels: Chris Brown, Rihanna

Say what you want about Rihanna, but the camera really loves her; she looked stunning. Be on the lookout for the video anytime from now.

Your thoughts?

Labels: Maroon 5, Rihanna

Rihanna has teamed up with Maroon 5 for a remake of the group's song 'If I Never See Your Face Again'. Surprisingly, I'm really liking the cut; Rihanna rides the beat well.

Labels: Maroon 5, Rihanna

Rihanna's video for new single 'Take A Bow' premiered just a few hours ago on the Def Jam website. The song is lifted from the 'Good Girl Gone Bad' re-release, which will be hitting stores June 17th. About the video, though it was kinda run-of-the-mill, it serves its purpose. The Bajan beauty looked near-flawless, I must say though.

Labels: Rihanna

Peep this picture of Rihanna during her show in Lativa this week. No comment.

Labels: Rihanna

Seemingly out of nowhere, the latest single from Rihanna 'Take A Bow' premiered this morning on Ryan Seacrest’s 'On Air' radio show on 102.7 KIIS FM Los Angeles. The mid-tempo R&B/Pop cut, from the re-release of 'Good Girl Gone Bad' (due May 27th), is pretty much standard 'Rihanna' fare, so nothing groundbreaking here. Having said that, the 20 year old's 'studio' vocals seem to have matured and she holds her own vocally on the track more so on this than I've heard before. It'll be interesting to see if she can pull this off live....

Labels: Rihanna

Reputable UK newspaper The Independent were less than impressed with Rihanna's concert here in London at the 02 last week:

Rihanna's two backing singers, meanwhile, wear more tasteful cocktail dresses, and carry the songs. Her rougher voice cuts across them almost randomly, and is only strong when buffed by effects. Look at the video screens, and you can admire Rihanna's looks, and diamond-encrusted mic. Look at the stage, and her real performance has no charisma, no defining persona. She could be a mannequin, or a hopeful rap video extra. Click here to read more...

Thankfully, it's not just me who sees past all the hype.

Your thoughts?

Labels: Rihanna

It would that R&B stars Rihanna and Chris Brown are no longer concealing their much-talked about romance. The pic above was taken at a Paris nightclub this past weekend, where Rihanna, 20, met up with Brown, 18, before he launches his International tour. Publicity stunt or legit? Who knows.

Labels: Chris Brown, Rihanna

Judging by this pic, taken in Jamaica over the weekend, I'm guessing the rumors about a romance between Rihanna and Chris Brown are true. Check out the report below:

“They were smooching in the pool and were really lovely dovey. They were playfully making out and he was kissing her on the neck.”

The attractive pair, who got matching star tattoos on their necks in January, got in the pool after a leisurely lunch yesterday at the Hilton Kingston Hotel in Jamaica. They were hanging out with friends and at about 3 p.m., Chris, 18, jumped into the water and waited while Rihanna went to her room and changed into a bikini.

“They were floating together with him carrying her and she kept saying, ‘Don’t get my hair wet.’ She was very soft and feminine but he was a big kid and splashing around.” {Source}

Labels: Chris Brown, Rihanna

Rihanna & The Klaxons - Umbrella

More performances:

Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love

Mark Ronson (ft. Amy Winehouse) - Valerie

The Brits Award's shunning of urban music has kinda made it a bit of a non-event for me. Still, the performances were entertaining. Rihanna was just ok, I guess. Leona was her usual near flawless self. All eyes were on the recovering Amy Winehouse, who delivered two very interesting performances. I'd be lying if I said her vocals weren't down-right horrid in places on both songs. However, she did a pretty good job overall. Random tidbit: don't you just love her little shimmy dance lol. For real, it's great to see her finally getting herself together.

What do you think of the performances?

Labels: Amy Winehouse, Leona Lewis, Rihanna

Grammy winner Rihanna's father has spoken to the press for the first time about his past addiction to crack. Below is his description of when he was caught by the 'Umbrella' singer taking the drug:

“I turned and looked Rihanna in the eye and instantly came back down from the high I was on. I saw her run for her mother, ask her something and then they both started to cry. I had no idea she had been watching. It was the lowest point - life just stopped and I realized what a fool I had been.”

When the Sunday Mirror tracked down the father-of-five in Bridgetown, Barbados, he was hawking tacky toys, perfume and household items from the boot of a battered Nissan car. Despite his daughter’s millions, he never asks for a penny and insists he’s happy in his work, which earns him around £250 (about $492 US dollars) for a seven-day week. He said: “The only thing I want is to be a part of her life. I have had her forgiveness, which you can’t put a price on, and I would never dream of asking her for a dollar.” {Source}

Labels: Rihanna

For the last couple of months, speculation has been mounting as to whether R&B stars Rihanna and Chris Brown have been dating. Following the surfacing of the pic above, taken at LA Reid's post-Grammy party this past Sunday, PEOPLE.com report Brown, 18, was spotted at the 'Umbrella' singer's 20th birthday party recently:

When partygoers (like Kanye West and Wilmer Valderrama) weren’t flinging cupcakes, they offered a standing ovation after Chris Brown sang an acapella version of “Happy Birthday.” While Brown has denied that he and the birthday gal are dating (”We’re just friends … we hang out,” he told PEOPLE at a post Grammy party), a party guest tells us the two were cuddling and acting “very cozy all night.”

Add to this the fact Rihanna came to visit Chris on the set of Jordin Sparks 'No Air' video (which he features in), I'm thinking there may be truth to the rumors. Hmmm..

In other Rihanna news, her club-ready, bassline-heavy new single 'Don't Stop The Music' is performing fantastically well here in the UK. After a whopping 27 weeks on the Official Singles Chart, the song continues to hold steady, rising #5-#4 this week. The track is available at most music stores and iTunes.

Any thoughts?

Labels: Chris Brown, Rihanna

Peep this picture of Rihanna and Jay-Z after Sunday's Grammy ceremony. Wonder what was going on here?

Labels: Jay Z, Rihanna

Another day, another Rihanna magazine cover. This time the Bajan beauty features on the cover of the March issue of Cosmopolitan magazine. Yes, she looks great, but it's like: what is there left for her to actually say anymore? She's pimped her album for all it will do (kudos to her and Def Jam), but it's time to call it a day (for now).

Labels: Rihanna

Rihanna launched her new range of umbrellas - eh eh eh (ok that was kinda sad lol) - yesterday at the world's largest department store, Macy’s in New York City’s Herald Square. As much as she jarrs me at times, I can't hate on her hustle. More power to her.

What do you think of the pic?

Labels: Rihanna

Rihanna continues to up her endorsement game by becoming featuring in the now-iconic 'Got Milk' campaign. Can't hate on her hustle...or that of her label's.

Labels: Rihanna

The Recording Academy have announced that R&B superstar Mary J. Blige and Def Jam's Rihanna have been added to the list of performers at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards. Blige will perform with legend Aretha Franklin, the Clark Sisters, Israel And New Breed, and Trin-I-Tee 5:7 in a special gospel segment. Rihanna will take to the stage with reunited group The Time.

Labels: Mary J. Blige, Rihanna

{Credit: Rihanna Daily}

Rihanna extends her 'I must be on every cover this year' campaign into 2008, this time featuring on the cover of the latest issue of FHM (Germany) magazine.

What do you think of the cover?

Labels: Rihanna