This week for the song lyric Sunday theme our task is to find a song from a final album.
I’ve gone with Rihanna, and her album anti.
The song I’ve chosen is work, featuring drake.
🎶 Basic Info
Title: “Work”
Artists: Rihanna feat. Drake
Album: Anti (2016)
Release Date: January 27, 2016
Genre: Dancehall, reggae-pop
Producer(s): Boi-1da, Kuk Harrell, Noah “40” Shebib
🔥 Chart Success
Topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 9 consecutive weeks.
Rihanna’s 14th No. 1 on the Hot 100 — surpassing Michael Jackson at the time.
Certified 6× Platinum by the RIAA (U.S.).
🎧 Behind the Scenes
The song was recorded in just one night.
Rihanna was so in love with the demo (sung by Jamaican singer PartyNextDoor, who also co-wrote it), she kept much of the melodic phrasing.
It was one of the last songs added to Anti, her 8th studio album.
🌍 Cultural Impact
Rihanna’s use of Patwa (Jamaican Patois) and Caribbean rhythms brought dancehall/pop fusion into the mainstream again.
It reignited popular interest in Caribbean sounds in U.S. pop music — paving the way for later hits like Drake’s “One Dance” and Justin Bieber’s “Sorry”.
🎬 Music Video
The video has two parts:
A vibrant Caribbean party scene directed by Director X.
A steamy, intimate scene with Rihanna and Drake, directed by Tim Erem.
Their chemistry in the video sparked a wave of relationship rumors (again).
📝 Lyrics and Style
Lyrics emphasize emotional labor in a relationship — Rihanna needing reciprocation and not just “work.”
The repetition of “work work work work work” became instantly iconic — both praised and parodied across social media.

Talk to me! I love comments!