After some disappointing music from Rihanna, whose voice can often be grating, she’s back with a perfect collaboration with Eminem.
“Love the Way You Lie,” which premiered last night right before Jersey Shore, is a song about domestic violence, something Rihanna and Eminem have experienced on different sides; and the raw honesty really shines through. After the 2009 Grammy Awards Rihanna was brutally bloodied by her superstar boyfriend Chris Brown, and that night became a fierce topic of debate in popular culture. Eminem was violent with his twice ex-wife Kim Mathers.
Rihanna’s hook is beautiful, infectious, haunting, and (most importantly) suited for her voice. “Just gonna stand there and watch me burn? That’s okay, because I like the way it hurts. Just gonna stand there and watch me cry? That’s alright because I love the way you lie.” The video sets Rihanna and her current red hair against a burning background and highlights her snarling talent. Not everyone can really curl up their lip in that perfect expression of disgust.
The video features the always lovely Megan Fox depicting Eminem’s rhymes about the cycle of domestic violence, which flow scary, sharp and authentic and remind us why he’s supposed to be agreat artist. Much more fun than watching him take petty, creepy, stalkerish shots at Mariah Carey.
Megan Fox upped the awesomeness of this project by donating the fee she collected for appearing in this video to Sojourn, a woman’s shelter for domestic violence victims.
Honestly, all around good job folks. Keep making stuff like this.
