If you know you know…

In high school, with not the best home life, Rihanna was discovered while performing with her girl group in school. Demos were sent to jay z and the album we now know as Music of the Sun was birthed. Huge ass risk to pick up off her island home and go to the states. Kudos to the balls it took to do that.

1. Pon de Replay (single) – island and reggae influences and if I may say, a little tiny bit of pop thrown in. It’s a dance number. Nothing special about the lyrics, shake your shit, move your shit, etc. it’s an ideal hit number, the production shines, Rihanna’s fresh vocals shine. There isn’t the typical belting, there’s a slight accent, the entire song keeps the tempo up. One of my fav parts of the song is the bridge, it makes you just want to put your hands up and dance.Overall: 7/10
2. Here I Go Again – whiny vocals start the song, which normally annoy me. But not here. They work for her. Its a more personal song than pon de replay. Basically shines light on an individual that showed up from her past, thought she was over him, but she’s feeling all the butterfly feelings all over again. The highlight for me on this song was J-status, I love the reggae.Overall: 6/10
3. If It’s Lovin That You Want – Its a reggae r&b mixture. Which is kind of working? But I’m not the biggest fan. The lyrics tell the story of my life lol. Telling a man that is special to you that you’re the perfect girl for him, molding yourself to be whatever he wants. She’ll be everything he wants and more. I just wish the production was different, I really loved the lyrics. Even though they are juvenile and pretty simple, they’re relatable.Overall: 5/10

4. You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No) – some lyrics: ‘you don’t love me, and I know now. you don’t love me, so let me go now.’ ‘Players gonna play.’ ‘Should’ve left you long ago.’ ‘Said you loved me babe, and then you played your game.’
   ALL of the lyrics are foreshadowing her own life, events that have been made so public. Not a fan of the song, sounds pretty much like everything I’ve heard so far. Vybz Kartel doesn’t really add to the song.Side Note: the first time I heard the phrase ‘haters gonna hate’ was in this song. Overall: 4/10
5. That La, La, La – the r&b from the early 00’s and 90’s shines here. This song is just pure r&b. Reminds me of destiny’s child. The lyrics are total trash, but I find myself swaying and doing the involuntary head bob.
   Overall: 6/10
6. The Last Time – oh man, this song brings back so many memories. Throughout my listen of the album, this was is the sound I was craving after the over- saturation of repetitive reggae. It still has the island influences but in a softer ballad format.It’s a breakup song: ‘fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, the song is thru.’ I love the lyrics, again juvenile/simple. But it works. Relatable. It’s a song I come back to every breakup.
   Overall: 8/10 (personal bias included)
7. Willing to Wait – another pure r&b. The production is pretty generic, but this is where the lyrics shine. She’s crooning about how the initial crush phase of the relationship is something she wants to keep throughout, no need to rush, she doesn’t let anyone take her heart that fast, she wants to take it slow.Overall: 6/10
8. Music of the Sun – this is like a love letter to her roots. I’ve loved LOVED this song since I was a teenager. And to this day it has not aged. It’s a song that makes you feel like you’re laying on a warm beach and just soaking in the environment. I can’t put into words how much I love this song. From production to the lyrics. I have zero complaints. I almost wish more of the album was like this song.Overall, dare I say: 10/10 (personal bias included)
9. Let Me – reggae, r&b with Arabic influences. Reminds me of beautiful liar by beyonce/shakira, again a common theme from the 00’s and 90’s. Let me do a quick synopsis: see boy in a club, dance, start grinding, start making out, have sex, the end. Not a fan. Overall – 4/10

10. Rush – this is a song I’m listening to the first time ever. I’m listening, I’m listening, I’m waiting to like it. It isn’t happening. Again it’s just a generic song about liking a boy, knowing him forever blah blah. Kardinal Offishall is basically the hype man of the song. That’s a nope from me.Overall – 4/10
11. There’s a Thug In My Life – the title of this song makes me laugh. The quintessential falling in love with the bad boy song. Reggae R&b, I love this. He’s a dick, but ‘he treats me like a lady’. Everyone is telling her to slow down, don’t fall for him, but she sees him for something nobody else does despite all the drama.
    She’s torn, she’s singing to her mama, but she’s not going to let go. She knows its right. That gut feeling.
    Again one of the few songs that lyrically I love, despite the crap chorus/title. Overall – 7/10
12. Now I Know- obligatory piano ballad. A highlight for me on the album. She took a chance on her lover, she was waiting for the slow burn but it escalated way too fast. She blames the escalation on the reason why it didn’t work. Everything she believed, the amount she fell in love, the story, the consistency of their feelings. Everything changed unexpectedly. But she’s learned that time will teach you that we all get burned, but we learn from it. No regrets.‘Now I know when it’s wrong you gotta let it go’. Abrupt but fitting ending to the album.Overall – 7/10

So my general consensus, I liked it but it’s not an album I come back to. I have hearted a few songs on my Spotify, but the rest of the album I honestly forget its existence. Its a beautiful beginning to her career though and I wouldn’t change that. I just wish there were more songs like music of the sun and less if it’s lovin’ that you want. I’m partial to the album because even though it’s pretty mediocre it gave rise to the force we now know as Rihanna.

Album review – 6.5/10