Birthday Cake

Birthday Cake
Rihanna
publication	November 18, 2011
length	1:18
Genre (s)	Contemporary R&B , Dubstep
Author (s)	T. Nash , R. Fenty , M. Palacios , E. Clark
Publisher (s)	Def Jam Recordings
album	Talk that talk

Birthday Cake is a song by the Barbadian singer Rihanna . A remix, in which Chris Brown participated as a guest musician, was released on March 6, 2012 as the fourth single from Rihanna's sixth studio album Talk That Talk , after which it rose to number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 .

background

The song was written by The-Dream , Rihanna , Marcos Palacios and Earnest Clark, with production by Da Internz. was acquired. The-Dream appeared as a co-producer. The title was recorded in room 1306 at the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel in Copenhagen , Denmark . Before the album was released, the title leaked on the Internet and became very popular with Rihanna's followers. However, it was soon announced that the piece of music would not be on the singer's new album. As fans reacted disappointed to this announcement, the songwriter The-Dream commented on the problem in an interview and confirmed that “Birthday Cake” was just an interlude , but not a real song. Due to the reactions of Rihanna's fans on social networks such as Twitter , The-Dream finally announced that the title would be processed into a real song and finally released as a single. Ultimately, the song was also used for the Talk That Talk album .

composition

The song is an interlude that includes bass , the sound of bell rings, clapping noises and an electronic beat . Rihanna's singing is adapted to the lewd lyrics by a sensual tone of voice. She also raps a large part of the song. In various reviews, the singing was also described as hot-blooded and playful.

The song contains little text and is mainly based on the word Cake (German: cake ) that Rihanna repeated in the chorus several times. In addition to these repetitions, the text also consists of several metaphors with a sexual background. For example, the lines I know you wanna bite this / It's so enticing / Nothing else like this, I'ma make you my bitch / And it's not even my birthday / But you wanna put your name on it refer to a vagina . Rihanna also sings about her desire for spontaneous sex. With the lines I'ma make you my bitch , she also represents making her lover compliant. The title ends with a fade-out , which has been negatively received by reviewers. Katherine St. Asaph, for example, described this as ungracious and felt that it made the song look like it was incomplete. The fade-out is followed by the words Ooh, I wanna fuck you right now , which was also criticized. It was described as brazen , and the cursing made the song's intent obvious.

Live performances

The song was sung live for the first time on May 5, 2012. At that time Rihanna appeared on Saturday Night Live and carried the title as part of a medley along with the song " Talk That Talk ", also released as a single . At the beginning she sang the version of the interlude of “Birthday Cake” before she performed “Talk That Talk” without the rapper Jay-Z, who was a guest musician on the single version .

success

reception

The interlude received average reviews from reviewers. Jason Lipshutz from Billboard praised the song and wrote that everyone likes bad habits in pop music form that deals with birthdays. However, 78 seconds is not enough solemnity. MTV Buzzworthy's Sam Lansky was also won over by the song, saying the only misstep of the title was that it was too short. He was also of the opinion that Rihanna revealed more dirt through co-producer The-Dream , who has been described as a sensual R&B master .

Many reviewers rated “Birthday Cake” along with the song “ Cockiness (Love It), ” which is also on Rihanna's album Talk That Talk and is right before “Birthday Cake” on the track list. One wrote that both titles would leave the listener in no doubt that Rihanna is just as sexy as always in her career. Melissa Maerz of Entertainment Weekly magazine also compared the two songs and called them the most provocative pieces of music on the album . Furthermore, they described them as I-like-it-rough songs (English: I-like-it-rough tracks ) and was of the opinion that they were merely album filler whose purpose is the listener out of bed and bring it to the dance floor. The Daily Mail wrote that the ambiguity was tiresome after hearing both titles.

Various authors were less convinced of the quality of the interlude, calling it horrific , for example , with reviewer Giovanny Caquias ironically remarking that the short length of the song meant that minimal time was wasted. Even with BBC Music you took to the track negative and wrote that this is a completely meaningless one-minute Something (English: minute-something ) shared with star producer The-Dream was that the boring profanities of a birthday cake (English: Birthday Cake ) was wasted. In other reviews, the lyrics and the message of the song were criticized. So it was written that, although you can't exactly say that “Birthday Cake” is a bad piece of music, the author has now been annoyed by the singer's sexual statements. He advised Rihanna to convey more substance in her songs. One reviewer wrote that the album Talk That Talk received a parental advisory sticker due to the overtly sexual lyrics . In addition, the short interlude left doubts as to whether Rihanna would believe what she was selling with her music.

Commercial win

Although the interlude itself never appeared as a single, it entered the charts in some countries after the album Talk That Talk was released . In the US, it reached number 30 on the Hot Digital Songs list in 2012, with 36,000 downloads, as well as number four on the Hot R & B / Hip-Hop Songs and 39 on the Billboard Hot 100 .

Contributors

Source: album booklet

Places:

• Photo: Radisson Blu Royal Hotel (Room 1306), Copenhagen , Denmark
• Mixing: The Boom Boom Room , Los Angeles , USA

Staff:

• Songwriters: Terius Nash , Robyn Fenty , Marcos Palacios , Earnest Clark
• Production: Da Internz. , The-Dream (co-producer)
• Sound engineer: Kuk Harrell , Marcos Tovar , Jennifer Rosales (assistant)
• Mixing: Kevin "KD" Davis , Calvin Bailiff (Assistant)

Remix with Chris Brown

Birthday Cake Remix
Rihanna featuring Chris Brown
publication	March 6, 2012
length	3:40
Genre (s)	Contemporary R&B , Dubstep
Author (s)	T. Nash , R. Fenty , M. Palacios , E. Clark
Publisher (s)	Def Jam Recordings
album	Talk That Talk (original version only)

background

Due to the popularity of the interlude with the singer's followers, Rihanna announced on Twitter in December that she would record a full version and then publish it. This plan has been criticized in part because it would make the interlude perceived as an imperfect version rather than an interlude. This leads to the fact that the album Talk That Talk is actually incomplete. Another article rated the planned publication as dubious , alluding to the dubious lyrics of the Interlude. This shortened version is already dirty. Therefore, a comparison was drawn with Rihanna's single " S&M ", which was also viewed critically due to the strongly sexual text , which was released in January 2011 as the fourth release of the album Loud and later reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, among others . They asked ironically whether anything was too spicy for the radio.

Creation and publication

Chris Brown is involved in the remix of Birthday Cake.

In February 2012, speculation began about a possible guest musician for the single after Rihanna posted a message on her Twitter account: I need somebody #DIRRRTY on my Birthday #CAKE . Based on the choice of words, it was initially assumed that Christina Aguilera had been chosen , as she had published a title in 2002 with the name “ Dirrty ”. However, she later rejected these rumors when she urged her followers to suggest a male artist as a guest musician. Also in February, Kosine, part of the Da Internz. , announced that the single will premiere between February 16 and 20 and the chosen musician will shock the world . Shortly after this announcement, speculation began about Rihanna's former partner Chris Brown . The rumors arose when the two left Westlake Recording Studios in West Hollywood , California at different times . They were further fueled when it became known that Brown was a guest at Rihanna's birthday party. Due to the shared past of the two musicians, the topic received a lot of media attention worldwide. Brown had physically assaulted and beaten his then-partner Rihanna prior to the 2009 Grammy Awards in 2009 .

The official remix premiered on February 20, 2012, Rihanna's 24th birthday, with Brown actually making an appearance as a guest musician. Since then, the singer has received great criticism for this choice, because she sends the wrong signal to young people and does not do justice to her role as a role model. However, co-producer The-Dream defended Rihanna, saying that one shouldn't judge the past of the two and that the remix was just a song . It is just about two talented musicians recording a song together, not an incident that happened. Rihanna herself justified her decision on Ryan Seacrest's radio show . She would have contacted him since he's the only person who made sense. Only as a musician, regardless of everything else. [...] I've been thinking about rappers, and I've done that so often, and the hottest R&B artist around right now is Chris Brown. That's why I wanted him to be there with the song. She further explained why she can be heard on the remix of his single " Turn Up the Music ": "Then again he said:" Why don't you remix my song? "It was like a balance. We did two titles. One for my fans, one for his. This is the way our followers can come together. There shouldn't be a gap. It's music and it's innocent. "

country	date	format	Label
United States	February 20, 2012	premiere	Def Jam Recordings
	March 6, 2012	Urban Contemporary Radio

composition

Compared to the original version, the composition changed only marginally, but a new Rihanna's verse was added in addition to Brown's verse. Brown's text begins with the words Girl, I wanna fuck you right now , which contrasts with the words Ooh, I wanna fuck you right now , with which Rihanna ended the interlude. Then the singer performs his text with the sentences Been a long time I've been missing your body / Turn the lights down / When I go down it's a private party and Give it to her in the worst way, can't wait to blow her candles out , presenting this in an aggressively manipulative manner. At the end, Rihanna sings a new line: Remember how you did it / If you still wanna kiss it / Then come and get it . Overall, the text revolves around sadomasochistic sexuality and dominance over men, which is represented by metaphors for oral sex .

success

reception

The remix received average reviews. For example, Bety Hardie of the Daily Mirror commented that the remix came as a shock because Brown knocked her [Rihanna] almost unconscious three years ago, just before the Grammys ; She also suspected that Rihanna would have to deal with harsh criticism from journalists and fans as well, as she set a bad example for young girls. However, she admitted that messing with the way people thought was quite an amazing stroke of genius in terms of public awareness. Jo Usmar, reviewer of the Daily Mirrors , also drew a comparison to the incident in 2009 and reacted ironically to the publication: If you have lived in a cave for the last two years, this is exceptionally explosive, since Brown was found guilty of Assaulting Rihanna in 2009.

In a review for The New York Times , the author certified that both the original and the remix were good songs. Nevertheless, he was also critical of the collaboration between the two artists and gave Rihanna some advice: You want to forget? OK. But do not forgive. He went on to explain his dislike and felt that it displayed an advanced understanding of marketing and an understanding of moral obligations and ethics, which were little more than basic. In his opinion, a woman would publicly accept a perpetrator - no more, no less.

Commercial win

The remix did not get any placement outside of the US. In the Hot 100 Airplay charts , he climbed to number 89 and later reached number two as his highest position. In the case of the Hot R & B / Hip-Hop Songs , the song also placed second. In March, the title also rose to rank 63 on the Billboard Hot 100 and in May it reached its top position for the first time, position 24. It finally held this rank for a total of four weeks in a row, before falling to position 32 in June.

Charts	Top ranking	Weeks
Chart placements
United States (Billboard)	24 (20 weeks)	20th

Other remix versions

In 2012, the American rapper Fabolous released his own version of the remix and added another verse to Brown's. Hip-hop musicians also made their own version of the song in collaboration with Reek da Villian . Even Rick Ross released a new version of the remix, also he also shot a music video for his version.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ The-Dream: The-Dream Says Rihanna's “Birthday Cake” Will Become A Full Song . defpenradio.com. November 28, 2011. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
2. ↑ ^{a b c} Maz Halima: Flavor Review: Rihanna - 'Talk That Talk' . flavourmag.co.uk. November 23, 2011. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
3. ↑ ^{a b} Randall Roberts: Album review: Rihanna's 'Talk That Talk' . latimesblogs.latimes.com. November 20, 2011. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
4. ↑ ^{a b} Nathan S .: Rihanna - Talk That Talk . djbooth.net. Archived from the original on September 14, 2012. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 20, 2012. 
5. ↑ Jon Caramanica, Ben Ratliff, Nate Chinen: Rihanna's 'Talk That Talk' Synth-Perfect for an Earlier Time . nytimes.com. November 21, 2011. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
6. ↑ Rebecca Thomas, Kelly Marino: Rihanna 'Birthday Cake' Cameo Will 'Shock The World' . mtv.com. February 14, 2012. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
7. ↑ ^{a b} T'Cha Dunlevy: Review: Rihanna's Talk That Talk . montrealgazette.com. November 21, 2011. Archived from the original on December 27, 2011. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 22, 2012. 
8. ↑ ^{a b} Katherine St Asaph: Rihanna's "Talk That Talk" Reviewed: "Birthday Cake" . popdust.com. November 14, 2011. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
9. ↑ ^{a b} Rihanna Performs on 'Saturday Night Live' . rap-up.com. May 5, 2012. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
10. ↑ Jason Lipshutz: Rihanna, 'Talk That Talk': Track-By-Track Review . billboard.com. November 17, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
11. ↑ Sam Lansky: Rihanna's 'Talk That Talk': A Track-By-Track Guide To Her New Album . buzzworthy.mtv.com. November 21, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
12. ^ Pip Ellwood: Rihanna - Talk That Talk . entertainment-focus.com. November 24, 2011. Archived from the original on September 14, 2012. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 23, 2012. 
13. ↑ Melissa Maerz: Music Review: Talk That Talk (2011) - Rihanna . ew.com. November 23, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
14. ^ Adrian Thrills: It seems even pop's most provocative princess is a romantic at heart ... Rihanna reveals she just wants love . dailymail.co.uk. November 18, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
15. ↑ Giovanny Caquias: Album Review: “Talk That Talk” - Rihanna . cultureblues.com. November 30, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
16. ↑ Mike Diver: Rihanna Talk That Talk Review . bbc.co.uk. November 21, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
17. ↑ Charts: Hot Digital Songs
18. ↑ Charts: Hot R & B / Hip-Hop Songs
19. ↑ Charts: Billboard Hot 100
20. ↑ Karinah Santiago, Gary Trust: Rihanna's 'Birthday Cake' Soars on Charts; Chris Brown's 'Music' Sees Some Gains, Some Dips . billboard.biz. March 1, 2012. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
21. ↑ ^{a b} Katherine St. Asaph: Rihanna's Full "Birthday Cake" Track Is Coming, Honest . popdust.com. December 29, 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
22. ↑ Becky Bain: Rihanna Asks Fans To Pick Her Next Single, Will Drop Full “Birthday Cake” Song . idolator.com. December 29, 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
23. ↑ Is Rihanna hinting at Christina Aguilera collaboration? . nypost.com. February 6, 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
24. ↑ news: Will Rihanna's next single feature Christina Aguilera? . 4music.com. February 8, 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
25. ↑ Rebecca Thomas, Kelly Marino: Rihanna 'Birthday Cake' Cameo Will 'Shock The World' . mtv.com. February 14, 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
26. ↑ ^{a b c} Erika Ramirez: Report: Rihanna and Chris Brown Reunite On 'Birthday Cake' Remix . billboard.com. February 16, 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
27. ↑ ^{a b} Sophie A. Schillaci: Rihanna Features Chris Brown in Sexually Charged 'Birthday Cake' Remix (audio) . hollywoodreporter.com. February 20, 2012. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
28. ^ ^{A b} Jason Lipshutz: The-Dream Speaks on Rihanna / Chris Brown Remixes: 'It's Just Music' . billboard.com. February 22, 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
29. ↑ ^{a b} Gerrick D. Kennedy: Rihanna on Chris Brown collaboration: It 'made sense' . latimesblogs.latimes.como. March 16, 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
30. ↑ Future Releases . webcitation.org. Archived from the original on March 2, 2012. Retrieved on May 29, 2012.
31. ↑ ^{a b c} Beth Hardie: It happened. Rihanna and Chris Brown are back together . mirror.co.uk. February 21, 2012. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
32. ^ ^{A b c d} Jon Caramanica: Reconciliation, at Least in Song . nytimes.com. February 21, 2012. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
33. ^ J. Bryan Lowder: Why Rihanna And Chris Brown Can't Erase The Past, No Matter How Much They Collaborate . huffingtonpost.com. February 24, 2012. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
34. ↑ Ben Rayner: Rihanna and Chris Brown reviewed: "This smells bad" . toronto.com. February 22, 2012. Archived from the original on June 14, 2012. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 29, 2012. 
35. ↑ Jo Usmar: Rihanna sets off to the Brits wearing the biggest hoodie in the world . mirror.co.uk. February 21, 2012. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
36. ↑ Chart placement: USA
37. ↑ Chart placement USA: May 2012
38. ↑ Chart sources: US
39. ↑ New Music: Fabolous - 'Birthday Cake (Remix)' . rap-up.com. April 6, 2012. Retrieved May 27, 2012.
40. ↑ Busta Rhymes & Reek Da Villian - Birthday Cake (Remix) . xclusiveszone.net. March 20, 2012. Retrieved May 27, 2012.
41. ↑ New Music: Rick Ross - 'Birthday Cake (Remix)' . rap-up.com. March 28, 2012. Retrieved May 27, 2012.
42. ↑ New Video: Rick Ross - 'Birthday Cake (ft. Rihanna)' ( Memento from July 15, 2012 in the web archive archive.today )