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Rihanna Ft. Blake

Artist

Rihanna Ft. Blake

Why we feature this artist What’s My Name?: Rihanna and Drake’s recording What’s My Name? pairs Rihanna’s singing with Drake’s guest performance on Loud. The original Def Jam recording identifies the two performers, making it the appropriate reference for this…

From
Barbados, Canada
Sound
contemporary R&B

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1 track

The artist, in context

The story of Rihanna Ft. Blake

Why we feature this artist

What’s My Name?: Rihanna and Drake’s recording

What’s My Name? pairs Rihanna’s singing with Drake’s guest performance on Loud. The original Def Jam recording identifies the two performers, making it the appropriate reference for this archived entry despite the older credit’s different spelling.

The original Loud performance

Def Jam’s 2010 album master credits Rihanna and Drake. The official video attached to this catalogue entry presents that same recording, rather than evidence of a separate performer called Blake.

The musical appeal comes from the change in tone between the voices. Rihanna gives the song its melodic centre; Drake’s appearance introduces another pace and perspective before the arrangement returns to the familiar vocal line.

The song in its album setting

Loud provides the wider programme around the single. Hearing What’s My Name? there allows the collaboration to sit among the other vocal and production choices of that record.

The preserved archive credit points to this particular song. It is not a reason to invent a second guest artist or a permanent group around one shared performance.

Essential releases

2010

Loud

Sources and further reading

Def Jam: original Loud master recording, Rihanna and Drake

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Rihanna: original official What’s My Name? video

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