Break It Off
by Rihanna (featuring Sean Paul)

Album: A Girl Like Me (2006)
Charted: 9
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In this club banger, Rihanna teams with the Jamaican rapper Sean Paul, whose hits include "Gimme The Light" and "We Be Burnin'." He also features on Beyoncé's 2003 hit "Baby Boy."

    The song finds them having a flirt, with Rihanna feeling naughty and Sean more than willing to accomodate. She was just 18 at the time but her songs were starting to get a little more saucy, leading the way for libidinous hits like "S&M" and "What's My Name?" Sean Paul is 15 years older.
  • "Break It Off" was the third US hit from Rihanna's second album, A Girl Like Me, following "SOS" and "Unfaithful." Her star shined a lot brighter when she released her next album, Good Girl Gone Bad, with the lead single "Umbrella."
  • This was the first of many superstar collaborations for Rihanna, who went on team on hits with T.I. ("Live Your Life"), Eminem ("Love the Way You Lie"), Jeezy ("Hard") and many others.
  • The song peaked at #9 in America and probably would have charted higher if a video was commissioned for it. Rihanna was stretched very thin at the time, which is probably why they didn't make one (coordinating with Sean Paul could have been an issue as well). She was releasing an album a year at this time and also doing lots of touring and promotion.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17Songwriter Interviews

Martyn talks about producing Tina Turner, some Heaven 17 hits, and his work with the British Electric Foundation.

Producer Ron Nevison

Producer Ron NevisonSong Writing

Ron Nevison explains in very clear terms the Quadrophenia concept and how Heart staged their resurgence after being dropped by their record company.

Black Sabbath

Black SabbathFact or Fiction

Dwarfs on stage with an oversize Stonehenge set? Dabbling in Satanism? Find out which Spinal Tap-moments were true for Black Sabbath.

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")Song Writing

Director Mark Pellington on Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," and music videos he made for U2, Jon Bon Jovi and Imagine Dragons.

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Bob Daisley

Bob DaisleySongwriter Interviews

Bob was the bass player and lyricist for the first two Ozzy Osbourne albums. Here's how he wrote songs like "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley" with Ozzy and Randy Rhoads.