LISTEN: Rihanna's New Single!

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Rihanna
Rihanna

Yeesh. What is going on with new Rihanna's new single?

"Russian Roulette," written and produced by R&B smoothy Ne-Yo, starts with some wanky lead guitar lines before settling into a dirge-like tempo over which the Barbadian diva sings about suicidal gunplay as a metaphor for, uh, what exactly? (Hear the song below.)

"He says close your eyes / sometimes it helps." The song ends with a gunshot. Ick!

Even weirder than the music -- which admittedly has a sinuous, kinda catchy chorus -- is the accompanying artwork. It shows Rihanna in a corset, her naked breasts covered by some strategically-placed barbed wire. To her left are a large switchblade and the words "Russian Roulette," made to look as if they were written in blood. We've come a long way from "Umbrella."

Thetrack arrives in advance of Rihanna's November 23 full-length, Rated R. Will the song be a hit? Maybe. But did the world really need the Deer Hunter of slow jams? Not so much.

Click here to listen and decide for yourself. Should we give "Russian Roulette" another shot, or is this one D.O.A.?

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Posted By gg

10.20.09 3:22 PM

i hated it damn rihanna u can do better i still love yeah

Posted By ladywilson

10.20.09 3:41 PM

Rihanna it was not that good, it could really be better. You have done better actually so step it up chick.

Posted By YL

10.20.09 3:45 PM

Lame. Sounds way to Ne-Yo to be Rihanna... some of those notes were way to R&B for what we've come to love from this chick... I smell an iTunes "Free song of the week"

Posted By Gina

10.20.09 3:45 PM

I LOVE her. . . I wish people would stop being so hard on her and her new found style. I happen to love that she's not like everybody else!!! As she gets older and is experiencing life, she is learning more about herself and if this is how she wants to express herself, then so be it. You don't have to like it, everybody's entitled to their own opinion, but keep it to yourself. Isn't there enough freakin' negativity in this world?!?!?! I say keep on rockin' Rihanna!!!

Posted By Joy

10.20.09 3:50 PM

You know what, when I listen to this it makes me thing she isn't happy. It kind of makes me sad for her. Maybe she is trying to tell us something, think about it. She has been through a lot recently, so maybe this is her speaking from her heart.

Posted By Anonymous

10.20.09 3:56 PM

Rihanna this really sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How could you allow yourself to sing this crap? I'm very disappointed........

Posted By Anonymous

10.20.09 3:58 PM

This sucks. Makes me wanna kill myself right now. Just what we need during these times is to be depressed with this bs. Rihanna you did not pass the test. Especially the STD test.

Posted By JOY

10.20.09 4:01 PM

You're a jerk, she is going through something. Leave her alone, she can put out whatever she wants.

Posted By MIA

10.20.09 4:05 PM

I LOVED IT. ITS NEW AND DIFFERENT!! GO HEAD RI RI!!

Posted By Anonymous

10.20.09 4:12 PM

Would be a great intro song to a James Bond Movie!

Posted By Anonymous

10.20.09 4:14 PM

hey she went and got those tattoo' s of the gun's done unless that was all a stunt in the paper?!!!! thenn comes out with this song pretty serious man she must be hurting alot hope he wasn't her first love!!! hey we all been there done that lol love u girl!!!! keep ur head up !!!!!!!

Posted By Jazz

10.20.09 4:17 PM

I'm feeling it.. Rihanna has always done her own thing.. and thats what i like a bout her..she dosen't care what everybody else thinks she does her own...cnt wait for the Cd to drop..it's very different but it represesnts her growth and personal experiences.

Posted By Anonymous

10.20.09 4:18 PM

I completely agree wit you.

Posted By Anonymous

10.20.09 4:25 PM

wow thats lame. shes changed so much. drugs.

Posted By Anonymous

10.20.09 4:29 PM

I get it. I have been where you are Rhianna. Love the song. Wow powerful!

Posted By Anonymous

10.20.09 4:38 PM

Its not as bad as many are saying ill give it a 7 on a 10 scale... Shell give us somethng else upbeat soon Im sure. nNontheless, as I was typing this then i hear the gun shot at the end wow. ;) lets givem a lil hope n inspiration Rhi.. still beleiveing in ya

Posted By DeniseMichelle

10.20.09 4:41 PM

die hard fan...........i'll show support but damn girl you pushin it! i hated this one!!! sory boo...love you!

Posted By Anonymous

10.20.09 4:44 PM

Listen "SPIN", after all this time one would have thought that you could get Rihanna's nationality correct. She comes from BARBADOS, that makes her a Barbadian NOT Bahamian!

Posted By Anonymous

10.20.09 4:51 PM

I like it! It's different! The vocals are very earthy and strong and the sound is very abstract. Sure it's not the best, but it's a cut above those "hits" in the past.

Posted By slim buddy

10.20.09 4:56 PM

i feel ya Ri if thats the way u felt when u wrote it f- it do u baby and middle finger to the haters

Posted By Johnnie

10.20.09 4:57 PM

Umm its okay.. sounds like her old stuff.... but because its Rihanna It will be the new shi* that everyone is feeling. Da** if only AALIYAH was still here. The R&B world is definitely never going to recover from that lost.

Posted By sierra

10.20.09 5:00 PM

ITS A NICE SONG SHE TELLING EVERYONE SOMETHING

Posted By Anonymous

10.20.09 5:03 PM

sung like a true artist. keep it up girl, i support u!

Posted By Red

10.20.09 5:03 PM

It sucks you can do better then that.

Posted By Anonymous

10.20.09 5:06 PM

YAY, Bobble Head!!!!

Posted By Not an anon

10.20.09 5:08 PM

Hallelujah! I actually like this [but it's a bit depressing], it's different from her other "great" songs. It's not no S.O.S crap or "Umbrella ella ella eyy eyy eyy" and that's awesome to say the least. I hope to hear more deeper and meaningful lyrics from her, like this one [but something that's a little more upbeat, though I really enjoyed this song]. :]

Posted By Anonymous

10.20.09 5:10 PM

this song was okay but she could have done better. I think so anyway

Posted By Yoani

10.20.09 5:15 PM

I don't like it but I guess she has to get whatever in her system out.

Posted By Anonymous

10.20.09 5:15 PM

DAMN PEOPLE I LIKE THE SONG. WHY SO NEGATIVE ABOUT THE LYRICS, BECAUSE THE BEAT IS KINDA NICE TO ME. SOMETIMES WHNE YOU LISTEN TO MUSIC YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO IT FROM THE ARTISTS STANDPOINT AND NOT YOUR OWN. ALL ARTIST ARE SPEAKING THRU THEIR MUSIC.

Posted By Anonymous

10.20.09 5:17 PM

I love this song!

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