N.E.R.D. x Rihanna - "Lemon"

[NeRD]

Assumed lead single for N.E.R.D.'s new album featuring Rihanna

Under cool new music: Pop, Rhythmic, and Urban

[Evergreen]

Instant bop.

Is Rihanna ever gonna let these other heauxs eat?

[SHOOTER]

Rihanna got barz!!!

[NeRD]

Probably won't even need an official adds date on Urban. They'll play the shit out of this.

[Active Aggressive]

This does nothing for me.

[XXX.]

Love to hear Rihanna flowing, but this is pretty terrible overall. It was originally meant for Anti.

The production is boring and it doesn't have a hook. 

NERD's weakest lead.

But with all that being said, it's nice to hear an uptempo Urban record that doesn't sound like "Bad & Bougie".

[#LisaRinna]

Nov 1, 2017 15:40:53 GMT -5 Active Aggressive said:

This does nothing for me.

Yeah nothing at all. Nada.

[Bwol]

This is just so fun

[Wavey✨️]

#64 on iTunes.

[Linnethia Monique]

#1 Trending on YouTube. Icons

[NeRD]

Nov 1, 2017 17:29:07 GMT -5 Linnethia Monique said:

#1 Trending on YouTube. Icons

The like/dislike ratio is pretty good too. Still really early but a good sign.

[B-Boy]

The song gets better during the second half.

[Wavey✨️]

I'm loving her rapping on this.

[Deleted]

totally love it, please smash!

[spaceykSVP1999]

I'm obsessed. I like her voice as a singer but I would not mind if she did her own rap features on her songs henceforth -- even if she has guys like Pharrell writing her bars. She absolutely bodied that verse. Low key she's a better rapper than most on Urban radio.

LOVE THIS from SPIN

The second thing you’ll notice about “Lemon” is Rihanna rapping. You’d notice it first, except that it follows a minute or so of vocals from Pharrell himself, dancing around the beat like he did on the 2014 Future posse cut “Move That Dope.” And then, Rihanna, rapping. No Auto-Tune, no melody, no monosyllabic Migos flow: rapping, really rapping, the kind of rapping you used to hear on pop songs all the time in late ‘90s and 2000’s, when Pharrell was at his peak as a producer. She’s nimble and cocksure, just as she is when she’s singing. As usual, she sounds like she’s barely exerting any effort, and having the time of her life. It’s enough to make the most hardcore stans exclaim “RIHANNA COULD BE RAPPING FOR THE REST OF HER CAREER I’M HERE FOR IT,” and to make those with more measured appreciation for her music agree with them. (An alternate “Lemon” without Rihanna–and with a Pharrell verse that’s nearly identical to hers–serves mostly to highlight how the force of her personality elevates the main version.)

In 2017, Rihanna is rapping on an N.E.R.D. beat that almost sounds like prime-era Neptunes. That the elements of “Lemon” don’t exactly cohere into much of a song beyond the production and her fiery contribution is basically immaterial. (One line of the hook goes “Bouncin’ around / Bouncin’ around / Bouncin’.”) With its celebrity guest, hint of nostalgia, surprise release, and word-of-mouth hype, “Lemon” has all the makings of a contemporary Big Pop Moment. When Rihanna snarls “This here ain’t a scrimmage / Mothafucka we ain’t finished” partway through her verse, it really feels like one.

[jenglisbe]

That Spin review is perfect bc it basically says without Rihannna's verse, this song is nothing.

[stunnedout]

It becomes fun once Rihanna starts.

[Glove Slap]

I'm curious as to how this will perform on Urban radio, it sticks out A LOT right now, just from the tempo alone.

[Heart Shaped Box]

So she basically just walked in and ripped off Pharell's flow for this. Considering Pharell comes in and sings that same exact portion, I think this time it's an intentional rip-off.

[ddlz]

Pharrell's voice gives me a headache.

[Linnethia Monique]

Nov 3, 2017 18:19:05 GMT -5 Heart Shaped Box said:

So she basically just walked in and ripped off Pharell's flow for this. Considering Pharell comes in and sings that same exact portion, I think this time it's an intentional rip-off.

Pharrell wrote the track sis The WHOLE thing...

[Heart Shaped Box]

Nov 3, 2017 19:39:20 GMT -5 Linnethia Monique said:

Nov 3, 2017 18:19:05 GMT -5 Heart Shaped Box said:

So she basically just walked in and ripped off Pharell's flow for this. Considering Pharell comes in and sings that same exact portion, I think this time it's an intentional rip-off.

Pharrell wrote the track sis The WHOLE thing...

Right so she just sang it the way he would. She probably heard the demo and was like, I’ll just do that lol it wouldn’t be the first time

[Caviar]

No difference with "Diamonds". I hate it for that reason alone.

[Wavey✨️]

A couple of artists have done that. No biggie. She's sounds fine on here.

[Linnethia Monique]

Nov 3, 2017 19:57:42 GMT -5 Heart Shaped Box said:

Nov 3, 2017 19:39:20 GMT -5 Linnethia Monique said:

Pharrell wrote the track sis The WHOLE thing...

Right so she just sang it the way he would. She probably heard the demo and was like, I’ll just do that lol it wouldn’t be the first time

A majority of The Neptunes/Pharrell tracks that he either wrote or produced all derived from his delivery when it involves singers. He either coaches them or demos the track with people like Latrelle or Tammy Lucas (in the past) or himself and the artist use that as a base. From Britney to Justin to Gloria Estefan, etc. the list goes on. That's what Mariah's hang up was on "Say Something" because they, as in The Neptunes, presented her with a finished track lyrically, vocally, and production wise and she had minimal input.

It's more of an issue with the songwriter though because besides Christina and Beyonce, everybody that receives a Sia track goes in trying to ape her vocally.

[Wavey✨️]

Nov 3, 2017 21:32:36 GMT -5 Linnethia Monique said:

Nov 3, 2017 19:57:42 GMT -5 Heart Shaped Box said:

Right so she just sang it the way he would. She probably heard the demo and was like, I’ll just do that lol it wouldn’t be the first time

A majority of The Neptunes/Pharrell tracks that he either wrote or produced all derived from his delivery when it involves singers. He either coaches them or demos the track with people like Latrelle or Tammy Lucas (in the past) or himself and the artist use that as a base. From Britney to Justin to Gloria Estefan, etc. the list goes on. That's what Mariah's hang up was on "Say Something" because they, as in The Neptunes, presented her with a finished track lyrically, vocally, and production wise and she had minimal input.

It's more of an issue with the songwriter though because besides Christina and Beyonce, everybody that receives a Sia track goes in trying to ape her vocally.

Latrelle❤❤❤❤

[Exclusive]

It's ok on first listen. Riri spitting bars was kinda interesting.

[Heart Shaped Box]

Nov 3, 2017 21:32:36 GMT -5 Linnethia Monique said:

Nov 3, 2017 19:57:42 GMT -5 Heart Shaped Box said:

Right so she just sang it the way he would. She probably heard the demo and was like, I’ll just do that lol it wouldn’t be the first time

A majority of The Neptunes/Pharrell tracks that he either wrote or produced all derived from his delivery when it involves singers. He either coaches them or demos the track with people like Latrelle or Tammy Lucas (in the past) or himself and the artist use that as a base. From Britney to Justin to Gloria Estefan, etc. the list goes on. That's what Mariah's hang up was on "Say Something" because they, as in The Neptunes, presented her with a finished track lyrically, vocally, and production wise and she had minimal input.

It's more of an issue with the songwriter though because besides Christina and Beyonce, everybody that receives a Sia track goes in trying to ape her vocally.

Yeah Mariah doesn’t sound like she straight up just tried to mimic his vocal stylings or flow as we hear here

[Me. I Am Justin...]

Well whatever the case, I’m addicted!

[Linnethia Monique]

Nov 4, 2017 0:04:18 GMT -5 Me. I Am Justin... said:

Well whatever the case, I’m addicted!

SAME! The intro verses are socially conscious but should've remain an intro. That all changes drastically when the beat switch comes in and Rihanna just STOMPS this track down! The bridge just blows my neck out when the bass pounds through.