It’s been three whole years since Rihanna released Anti. But, the woman who brought us “Kiss It Better” doesn’t seem in a rush to jump into new music. Since Anti, Rih’s gifted us Fenty Beauty, a lingerie line, and the anticipation for her new LVMH partnership—making her the first Black woman to operate a major fashion house. In a new interview with T Magazine, The New York Times’ style magazine, Rihanna shared the details on her upcoming role in fashion and (barely) teased fans about the prospect of what fans are calling R9.
In the interview, Rihanna was clear not to mince her words. She responds like she’s tired of answering about new music, and she might be. The Bajan singer confirms that the rumors of a dancehall album are true, but shuts down the hearsay about a collaboration Lady Gaga. The most interesting part, however, comes when she’s asked about the possibility of more music with frequent collaborator Drake:
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JH: Are you going to collaborate with Drake again?
RF: Not anytime soon, I don’t see it happening. Not on this album, that’s for sure.
JH: What is the album called?
RF: Uh, I don’t know yet.
JH: If you don’t know yet, then you probably don’t know when it’s coming out?
RF: I don’t.
Choosing not to include Drake on a dancehall album is a great move, considering the conversation behind whether the Toronto rapper’s interest in the genre is appropriation. Unfortunately for us, no title or possible release date means it may still be a while before Rihanna’s next album will come to fruition. Although she admitted she may name the forthcoming project R9, thanks to the Navy, fans can at least find solace in the fact that she sees all your begging ass comments. She joked: “How will I accept another name after that’s been burned into my skull?”
Kristin Corry is a staff writer. Follow her on Twitter.
