Love the Way You Lie by Eminem featuring Rihanna

Every New Zealand #1 single…

Eminem

Missouri-born rapper Eminem broke through to the mainstream with his alter ego, Slim Shady, and the song ‘My Name Is..’. He’s enjoyed nine number one albums in New Zealand, and he’s credited with popularising rap in middle America.

His 2009 album Relapse reflected a troubled time. His remarriage to former wife Kim Scott was short-lived, while his best friend Proof was shot and killed outside a Detroit nightclub. Eminem became addicted to prescription drugs.

2010’s Recovery reflected his newfound sobriety. He recruited pop star Rihanna to sing the hook on the album’s second single.

Rihanna

Barbados’s Rihanna was already a pop legend by 2010, with hits like ‘Umbrella’ and ‘Rude Boy’. She’s been quiet since 2016, concentrating on family and business. But she’s massively successful, holding records like the fastest time span to score 20 US top-ten singles.

Love the Way You Lie

‘Love the Way You Lie’ is a duet portraying two lovers who refuse to leave an abusive relationship. Both leads experienced abusive relationships, Rihanna famously with Chris Brown.

It’s something that, you know, we’ve both experienced, you know, on different sides, different ends of the table. He pretty much just broke down the cycle of domestic violence, and it’s something that people don’t have a lot of insight on.

Rihanna, Access Hollywood

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uelHwf8o7_U

My verdict

Rihanna sings the chorus, backed by gentle piano. It’s an almost comical juxtaposition with Eminem’s dramatic verses, but it works. I’m the biggest Eminem fan, but he’s way more enjoyable with Rihanna’s silky vocals to offset his bluster.

The Aftermath

The critical reception of Eminem’s records has diminished over recent years, but he’s still a huge star who regularly tops charts. Meanwhile, Rihanna has largely stepped away from music since 2016’s Anti. She presumably with three children and a huge business empire.

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• NZ #1 hits