![]() It's no surprise that Drake pops up on the track: he's been on something of a crusade to get North American listeners interested in beats that break away from the steady thump that's defined not only hip-hop but all the pop styles that derive from it. Riri even slides into her Barbadian accent for parts of it. The track, produced by Boi-1da, Vinylz, and SEVN Thomas, is an icy, futuristic reimagining of a dancehall beat that for all its clean-lined minimalism still seems capable of getting bodies wining when it inevitably takes over clubs this weekend. Rihanna's new single "Work" finds the Barbadian singer dipping back into island music. Thanks to Justin Bieber's recent singles, Felix Jaehn's remix of OMI's " Cheerleader," and the wildly popular phenomenon that is Kygo, we've have become entranced with tropical house, which is built not only on breezy vibes, but also quintessentially Caribbean rhythmic patterns. There have been some hopeful signs recently that things might be coming back around. If Rihanna had stuck with making stuff like " Pon De Replay" there probably wouldn't be millions of people holding their breath for the release of her upcoming album Anti, since she'd only be getting airtime during odd hours on Hot 97. Look at Sean Paul, who was everywhere on American radio in the early aughts until he suddenly wasn't. Our interest runs on an unpredictable cycle that spins from obsession to complete disinterest in the span of a few singles. American pop listeners have a tumultuous relationship with Caribbean music, and particularly dancehall. ![]()
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