Rap-Up.com || Tricky Stewart ‘Chases Greatness’ with New Rihanna Album

How do you top a monster hit like “Umbrella”? For Tricky Stewart, the answer is easy. You don’t. The hitmaker behind 2007’s chart-topper speaks exclusively with Rap-Up.com about producing the biggest album of Rihanna’s career.

There are reports that Rihanna’s fourth album will drop before the end of the year. Is that true?
I do believe it is. We’re actually just getting started. I just wrote some records that I’m in love with this past week. Rihanna and I will be getting in the studio sometime in the next two weeks, so we actually have not recorded anything for her new album yet.

Do you set out with the intention to top a hit like “Umbrella”?
I just try to chase greatness and I try to do what at the time is going to be something that is looked at as truly great. You can’t say what record is gonna be a bigger hit than whatever because the hit is always about the connection of how the people feel about what you’ve done. You can never get a gauge on that until the record is actually out. You can make records with your instincts to try to top what you did as far as the greatness that you put into the last record.

Are you going to keep the sound similar to her last album, Good Girl Gone Bad, or try something completely different?
Man, you know we can’t do that. We come out with something that sounds like “Umbrella,” they’re gonna be saying that we tried to do something that sounded like “Umbrella.” That’s not what the great artists do. They don’t even allow you to do stuff like that. Every great artist always wants to hear something they’ve never heard before.

What’s it like working with Rihanna?
She’s just a pleasure. She’s a very sweet, down-to-earth person. You would never know how successful she is ’cause she’s just so nice and warm. I guess maybe it’s her background of being from the islands. She’s just a really sweet, warm person to be around.

How did “Umbrella” change your life?
“Umbrella” changed my life because it was the first hit record that made people want to know who I was. I’ve had hit records before with [Mya's] “Case of the Ex” and JT Money’s “Who Dat” and records here and there, but this was the first record that people go, “I wanna know what that guy is. I wanna know who those guys are.” That was the biggest thing. At that point when that light came on, [The-Dream and I] had been down in Atlanta just getting ready for that moment, so we were really prepared for the ride.

Posted in Interviews, Rihanna | Permalink |

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20 Comments

dairo zebeda
October 5th, 2009 at 5:11 am
good rihanna is a born star !

[Reply]
vizionwarp
October 5th, 2009 at 5:54 am
Yeah … I Cant wait for Riri’s album..

[Reply]
LOL
October 5th, 2009 at 7:24 am
just getting started? -_-

[Reply]
Carl
October 5th, 2009 at 8:32 am
Waiting…

[Reply]
Dee
October 5th, 2009 at 9:14 am
i cant wait am too excited i cant deny it

[Reply]
Lebo(CaribbeanBoi)
October 5th, 2009 at 9:40 am
str8 outta the Caribbean !!!

[Reply]
smh
October 5th, 2009 at 10:16 am
She’s done.

[Reply]
Giselle
October 5th, 2009 at 11:29 am
just getting started? this album might come out in 2010.

[Reply]
JULIE
October 5th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
she’s too busy doing her daily attention whore fashion shows in the streets.

[Reply]
An0thrDream
October 5th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
im excited for her : )

[Reply]
Joyams
October 5th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Just getting started. The Fu** why people keep bother us with her album which will be out in december 2010…

[Reply]
MIA
October 5th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
Cant wait!!!

[Reply]
Catie
October 5th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
There’s no way that the album is dropping before the end of the year if they’re just getting started on it.

[Reply]
PooHsan Mnl
October 6th, 2009 at 12:14 am
I will be waiting her album..

[Reply]
amy
October 6th, 2009 at 12:54 am
yeh.i agre with catie..

if he is just gettin started with her..

2010 is her album release..she’s at fashion shows..not workin on her albumm..and she expects to release her album in 09??

not possible..!!

i like her..
i dnt want her to rush the release..i want her 2 release it in 2010

[Reply]
dan
October 6th, 2009 at 1:26 am
i see another bday coming…2 weeks and the cd is ready…

[Reply]
Grant
October 6th, 2009 at 1:26 am
I think he means him and rihanna are just away to get started, i remember i read a while ago that LA Reid had so much music for rihannas new album so im sure it will be this year, it doesnt mean she hasnt been with other producers, read between the lines.

[Reply]
Rihanna's Next Album Won't Be Another Good Girl Gone Bad | INN THE BASEMENT
October 6th, 2009 at 4:57 am
[...] In this same interview we find out that the album will not be another Good Girl Gone Bad so don’t even expect it. In his general words, this isn’t what great artists do, copy cat on the previous. Instead they work for something different, yet good. Check the entire interview at Rap-Up. [...]
tell'em
October 6th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Grant is right. He means that him and Rihanna have just started working on their tracks together. She has already worked with Pharrell, Kanye, Ryan Tedder (One Republic), Neyo, Justin Timberlake, and more for this project so it should be done soon.

[Reply]
G-Wear.net | Urban Clothing Retailer
October 14th, 2009 at 10:22 am
[...] Producer Tricky Stewart spoke to Rap-Up.com about his involvement with the eagerly-anticipated project. Read the interview here. [...]