Does Rihanna Love Me or Hate Me?

“Where dem bloggers at / where dem bloggers at / where they at, where they at, where they at?” It’s not exactly Shakespeare, but the lines from Rihanna’s latest single, “Hard,” always get a reaction out of me. Part of it is because the word blogger is such an unmusical word. It sounds extremely awkward when thrown into the middle of a song. But there’s also a much bigger factor - I can’t tell from the lyric whether she’s bigging bloggers up, or ripping us a new one. This is due almost entirely to what is either cleverly cryptic, or just plain awful, songwriting by The-Dream.

As a stand alone line, “where dem bloggers at” can be taken either way, although I’d lean towards negative as it sounds confrontational. Things get confusing, however, when one takes a look at the lines before and after it:

Where dem girls talkin' trash
Where dem girls talkin' trash
Where they at, where they at, where they at?

Where dem bloggers at
Where dem bloggers at
Where they at, where they at, where they at?

Where your lighters at
Where your lighters at
Where they at, where they at, where they at?
The first set of bars is clearly confrontational, which would lead one to believe the second set of bars are meant to be confrontational, as well. The third set of bars, however, are celebratory. People put their lighters in the air when they’re really feeling a song. So where do bloggers fit into this equation?

Are we right after the trash talkers because we’re supposed to be lumped in with them as someone she doesn’t like? That would certainly be a glaring example of an artist getting way too wrapped up in what’s being said about them. I mean, really, you care so much about the blogosphere that you’d mention it in a song? Talk about emo! (and talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face!)

Were we placed in the middle because she views us as some sort of middle ground between the evil of trash talkers and joy of Zippos being opened up? If that’s the case I think that would make us a “necessary evil” in her eyes, a group that is to be neither lauded nor scolded.

Or are we the positive lead in to the “lighters” line? Is she saying she knows there are trash talkers out there, but the bloggers are a group she derives strength from?

What are your feelings on bloggers, Rihanna?

Personally, after breaking it down, I think it’s just a poorly written song. Rihanna may be seeking out the girls takin trash, the bloggers, and the lighters, but they have nothing to do with each other. It’s the equivalent of singing your grocery list. Sure, all the items happen to be grouped together on the same piece of paper, but other than that they have absolutely no connection whatsoever. Regardless, the “bloggers” line will still grate on me whenever I hear it, because I’m not sure whether I should celebrate the lyric, or mean mug my radio, whenever it comes on.